Python is a programming language developed in 1991 and has grown in popularity over the last decade. It’s a leading web development language, and Python web developers are among the most in-demand in the tech world.
The Python programming language is a general-purpose option, meaning it can be used to create almost any computer program, including websites. It’s surprisingly easy to learn yet still powerful enough for some of the most advanced web applications, making it a programming language that benefits any web developer.
If you want to learn about Python web development, you’ll need to grasp this language well and understand how websites work. This page is a high-level introduction to Python website programming. You’ll learn:
- Why many people choose to use Python for web development
- Examples of website development using Python
- Basic steps required for building a website using Python
- Resources for learning more about Python web development
How You Can Build a Website Using Python
The Python programming language can be used to create a huge variety of different types of things, including websites. Making websites with Python is easier than most people think because this language makes use of frameworks.
Frameworks are prebuilt selections of code that are made to perform specific tasks. When creating a website, for example, some frameworks will give your site structure, perform common functionalities, and much more. You can use a framework to dramatically cut down the total amount of actual coding you need to perform, saving you a ton of time.
Examples of Sites Created Using Python
Here are some examples of websites created using Python. These illustrate the coding language’s versatility:
- Google: The most popular search engine in the world uses Python
- Instagram: Python was used to create the backend of Instagram
- Spotify: Python is one of the reasons Spotify can serve up audio files with virtually no delay
- Netflix: Much of the Netflix website and overall service was coded in Python
- Uber: Uber revolutionized the ride-sharing industry and its service is built with Python
Of course, millions of other websites use Python for some or all of their programming with that number growing daily.
How To Build a Website With Python Code
No matter what language you use, building a website from scratch is going to take some time and effort. Python makes many things about website building faster and easier, but you still need to ensure you have everything in place and complete all the essential steps. The following are just some of the critical things you must do to successfully launch a website using Python.
Set Up Python Web Hosting
As with any website, you’ll need good hosting. Almost all web hosting companies today will support running websites using Python code. Some, however, are better than others or specialize in hosting these types of sites.
Taking the time to find the right hosting company for your Python website will help ensure you don’t run into trouble down the road. While most hosting companies can run Python-based sites, those that don’t have it as a focus may not keep their systems updated to the latest versions of Python. This can cause your website to load incorrectly if you use updated versions before the hosting provider is ready. If you’re looking for a good option to consider, we have ranked and reviewed the top Python hosting companies to help ensure you pick the right one.
Choose Your Framework
One of the most important steps when creating a website with Python is choosing your framework. There are quite a few different popular frameworks that will make it faster and easier to make a website. The following are among the most popular Python web frameworks used today:
- Django: Django is one of the most recognized options as it uses the “Don’t Repeat Yourself” principle, allowing you to reuse code. It also has several great Python libraries that are ready to use.
- Flask: Flask is a microframework that’s not open source, which makes it great for some people. This framework is also compatible with Google App Engine, which is key for some people.
- Web2Py: This is a full-stack open-source framework that can run on almost any web hosting platform. It also has built-in security measures for common web vulnerabilities.
- AIOHTTP: AIOHTTP is an asynchronous framework with both a server and client-side function, making it very useful for many sites.
There are, of course, dozens of other frameworks to choose from. Finding the right one based on your needs may take a little time, but it’s well worth the effort.
Code Your Website
Once you have your framework, you’ll be ready to begin coding your website. This is where you’ll spend most of your time, though many first-time users are surprised at how quickly it can go. Thanks to the established Python frameworks, the bulk of the steps that need to be manually coded when using other languages are already in place.
An experienced Python web developer can have a website up and running relatively quickly. Using the right frameworks, you could have an extremely basic site up in well under an hour. A typical website will typically take about a day if you don’t include creating the actual content for the site. After initially coding your site, you’ll constantly update and improve it to keep it current and functioning properly.
Resources for Learning Python Coding
If you don’t already know Python code, or this will be your first time using it for website programming, you’ll need to learn some key points to get started. Python is widely considered one of the easiest programming languages to learn today. Additionally, no matter what level of learning you require, resources are available to you.
Consider some great options:
- Digital.com’s Python for Beginners Page: This is an excellent introduction to Python that explains what it is, how it works, and much more.
- Python’s Official Website: The Python website is a great resource. You can download the source code and installers, which is critical. It also has some great documentation to get you going.
- Python Class from Google: Google uses Python for many things, and it offers a good class to help get web developers started. This is a free class that can be very helpful.
- Python Videos: If you like to learn things by seeing them in a video, this page has a lot of great resources to help get you going.
- Languages and Frameworks: If you still aren’t certain that Python is the right option, we created an overview of different languages and frameworks to help you understand your options to pick the best one.
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