Choosing between Python and JavaScript for my first project

Elizabeth Martin · 2026-03-31T05:40:05.301354+00:00

I picked Python because the syntax felt simpler to read, and I used it to make a basic script that renames a folder of image files. Has anyone else started with one language and wished they'd picked the other?

ben8275mo ago

I started with Python on a project that involved renaming about 200 camera files from a trip. The script took me a weekend to write and saved me four hours of clicking. If you're doing something with files or data, Python is the CLEAR winner because you can find a library for almost anything in ten minutes. JavaScript is better if you want to see stuff on a screen right away, like a little website or a game. Stick with Python for your first project and you'll learn the basics way faster than wrestling with browser quirks.

4

adams.barbara6mo ago

Wait, you just rename files? @the_viola, that's it?

2

the_viola6mo ago

Python's a great first choice! It's funny how picking a language feels like choosing a team, but you can always learn the other one later.

1