Why Businesses Should Migrate their Applications from Python 2 to Python 3

In the always-developing universe of programming languages, advancements such as new features, improved performance, and further developed security persistently arise and improve things. Python, a programming language commended for its straightforwardness and extensive library assets, has consistently stayed a top name among developers across the globe for over twenty years. Notwithstanding, with Python 2 arriving at its official end-of-life status in January 2020, organizations using Python 2 apps are at a crossroads. I intend to say that they should choose whether to progress to Python 3 or face likely hindrances on their excursion to what’s to come.

Thus, in this blog, I will investigate the most convincing reasons for why moving applications from Python 2 to Python 3 is an essential need for organizations. This will permit you to have more educated conversations with vendors offering services for Python development.

What is New with Python 3?

As the name suggests, Python 3 is simply a significant update of the Python programming language. Even though it is Python 2’s replacement, it isn’t totally backward compatible. Some of its most essential features include a continued focus on code readability and clarity, improved performance in certain areas, and so on. Currently, Python 3 is the effectively supported and developed version, with Python 3.12.2 being the most recent stable release as of March 23, 2024.

Why Moving to Python 3 From Python 2 Just Makes Sense

● Better performance: Businesses have myriad strong reasons to migrate their apps from Python 2 to Python 3, including enhanced performance. You see, Python 3 boasts optimizations across different domains, which result in not only quicker program execution times but also better levels of app responsiveness. Moreover, Python 3’s improved memory management results in enhanced memory efficiency, potentially reducing the memory footprint of apps — a crucial factor for optimizing resource use and overall performance.

● Security: Moving to Python 3 is also basic for the sake of security. Why? Python 2 reached its end-of-life cycle in January 2020. This means apps using Python 2 are now left vulnerable to security breaches without critical issue resolutions. Changing to Python 3, then, gives access to constant security updates and bug fixes, shielding applications from arising dangers and guaranteeing their continued protection against possible cyber-attacks.

● Third-party libraries: Businesses also stand to benefit immensely from migrating to Python 3 from Python 2 due to its flourishing ecosystem of third-party libraries. With a keen focus on Python 3, most new libraries as well as frameworks are actively maintained and enhanced. This results in access to cutting-edge features and capabilities for app development. On the other hand, Python 2’s support from existing libraries may diminish over time, leading to limited access to essential updates and fixes for businesses sticking with Python 2.

● Community support: Another reason why businesses are encouraged to migrate their applications from Python 2 to Python 3 is on account of the thriving community support for the latter. You see, there is a huge focus on Python 3 among developers as well as online communities. This translates into quick and easy access to technical assistance and solutions for coding issues. Conversely, resources and expertise in Python 2 are declining as the global Python developer community shifts towards Python 3. As a result, it would become that much harder to find qualified developers proficient in the older version of this programming language.

To conclude, the switch to Python 3 will help businesses ensure their Python apps remain secure, efficient, and well-equipped to handle future advancements.