History of the Languages#
Both Python and Stata have become essential tools in various domains. Python’s general-purpose nature makes it versatile across many fields, and Stata’s specialization in statistical analysis makes it a go-to choice for researchers and analysts in specific disciplines. This subchapter will discuss the history of how Python and Stata were created, as well as their intended uses. By doing so, it will shed further light on how and why the differences between Python and Stata came to be.
History of Python#
Python is a high-level, interpreted programming language that was created by Guido van Rossum in 1991 (GeeksforGeeks). Guido van Rossum aimed to create a language that emphasized code readability and ease of use, while still being a general purpose programming language that can be used for a wide variety of tasks.
Python gained popularity due to its simplicity, readability, and versatility. It became widely used in various domains, including web development, data science, artificial intelligence, and more. Python’s extensive standard library and a vibrant community of developers building packages contributed to its success. Today, Python is one of the most widely used programming languages, being used for a wide variety of tasks.
History of Stata#
Stata is a statistical program designed for data analysis, manipulation, and visualization. It was written and first released in 1985 by William Gould and Sean Becketti. Stata then grew over time to include more and more forms of statistical analyses. A key feature was introduced in Stata 1.3, which allowed users to write their own programs for statistical analyses.
Today, Stata’s scripting language allows users to automate tasks and easily create reproducible analyses. The software is widely used in academia, government, and industry for a variety of applications, including econometrics, public health research, and social sciences.