Difference Between Python 2 and 3

Now that we have a solid understanding of the history of both the major versions of Python, let us take a look at the major difference between these two, that is, let us dive deep and understand which version wins in the competition: Python 2 vs. Python 3.

Comparison Parameter	Python 2	Python 3
Year of Release	Python 2 was released in the year 2000.	Python 3 was released in the year 2008.
“Print” Keyword	In Python 2, print is considered to be a statement and not a function.	In Python 3, print is considered to be a function and not a statement.
Storage of Strings	In Python 2, strings are stored as ASCII by default.	In Python 3, strings are stored as UNICODE by default.
Division of Integers	On the division of two integers, we get an integral value in Python 2. For instance, 7/2 yields 3 in Python 2.	On the division of two integers, we get a floating-point value in Python 3. For instance, 7/2 yields 3.5 in Python 3.
Exceptions	In Python 2, exceptions are enclosed in notations.	In Python 3, exceptions are enclosed in parentheses.
Variable leakage	The values of global variables do change in Python 2 if they are used inside a for-loop.	The value of variables never changes in Python 3.
Iteration	In Python 2, the xrange() function has been defined for iterations.	In Python 3, the new Range() function was introduced to perform iterations.
Ease of Syntax	Python 2 has more complicated syntax than Python 3.	Python 3 has an easier syntax compared to Python 2.
Libraries	A lot of libraries of Python 2 are not forward compatible.	A lot of libraries are created in Python 3 to be strictly used with Python 3.
Usage in today’s times	Python 2 is no longer in use since 2020.	Python 3 is more popular than Python 2 and is still in use in today’s times.
Backward compatibility	Python 2 codes can be ported to Python 3 with a lot of effort.	Python 3 is not backward compatible with Python 2.
Application	Python 2 was mostly used to become a DevOps Engineer. It is no longer in use after 2020.	Python 3 is used in a lot of fields like Software Engineering, Data Science, etc.

Python 2 vs. Python 3 Example Code

Now that we have a good understanding of the differences between Python 2 and Python 3, let us take a look at a sample code in both these versions to print a statement out:

Python 2

def main():
  print "Hi! This is Python 2"
  
if __name__== "__main__":
  main()

Python 3

def main():
  print ("Hi! This is Python 3")
  
if __name__== "__main__":
  main()

Python 2 or 3: Which Python Version is Best?

One of the most natural questions which must come to everyone’s mind after having read this article till this point is Which Python Version is Better? Python 2 or Python 3? Well, if you have been paying attention till now, the answer to this question seems pretty clear. It is definitely Python 3 that is the victorious version.

First of all, Python 2 is no longer in use since 2020 as Python 3 felt like the safest choice, especially for budding programmers who were unsure as to what programming specialization they wanted to pursue. Python 3 is definitely more readable, easier to grasp, and popular than Python 2. Python 2 has definitely run out of steam and one should learn Python 2 if and only if some legacy code has been written in Python 2 or if a company needs the developer to migrate the Python 2 code into Python 3.

The picture given below shows the clear trends in the fact that Python 2 has lost the interest of programmers over time and how Python 3 has won the race between Python 2 and Python 3. Hence, we can safely say that as of 2023, the question: “Which Python Version is Best?” has a clear winner – Python 3.

Conclusion

So, in conclusion, we would like to say that Python is one of the most in-demand languages in today’s times as it is being heavily used in a large number of fields. Promising fields of the future like Artificial Intelligence, Data Science, etc. have seemed to heavily rely on Python and its libraries and frameworks like Numpy, Pandas, etc.

Hence, if any budding programmer today wants to start his or her coding career, learning Python might be a great choice for him or her. Also, through this article, we wish to clear out the differences between the two major versions of Python – Python 2 and Python 3 and establish why Python 3 is the version for the future.

Frequently Asked Questions(FAQs)

Q.1: What is the difference between print in Python 2 and 3?

Ans: In Python 2, print is treated as a statement whereas, in Python 3, print is treated as a function. Hence, we do not need to wrap the text to be printed in parentheses, although we can if we want. However, this can lead to confusion as most of the other actions in Python use functions that require the arguments to be placed inside parentheses.

Unexpected outcomes can also be seen if we put parentheses around a comma-separated list of items that need to be printed by us. In Python 3, since the print is treated as a function, we have to pass the items which we need to print to the function in parentheses in the standard way, or we will get a syntax error.

Q.2 Which is faster: Python 2 or 3?

Ans: Python 3 is usually faster than Python 2.

Q.3: Can I install both Python 2 and 3?

Ans: Yes, we can install both Python 2 and Python 3. We can easily maintain separate environments for Python 2 programs and Python 3 programs on the same computer and not worry about the programs interacting with each other.

Q.4: Is Python 3 the same as Python?

Ans: Python3 is usually installed alongside Python 2 because a few applications might still be dependent on Python 2. Therefore, the term Python usually refers to version 2.x.x and Python 3 usually refers to version 3.

Q.5: Is Python 3 a CPython?

Ans: Yes, CPython is the original Python implementation.

Q.6: Can I use Python 2 and 3 together?

Ans: Yes, we can install both Python 2 and Python 3. We can easily maintain separate environments for Python 2 programs and Python 3 programs on the same computer and not worry about the programs interacting with each other.

Difference Between Python 2 and 3

Introduction

What is Python 2?

What is Python 3?

Why Are There Different Versions of Python?