Python can be seen all around us, with the language powering more than 6200 companies worldwide. What’s even more attractive is that it is now the most used programming language in the world, according to the TIOBE Index. If you are looking to sharpen your coding skills to enhance your productive capacity in the office along with your prospects of employment, then seeing the application of Python across some of the world's biggest companies should serve as some motivation for your development. This table demonstrates the use of Python across some of the biggest tech companies in the world:
| Company | Industry | Use of Python |
|---|---|---|
| Technology & Search Engine | Data analysis, machine learning, backend development | |
| Social Media | AI research, backend development, data processing | |
| Microsoft | Technology & Software | Cloud computing, automation, AI development |
| Netflix | Entertainment & Streaming | Recommendation algorithms, data analysis |
| Spotify | Music Streaming | Music recommendations, data processing |
| YouTube | Video Streaming | Content recommendations, video analytics |
| J.P. Morgan | Finance & Banking | Risk analysis, financial modeling, algorithmic trading |
| Dropbox | Cloud Storage | File synchronization, backend infrastructure |
| Amazon | E-commerce & Cloud Computing | AI, automation, recommendation systems |
| Pfizer | Pharmaceuticals & Healthcare | Drug discovery, data analysis |
| Tesla | Automotive & AI | Autonomous driving, machine learning |
| Uber | Ride-sharing & Transportation | Route optimization, demand prediction |
| Duolingo | EdTech & Language Learning | AI-powered language teaching, data analytics |
| NASA | Aerospace & Research | Scientific computing, data analysis, simulations |
In this article, we’ll put these leaders under the lens and see how Python is used in their business.
How Top Tech Giants Use Python
As we’ve seen, there are a substantial number of companies out there using Python. However, how one company might employ the language in their business can vary quite a bit compared to how it might be used in another. Let’s take a look at how some of the world’s major tech companies use Python to power their core operations.
This is a company that we turn to as one of the primary access points we have to the internet. What you may not have realised is that the giant actually uses Python as the foundation for its artificial intelligence and automation systems. Google uses Python to power its automation systems, which enables it to address and navigate common industry problems, such as there being too many IT roles and a lack of qualified talent to fill them. As you can see, Python has quite the role in the workplace.
Python proficiency is now required in more than 530,000 U.S. job postings, with 75,000 positions at entry level.
Microsoft
If you were asked to list the world's biggest companies, it likely wouldn’t take all that long before you were to say Microsoft. They are a great example of how Python can be used in the development of a business, as evidenced by their Visual Studio Code and GitHub Copilot. The company provides Python support in Excel to improve data analysis and offers Azure Data Science Virtual Machines for detailed machine learning workflows.
Netflix
We all turn to this video streaming service to unwind after a long day or week, but how exactly is Python leveraged to provide the service we have grown to love so much? Python actually plays a massive role in Netflix when it comes to making content funding decisions and running their content delivery network (CDN). Landing a role as a Python developer would come with an attractive salary in the UK.
Meta
What credibility would this list of tech giants have if Meta were to be excluded? They also use Python to bundle various APIs from platforms like Pages, Business Manager, and Instagram. This SDK provides a detailed solution that helps partners serve their businesses better. The range of use cases that Python can have in a business is starting to become evident, right?
Meta Has More Than 3 Billion Users Worldwide. In Q3 2023, Meta announced that they crossed the 3.05B monthly active users.
Dropbox
Another major player in the tech world that relies heavily on the programming language to run their cloud storage service is Dropbox. Dropbox has built a strong connection with Python through their official SDK. This helps developers combine Dropbox features smoothly into their applications. All of the features and functions you’ll have seen across the site’s drop-down menus and buttons, such as file uploads, metadata management, and backup systems, all come as a result of Python!
Python in Financial Services
Now that we’ve seen the extent of Python’s application across the tech industry, it is only natural to assume that this has to be the extent of the language’s application.
Well, this is far from the truth as it’s also used across a range of other expansive industries, such as financial services.
So, if you think about just how many job prospects will be presented to you by working on your Python skills, it’s quite substantial. Its strong capabilities in handling complex financial operations have made it a favourite among financial institutions.
JPMorgan
JPMorgan is a giant that generally finds its way into just about every discussion that involves finance. They have their own Athena platform, which, while it might be hard to grasp, runs on over 35 million lines of Python code written by more than 1,500 developers. The platform manages pricing, trading, risk management, and analytics with over 150,000 Python modules and 500 open-source packages. It’s safe to say that Python is the backbone of the service, and this is just one company!
Goldman Sachs
Goldman Sachs is another major company that any finance graduate strives to work at, but those with Python skills might even be in higher demand, seeing as how much they rely on the language. Professionals at the company use powerful libraries in Python, like scikit-learn, to build predictive models from historical data patterns. You could argue that this is what allows the company to get its competitive advantage when it comes to its ability to identify potential portfolio risks and automate trading processes based on pre-defined rules. Make sure to inform yourself about the day-to-day tasks of a Python developer.
E-Commerce: Recommendation systems and web development
It really is quite exciting to think that E-commerce, one of the biggest and fastest growing industries of today, hasn’t even existed for much longer than three decades ago.
Amazon
It is impressive how one company can capture such a large market share when it comes to E-commerce, especially considering that it started out initially as an online bookstore. This makes their use of Python all the more intriguing as we try to understand how it contributed to this transformation.
As you might have imagined, security is a massive part of running this sort of business model, so it only makes sense that their security team relies on Python for vital tasks like SSH resource protection, TLS certificate generation, and sensitive data detection.
Then you’ve got all of the recommendations and personalisation components of the website that generally lead to us filling up our baskets with more items than we came with the intention of buying. These applications of Python are also massive players in Amazon's success.
eBay
eBay has also done quite a job in incorporating Python into its search algorithms, data analytics, and machine learning processes. The company’s Cassini search engine benefits from Python’s capabilities in ranking listings and optimising search results, so this gives some explanation as to how you can find the item you are searching for on the website.
Shopify
You might have been thinking, at the back of your mind, how long would it have been before Shopify was mentioned in our article? While it’s primarily built on Ruby on Rails, it utilises Python extensively when it comes to all things processing and analytics. It basically does all the heavy lifting when it comes to analysing customer purchasing patterns, detecting fraudulent transactions, and powering AI-driven insights. If you’ve ever created a Shopify store before, you’ve likely appreciated the ease of its customisations tool, which is also facilitated by Python!
Education: Learning Platforms and Automation Tools
The simple syntax and quick scripting capabilities also make it attractive to platforms in the education space. Schools and universities worldwide now use Python-based platforms to improve teaching and administrative processes that create better learning environments. If you think back to your earliest years of schooling and remember just how much of your class time was eaten up by the role call, among other administrative tasks. Given that a teacher only has a certain amount of time with their students or class, you can imagine how appreciated Python-powered automation is, allowing them to put their time back to where it matters: the teaching!
Khan Academy
Python has also changed the learning experience offered at many educational platforms like Khan Academy, which uses Python's extensive libraries to create dynamic learning experiences. Students can run code directly in their browsers and watch their program execution through the Interactive Python website. There are plenty of avenues to upskill if you want to enhance your chances of landing one of the many jobs in Python.
Python's biggest strength lies in its massive library ecosystem, with over 125,000 libraries.
Coursera and edX
These two are also great examples of companies that have embraced Python in the education space when it comes to automated grading and AI-driven feedback. You’ll know just how valuable this resource can be for a student while they are on their learning journey in any subject, so being able to provide it at scale is certainly an inspiring step in education, and we have Python to thank for it!
Why Do Companies Use Python?
When it comes to the adoption of technology in the working world, the rate is generally influenced by the feasibility of the software or tool. The language's built-in testing framework cuts down development time and costs significantly. The fact that Python has become the gold standard in computer programming across a wide variety of industries speaks volumes of its practicality.
It also causes far fewer headaches due to its flexibility as a programming language. Its cross-platform functionality is a massive attraction for companies, seeing as it allows it to work smoothly on Windows, Linux, and macOS systems.
Another major factor that companies take a lot of comfort in is the expansive community of programmers using the language. This means that there are great supports when it comes to solving errors you might be getting with your code. If you are encountering any difficulty, it’s highly likely that somebody else has had the same problem, allowing you to find solutions in community groups and online forums. The Python Software Foundation actively boosts this growth by staying transparent and listening to community ideas.
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