The cabin is what matters when choosing a car. Similarly, selecting a back-end framework is a critical step in app development. Even though the back-end is the part you don’t see, it handles the server side, functionality, scalability, and security of an application. Therefore, it is essential for the normal functionality of your project.
There are now many frameworks you can use to build your app. Every year, the standards rise higher and higher. To create a cutting-edge, practical, and engaging online application, you must be constantly aware of the latest innovations.
In this article, we will guide you through two of the most popular back-end frameworks and how to choose the right one for your business. Grab your favorite notebook and get ready for some serious, useful, and captivating content.
Why does the choice of back-end framework matter for your web application?
One key to making a good product is to use the right tools. Choosing the right back-end framework can help you reduce the occurrence of errors, easily introduce new programming languages, tools, and designs, and improve your results as a developer.
What factors should you consider while choosing a back-end framework for your project? Here are the most important criteria to consider when choosing the perfect framework for your project:
- Type of project. Different types of projects require different technologies. For instance, data-intensive apps such as banking apps, marketplaces, social networks, and streaming platforms, usually require a combination of programming languages and frameworks.
- Size and complexity of the project. Suppose you need to develop a small project, or MVP (minimum viable product), and the deadlines are very short.  You can select the framework based on your team’s expertise, or you can search for professionals in the market, however, this may require an extra cost.
- Costs. The best framework for your project will depend on how much you’re willing to invest. The costs may vary depending on the salaries of the developers for each framework and the length of the project’s execution.
Generally, choosing the right back-end framework helps you build an efficient, scalable, and secure project.
Overview of Java and Python
Java and Python are two of the most popular and widely used programming languages. What’s the best for your business? Should you choose Java or Python for your future project? Let’s review both and answer these questions.
Java is an object-oriented programming language developed by James Gosling. Its first release was in 1995 at Sun Microsystems Inc. At that time, all programming languages were made for specific platforms. This was the reason to introduce the Java principle WORA: “Write once, run anywhere.”
Java’s popularity continues to grow. With its usage, you can accomplish such tasks as:
- Mobile app development;
- Chatbots and marketing tool development;
- Development of large-scale enterprise systems;
- Game development;
- Building and scaling cloud apps, and many others.
Many of the popular apps have been developed using Java. The most popular examples are:
The mobile LinkedIn app for Android is developed using Java
Minecraft
In this game, Java was used to develop game logic, messaging, and rendering
The company effectively used Java for mobile app development and added features like smart downloads, microblogging services, data saving, and private browsing.
Python is another popular programming language. It is an interpreted, high-level, object-oriented programming language. The main advantage of Python is its easy readability and simple syntax.
Guido van Rossum first released Python in 1991. How and where can you use Phyton? First, you can utilize it to build a website or software, conduct data analysis, and also in the machine learning field, and others.
Python is widely used and popular due to:
- Its extensive libraries: Because they include many pre-written codes, classes, and functions, you don’t need to write every piece of code from scratch;
- Its concise syntax: One of Python's guiding principles is "write less, do more", so you can accomplish more in fewer lines of code;
- Wide range of fields where it can be applied: Python can be used in back-end development, game development, statistics, cybersecurity, and others;
As a multi-purpose language, many popular apps have been built using Python. Such examples are:
The most popular app in the world that completely changed the digital content world, was developed in the Django framework and written entirely in Python.
Python was used to build 21% of Facebook’s codebase. Also, such functions as uploading photos, posts, and statuses, were created using this programming language.
Amazon
Python was used for building the recommendation engine.
The choice between Java and Python depends on your project’s specific requirements, your level of expertise, and your preferences. We know from experience that selecting the right back-end framework for your future project is important. Both Java and Python have pros and cons; you need to select the most suitable one for your project.
Java vs Python performance comparison
The performance of a framework differs based on many factors. Java is generally faster than Python since it is a compiled language, whereas Phyton is an interpreted language. Compiled Languages are converted directly into machine code, and as a result, they operate fast and have better performance.
In an interpreted language, the source code is run directly by a translator instead of being turned into machine language first. Thus, it allows fast prototyping and development.
To simplify it, let’s imagine you bought a new TV. When you go to set it up, you discover that the instructions are written in Chinese. At this moment, you, as a non-speaker of Chinese, have two options.
The first one is finding an instruction that has already been translated into English so you can read it directly. Imagine this translated instruction as a compiled language. The second option is to ask a friend who speaks Chinese.
When you begin to set up the television, your friend sits beside you and translates the instructions step by step. In this case, your friend is an interpreter for the instructions.
When comparing Java with Phyton we may identify some of the differences between them. Java is generally used for its speed and performance because of just-in-time (JIT) compilation, which makes code run faster. So, if you are looking to build an app that requires high performance and scalability, Java is the perfect option. On the other hand, Python programs are supposed to execute slower than Java ones, but they are also significantly faster to develop. It has various and numerous libraries and frameworks, created to improve performance and scalability.
Python vs Java learning curve
Python and Java are both object-oriented languages, but Java uses rigid types while Python uses dynamic types. This is the biggest difference, and it changes everything about how you plan, write, and fix programs.
Java has more complex syntax and object-oriented language features than Phyton. Therefore, Java has a more difficult learning curve. If you are a beginner, it may seem challenging for you to understand a large volume of knowledge and complex programming concepts.
For instance, if we try to type the famous “Hello, world” using Java, it will look like this:
On the flip side, Python is a more beginner-friendly language. Because It also has an interactive interpreter that allows you to quickly test code.
The same “Hello, world” written with Python looks like that:
To summarize, both Java and Python require effort and time to learn. Java’s learning curve is more complex compared to Python’s one. So, you need to choose your back-end framework according to your preferences and by reviewing the advantages and disadvantages of both.
Java vs. Python scalability
Scalability is the capacity of a system or app to handle a growing amount of work and data. Why should you take this criterion to consider when choosing your back-end framework?
Overall, both Java and Python are suitable for building scalable apps. However, Java is more often used to build enterprise-level systems. It has a generous set of libraries and frameworks that are specifically used for building large-scale apps.
On the flip side, Python has scalability limitations. However, it is still used in many famous apps such as YouTube, Pinterest, and Instagram. Python falls short of Java due to its functioning as a scripting language. Scripting languages require additional computing overhead during execution. This makes some apps run slower than others.
It is important to carefully consider the specifics of the project when making a choice. If you are looking to build a large-scale app, Java may be a good choice. Instead, for a small app where it is important to have ease of usage and simplicity, Python may be a great option.
Python vs. Java ecosystem
There are lots of tools and resources available for both Java and Python developers. The goal is to streamline and speed up the development process and improve efficiency.
Java’s ecosystem offers developers a rich set of tools and technologies to build scalable, flexible, and secure apps. Some components of Java’s ecosystem are:
- Frameworks: Spring, Hibernate, Struts;
- Libraries: Apache Commons, Jackson, Maven;
- Cloud platforms: AWS, Azure, and Google Cloud.
On top of that, the basic components of the Java ecosystem are the Java Virtual Machine (JVM), Java Runtime Environment (JRE), and Java Development Kit (JDK).
Python also has a large and expanding ecosystem. It supports web application development, data analysis, machine learning, and scientific computing.
Here are a few components:
- Frameworks: Django, Flask, Pyramid;
- Libraries: NumPy, Pandas, Matplotlib;
- Cloud platforms: AWS, Azure, Google Cloud.
The choice between the Java and Python ecosystems depends on the specific needs of your application and your team’s skills.
Java vs. Python community support
If you get stuck on a problem, it’s simple to find the answer online these days. Both Python and Java have large and supportive communities. Whether you are a beginner or an experienced developer, Java has a lot of user groups and platforms that can help you. Java has a community of approximately 9 million developers all over the world. There are thousands of forums and communities available online if you are looking to discuss topics and questions related to Java. Here are some examples:
The Java Community is one of the most popular Java developers’ online communities, with approximately 85k users from all around the world. It offers thousands of threads where developers can network and discuss questions and problems about their code.
The Beginning Java Forum allows and welcomes all questions about Java code problems and insights. If you are a beginner in Java’s world, this is a community designed especially for junior developers.
Python also has a strong developer community where people can share their expertise, talents and connect.
The Python developers community on LinkedIn has over 1.5 million active users. Programmers can ask questions, share solutions, learn new things, and make new connections.
Another great example is Python Discord, where you can find help for Python-related problems. It has more than 100 experts who can help developers solve problems.
Python vs. Java Hiring and talent availability
According to a Statista survey, in 2022, the number of Phyton programmers in the world grew to 15,7 million developers. Java, on the other hand, has a community of 14 million developers.
The availability of developers in both languages may also depend on the location. When choosing a location where you want to hire a Python or Java developer, you need to take into consideration such factors as language skills, time zone, quality of work, and others.
Do you want to find out why the Republic of Moldova is a top location for outsourcing IT and software? Read our article on the subject.
Comparing the average salaries for Java and Python developers in the US, we can note that they are close to each other.
Python developer annual salary in the US (3-4 years of experience) source: Salary.com
Java developer annual salary in the US (3-4 years of experience) source: Salary.com
The amounts vary, of course, depending on the form of hiring, the experience of the developer, education level, and many other factors. Here is an example:
Considering that Python is easier to learn and more accessible for beginners, this makes it easier to find developers. Building a Python team can be relatively more affordable, especially in regions with a lower cost of living compared to Java.
Overall, the cost of building a Java or Python team can vary depending on the project’s requirements and the developers’ skills.
For more information regarding the cost of hiring a Java or Python remote dedicated team, you can reach us. If you don't want to go through the hassle of hiring an experienced team of back-end developers for your startup, contact us for more details; we will be delighted to assist you.
Oneest’s experts’ advice: key factors to consider when choosing a framework
Choosing your back-end framework is a long-term strategy. What are the key things that you need to think about when making this kind of commitment on a long-term basis? Based on our experience, we have picked out some key things you should think about when choosing the framework for your project.
- The project’s size and complexity. From the beginning, you need to ask yourself some questions. What type of app will I build? What are the scalability requirements? What are functional and performance requirements? Answering these questions can help you choose a framework that will meet your project’s requirements.
- The popularity and community of the framework. The more well-known the framework is, the easier it will be to find high-quality professionals. If you have a problem, you will need someone who can answer your questions or help you figure out how to fix it. Although there are hundreds of technologies to pick from, our experience shows that only a few of them are mature enough to ensure viable, sustainable, and quality software products.
- The security factor. Each app has its own potential vulnerability. To minimize the risks, you need to choose a framework that has an advanced level of protection and safety. Our Oneest team only selects and works with technologies that give a high level of security.
- Project budget and timeline. Choosing a framework requires costs that you need to consider and align with your budget. You need to take into consideration salaries for developers who are specialized and experienced in working with your framework. Also, there might be additional costs associated with training your tea on how to use this framework and others. The project deadlines are an important factor as well, the closer the deadline is, the bigger the costs are.
- Project scalability and performance. By considering those things, you can ensure that your project has an opportunity to grow and provide a responsive and fast user experience. Choosing a framework that is not optimized for performance can generate future users' frustration and lower engagement. Likewise, a framework that lacks scalability can lead to performance issues and traffic and data increases.
From our past projects, we know that choosing the right technology for back-end development is a key factor for the success of the future product.
Final thoughts
Choosing the right back-end framework is essential for your project’s functionality, scalability, and security. We have explored how to choose the right back-end framework by examining two of the most popular programming languages today: Java and Python.
We compared the performance of these languages through a Java vs. Python benchmark and analyzed their popularity among developers in a Java vs. Python popularity review.
To sum up, both Java and Python are powerful tools for creating high-quality apps. That's the reason they were used in developing such giants as Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Amazon.
Interested in building the next app that will rock the market? We encourage you to check out our blog post for reasons why you should outsource its development.
We are experts in working with Java, Phyton, and other back-end technologies at Oneest. You can check our portfolio, to see how we use these types of technologies to help many businesses bring ideas to life.
If you are looking for a reliable software development company in Eastern Europe, or want to hire your own dedicated back-end development team, we are here to help you choose the right technology and develop a great product together.
Do you have an idea for a project in mind? Contact us, we would be happy to learn more about it and offer you solutions.
