How Is Python Used in Machine Learning?

Python is a popular programming language to use in machine learning because it offers developers exceptional versatility and power while integrating with other software.

Written by Anthony Corbo
Published on Jan. 03, 2023
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Peter Grant | Jan 09, 2023

Python, when used in machine learning, offers developers of all skill sets exceptional versatility and power. Developers can use Python to develop a variety of applications because it integrates well with other software while its simple syntax makes it a good choice for coding algorithms and collaborating across teams. Python also has a huge number of libraries and frameworks that are very good for machine learning (such as Scikit-Learn), which handle basic machine learning algorithms.

 

Is Python Good for Machine Learning?

Python is the best choice for building machine learning models due to its ease of use, extensive framework library, flexibility and more.

Python brings an exceptional amount of power and versatility to machine learning environments. The language’s simple syntax simplifies data validation and streamlines the scraping, processing, refining, cleaning, arranging and analyzing processes, thereby making collaboration with other programmers less of an obstacle. Python also offers a vast ecosystem of libraries that take much of the monotonous routine function writing tasks out of the equation to free developers up to focus on code and reduces the chances for error when programming. 

Python also offers a great deal of flexibility and we pair it with other programming languages to complete a machine learning model. Python can also run on any operating system, from Windows to macOS, Linux, Unix and more. Perhaps most importantly, Python is easy to read, beloved by a huge community of developers (who also contribute to the development of new packages that facilitate machine learning) and continues to gain in popularity. In short, Python’s online community makes it easy to find answers and resources when building or troubleshooting machine learning models.

Python Machine Learning Tutorial. | Video: Programming With Mosh

 

Is Machine Learning With Python Hard?

Using Python allows beginners to utilize a simplified programming language while learning the fundamentals of machine learning.

Python is the most simplified programming language in terms of its syntax and ease of understanding, making it the most common choice for those who have just started learning about programming or are learning how to apply their Python knowledge to machine learning.

In order to begin creating machine learning models using Python, it is crucial to understand the different data types, like integers, strings and floating point numbers, as well as statistical fundamentals, how to source data and more.

Understanding how to clean and structure your data is also necessary in order to create input data to be fed into a machine learning model. Users should know how to access different Python libraries and how to choose the right library to create machine learning models. Lastly, users must know how to create and utilize algorithms in Python in order to build the model itself.

Building machine learning models may be difficult in itself but using Python frameworks, such as Scikit-Learn, simplifies the process by doing much of the heavy lifting and requiring only that data is provided to function, which allows developers to focus on functionality and trained accuracy of models.

Related Reading From Built In ExpertsHow to Enable Jupyter Notebook Notifications

 

How Do I Start Learning Python for Machine Learning?

There are many ways to begin learning Python for machine learning, including hands-on experiences, courses, Built In tutorials and college education.

In order to begin using Python in a machine learning context, it is first important to understand the fundamentals of both the programming language and data. Data types, loops, conditional statements, data manipulation, algorithms, libraries like Pandas, NumPy, Scikit-Learn and Matplotlib will all come into play when learning to use Python for machine learning. You’ll need a working knowledge of all of these concepts. Additionally, having a solid development environment, such as Jupyter Notebook, is crucial to staying organized when building machine learning models.

Beyond simply learning how to code with Python, there are several options for learning how to apply your Python knowledge to machine learning. Hands-on experience working with software such as TensorFlow or other data-focused environments can allow beginners the opportunity to experiment with their background knowledge and learn proper machine learning programming processes through trial-and-error. To gain even more practical knowledge and add efficiency to workflows, enrolling in a professional development course from Built In can provide developers with a wealth of knowledge that will help them enhance their machine learning models in specific ways. Finally, the most robust way to learn Python for machine learning is by earning a bachelor’s degree in computer science, data science or a related field from an accredited university.

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