I'm curious as to what people think about these two languages. I dont' really know python (I just started learning it) but so far the two languages seem somewhat similar (i.e. split, slice etc).
What's the pros and cons of each language?

I've written a lot of code in each language but have switched almost exclusively to Python for new code.

Perl has an excellent compiler which produces fairly efficient code. It has a huge library of user-contributed code called CPAN, but much of that is unmaintained.

Python has a large standard library of code which is well-maintained. For me, that gives it the edge over Perl.

This is a religious issue. Can you think of what pros and cons would matter to you?

I can think of one "pro" for Python that might matter to you: if you choose it over Perl, then you can ask for help from me.

1 members found this post helpful.

Meh ...

Start with one. If you stick with this business long enough, you will use all of 'em. Much too many to let you afford to "play favorites."

The Perl language started with what is today a "definitive" implementation of regular expressions, which other implementors promptly (and, quite legally) copied, adapted, or tried to improve upon. You will see a lot of "cross-pollination of ideas" among programming languages, because all of them are "tools for a job" and "the job" tends to need the same sort of power-tools. Regular expressions, splitting, slicing, splicing, database access.

And yet, they are also very different. Python, for instance, is strongly influenced by Common LISP (which, by the way, is one of the "ancient languages," dating back to the beginning of computing and still in widespread use today).

All of them have extensive "contributed libraries" where programmers share their power-tools with one another.

So, I suggest that you do as I do: become a bit of "a student of programming tools." When you hear of a new tool, check it out. (There's almost certain to be a free implementation on Linux.) Notice what it offers, notice how it approaches various problems, and notice what sort of problems it especially seems to focus on. Put that knowledge under your hat because you just never know when you'll need it again.

"Python vs. Perl" == "Wrench vs. Pair-of-Pliers." They are both tools. Nothing more, nothing less. Two [aye, "fine and battle-tested ..."] tools, among very many, of our most-courious trade.

1 members found this post helpful.

ditto to the above right tool for the job

I guess most of it is a personal preference. I almost never use Perl, not because I don't like it, but because I can do everything in Python. Go with the one you like best!

HMW

These two languages are actually three: Perl, Python and Python3

Not really. The difference between Python 3 and 2 is around 1% of the language, and it's fairly common practice these days to write code that works with both.

Also, Perl 6 isn't backward compatible either.

There is a topic right here about python vs python3... With perl6 it will be four languages... (I don't mind though, I prefer PHP (which has incompatible changes too))

... and a far better way of looking at this "issue" is that, whatever language the system you're walking into was started in, it is most likely to continue in. I've worked on 'em all. A good programmer can write good code in a bad language, and vice-versa.

Pros and cons are in the eye of the beholder. Should we presume you know perl? What do you like about it and why did you learn it?

I will always use perl one-liners for those inevitable one-offs that you encounter. But for anything else I use python.
Too much madness with perl maintainers over the years for my taste.
Also it is easy to write perl code that two months later you can't understand it.

There are plenty of problems with python but so far it has not been too crazy.

I have used Perl (5) and Python (2 and 3) for different projects and I can say that Python's lack of brackets hurts my eyes.

Correct, it's the right tool for the right job, but not everyone can or wants to become an expert in everything. I prefer PHP myself but mostly just because that's what I know best.

I can say that Python appears to be more popular today then Perl. And PHP more popular than either.

Python and Perl aren't only used for server-side web development.

To me, Python's use of indentation is a crippling deficiency, because it's too damn easy to hit the backspace key or the tab key at the wrong moment, and this changes the meaning of the code.

Nevertheless, I worked for many years with a Python-based site that did about $60,000 a day in revenue, hosting hundreds of users with grace and style.