Many software developers and programmers have this doubt regarding whether Python is faster than Visual Basic. Some of the experienced Python Programmers have the opinion that Visual Basic is faster than Python. This blog discusses this aspect of Visual Basic and before getting into the reason why Visual Basic is faster than Python, let’s get to know what these languages are all about and their differences.
Visual Basic Vs Python: Real differences
What is Visual Basic?
Derived from BASIC Visual Basic is an Object-Oriented Language which enables rapid application development (RAD) of graphical user interface (GUI) applications. Visual Basic can give you access to databases using Data Access Objects, creation of ActiveX controls and objects, and to Remote Data Objects or ActiveX Data Objects.
What is Python?
Being a general-purpose programming language, Python is created by Guido Van Rossum. The Python Language has won the most praises for its elegant syntax and readable code. So if you are someone who is planning to begin your programming career, then python suits you best.
Why do some developers choose Visual Basic?
One of the reasons developers say, why they choose Visual Basic is because it has the Algorithmic Language (ALGOL)-like syntax which makes code more readable. Also
Another reason is the XML Literals of Visual Basic. An XML literal allows a developer to incorporate XML directly into the Visual Basic code. The XML literal syntax represents LINQ to XML objects, and it’s almost like the XML 1.0 syntax. Since your code has the same structure as the final XML, it makes easier to programmatically create XML elements and documents. The developers who work in Microsoft Platform prefer it because it is specific to this platform.
Now, let’s check into the reason why some developers prefer or choose Python? I am listing out the reasons here to make it easy for you to quickly pick it up.
- Great libraries
- Readable code
- Beautiful code
- Rapid development
- Large community
- Open-source
- Elegant
While the advantages are many there are some negatives too which some developers complain that some of its features are still divided between python 2 and python 3. Python has a Poor syntax for anonymous functions and its performance is impacted. And many developers complain that Python’s package management is a mess. Mostly newcomers often find themselves running into issues with missing permissions when it comes to installing and using these packages which have incompatible library dependencies, and installations that break in surprising ways. Python is also too imperative-oriented and hard to understand.
Why is Visual Basic Faster than Python?
The main reason why VB is faster than Python is that python is an interpreted language. An interpreted language can be slow? Yes, it can be, because interpretation needs to process each instruction before creating and executing into the machine code.
Although during the first run through a loop VB.NET will be as slow as Python, since machine code is executed during subsequent runs it will be much faster than Python. As VB now runs on the .NET environment it is considered to be very fast. Whereas Python is generally considered very slow.
What is the advantage of VB being faster than Python?
Many developers love Visual Basic and they think it is an amazing language. You can create an app very quickly. It was so good in the sense VB is fast to write in and easy. While the developers who loved VB criticize Microsoft for making things more complicated when it developed .Net. Most developers consider VB as a King when it comes to simple applications and especially for the graphical user interface (GUI). Every language has their own purposes, then you have to choose a language that is right for your career -VB or Python.
Let’s Conclude
Microsoft Visual Basic was once a popular programming language and it still is for some. Many companies still write their application codes in VB. The string concept and string functions of VB make life a lot easier than other languages and also improve stability. Crashes caused by buffer overflows and null pointer problems are quite rare in VB. Getting Visual Basic Training will help you learn some simple tricks which make the execution speed even faster.
About the Author:
Sharafudheen Mangalad is the managing director of a chain of educational institutions in the UAE. With more than 10 years of experience in the education industry, he successfully runs Edoxi Training Institute in Dubai and Time Training Center Abu Dhabi.
He is a strategist and a leader able to steer the company to the most profitable direction while also implementing its vision, mission and long term goals. He always makes sure that his business continues to grow by identifying, developing and implementing the new strategies. He leads his team in alignment with the company’s vision and values while preparing and implementing comprehensive business plans to facilitate achievement.
