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KDnuggetsHomeNews2017AugNews,FeaturesPythonovertakesR,becomesthe
leaderinDataScience,MachineLearningplatforms(17:n33)

Python overtakes R, becomes the

leader in Data Science, Machine
Learning platforms
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Tags:DataSciencePlatform,Poll,Python,PythonvsR,R

WhilePythondidnot"swallow"R,in2017PythonecosystemovertookRastheleadingplatform
forAnalytics,DataScience,andMachineLearningandispullingusersfromotherplatforms.
By Gregory Piatetsky, KDnuggets.
comments
LastKDnuggetsPollasked

Did you use R, Python (along with their packages), both, or other tools for
Analytics, Data Science, Machine Learning work in 2016 and 2017?

Pythondidnotquite"swallow"R,buttheresults,basedon954voters,showthatin2017Python
ecosystemovertookRastheleadingplatformforAnalytics,DataScience,MachineLearning.

Whilein2016Pythonwasin2ndplace("MainlyPython"had34%sharevs42%for"MainlyR"),
in2017Pythonhad41%vs36%forR.

TheshareofKDnuggetsreaderswhousedbothRandPythoninsignificantwaysalsoincreased
from8.5%to12%in2017,whilethesharewhomainlyusedothertoolsdroppedfrom16%to
11%.

Fig. 1: Share of Python, R, Both, or Other platforms usage for Analytics, Data Science,
Machine Learning, 2016 vs 2017

Next,weexaminethetransitionsbetweenthedifferentplatforms.
Fig. 2: Analytics, Data Science, Machine Learning Platforms
Transitions between R, Python, Both, and Other from 2016 to 2017

Thischartlookscomplicated,butweseetwokeyaspects,andPythonwinsonboth:

Loyalty:Pythonusersaremoreloyal,with91%of2016PythonusersstayingwithPython.
Only74%ofRusersstayed,and60%ofotherplatformsusersdid.
Switching:Only5%ofPythonusersmovedtoR,whiletwiceasmany-10%ofRusers
movedtoPython.Amongthosewhousedbothin2016,only49%keptusingboth,38%
movedtoPython,and11%movedtoR.

Netwelookattrendsacrossmultipleyears.

Inour2015PollonRvsPythonwedidnotofferanoptionfor"BothPythonandR",soto
comparetrendsacross4years,wereplacethesharesofPythonandRin2016and2017by
Python*=(Pythonshare)+50%of(BothPythonandR)
R*=(Rshare)+50%of(BothPythonandR)

WeseethatshareofRusageisslowlydeclining(fromabout50%in2015to36%in2017),while
Pythonshareissteadilygrowing-from23%in2014to47%in2017.Theshareofotherplatforms
isalsosteadilydeclining.
Fig. 3: Python vs R vs Other platforms for Analytics, Data Science, and Machine Learning,
2014-17

Finally,welookattrendsandpatternsbyregion.Theregionalparticipationwas:

US/Canada,40%
Europe,35%
Asia,12.5%
LatinAmerica,6.2%
Africa/MiddleEast,3.6%
Australia/NZ,3.1%

Tosimplifythechartwesplit"Both"votesamongRandPython,asabove,andalsocombine4
regionswithsmallerparticipationofAsia,AU/NZ,LatinAmerica,andAfrica/MiddleEastinto
one"Rest"region.

Fig. 4: Python* vs R* vs Rest by Region, 2016 vs 2017

Weobservethesamepatternacrossallregions:

increaseinPythonshare,by8-10%
declineinRshare,byabout2-4%
declineinotherplatforms,by5-7%

ThefuturelooksbrightforPythonusers,butweexpectthatRandotherplatformswillretainsome
shareintheforeseeablefuturebecauseoftheirlargeembeddedbase.

Comments

Bill Winkler, computational speed, etc.

WeareaSASshopwith~30newPh.D.sandotherswhoprimarilyuseR.Somepeopleare
startingtoworkwithPythonbecausewearestartingtomovetoacloud-basedenvironment.For
workingwithnationalfilesusingsoftwarebasedonrigoroustheoreticalmodels,weusevery
highlyoptimizedCandFORTRANroutines.SAS,R,andevensometimesPythonare100+times
tooslow.

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KDnuggetsHomeNews2017AugNews,FeaturesPythonovertakesR,becomesthe
leaderinDataScience,MachineLearningplatforms(17:n33)

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