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Scala vs Python for Apache Spark: Which one to go for?

Apache Spark is among the most popular frameworks to analyse big data and deploy machine learning algorithms among data engineers. Although Spark includes APIs for Python, Scala, Java, and R, Python and Scala are the most widely used languages in the data science field.

In this blog, we will draw a comparison between Apache Spark, Python and Scala to help pick the one you should go for.

What is Scala?

Scala is a high-level programming language that is a blend of functional programming and object-oriented programming. It is an acronym for “scalable language.” It is based on the Java Virtual Machine (JVM) and works with current Java programmes and resources.

In comparison to other languages, many developers regard Scala code to be error-free, compact, and understandable, making it simple and easy to write, compile, debug, and run programmes.

Scala Highlights:

What is Python?

Python has lately been one of the most widely used programming languages on the globe. It’s applied in a variety of areas, including machine learning, website development, and software testing. It is suitable for both developers and non-developers.

Python is a programming language that is commonly used to create websites and applications, automate operations, and perform data analysis. Python is a general-purpose programming language, which means it can be used to develop a wide range of applications and isn’t tailored to any particular problem. 

Python Highlights:

What is Apache Spark?

Apache Spark is a comprehensive analytics engine for Big Data processing that is open-source. It’s the go-to platform for batch processing, large-scale SQL, machine learning, and stream processing, with simple built-in modules for each.

Spark is a general-purpose cluster computing platform that can handle large datasets and execute processing tasks quickly. The framework may also deploy data processing activities among a large number of nodes, either alone or in conjunction with other distributed computing technologies.

Apache Spark’s most well-known competitor is Hadoop, however, Spark is moving faster and poses a serious threat to Hadoop’s dominance. Spark’s efficiency and accessibility appeal to many organisations, and it supports a wide range of application programming interfaces (APIs) from languages such as Java, R, Python, and Scala.

Scala Vs Python for Apache Spark

Which One To Go For?

If one must pick between Scala and Python for Apache Spark, the decision should be made entirely based on the project at hand. Python is usually excellent for smaller projects, while Scala is suitable for larger ones. Scala is used by companies like Netflix and Airbnb, which put up with a lot of data and develop a lot of pipelines. Both have advantages and disadvantages, and a thorough assessment of needs is required before selecting another.

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