Why Julia Is Worth Learning | Built In (2024)

Julia is an emerging star in the programming world, recognized for its versatility and user-friendly syntax. It is growing in popularity across different sectors, from data science to machine learning.

Julia recently made its debut on the TIOBE Index, a reference for programming language popularity that relies on search engine results, discussion forums and other resources. Here are six reasons to add Julia to your trove of programming languages, a comparison of Julia and Python, and a peek into Julia’s future.

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Julia Is Fast

One of the main attractions of Julia is its speed. Designed to be as fast as languages like C and Fortran, Julia provides high-performance computing capabilities crucial in today’s data-intensive world.

Julia’s high-speed performance is primarily attributed to its Just-In-Time (JIT) compiler. This allows Julia to compile efficient native code, making it a suitable choice for running complex algorithms on real hardware.

In the context of machine learning and deep learning, Julia’s speed becomes particularly advantageous. It enables the quick processing of large datasets and the efficient execution of computationally heavy tasks, thereby accelerating the pace of AI development.

Julia Is User Friendly

Julia’s syntax is friendly for users of Python and MATLAB, making it a comfortable transition for programmers already familiar with these languages. Furthermore, its high-level syntax makes it easy to express complex algorithms, making the language more accessible and giving it notable expressive power.

Julia’s syntax is intuitive and easy to learn. Variables can be assigned without declaring their type, and the language supports common structures like loops and conditionals.

Julia Has a Strong Package Ecosystem

Julia’s strong package ecosystem enhances its functionality. Packages like Flux, MLJ and Knet, among others, provide powerful tools for machine learning and deep learning.

DataFrames.jl is a Julia package that handles data similarly to Python’s pandas. It provides a suite of tools for data manipulation and statistical analysis, making it a valuable asset for data scientists.

Flux. jl is a powerful package for deep learning. It is flexible and written entirely in Julia, allowing for custom layers and models to be built directly in Julia.

Julia Can Play a Role in Quantum Computing

Julia’s high-level syntax and efficient JIT compiler position Julia to play a significant role in the emerging field of quantum computing.

A recent paper proposed using Julia as a tool for developing quantum algorithms. The paper introduced Yao. jl, an extensible and efficient framework for quantum algorithm design, highlighting Julia’s potential in the quantum computing domain.

Yao. jl allows quantum programmers to design and test quantum algorithms with features like GPU support and an automatic differentiation engine. The package promises state-of-the-art performance, further emphasizing Julia’spotential in the quantum computing arena.

Another point: The combination of Julia and cloud services like Amazon Braket opens up new possibilities for quantum computing. With Julia, quantum computing becomes accessible on the cloud, offering a platform for experimentation and innovation.

Amazon Braket provides quantum computing on the cloud. With Julia, users can access this service, experiment and develop quantum computing solutions. The interface between Julia and AWS Braket is still experimental, but it is a promising development in the quantum computing ecosystem.

The integration of Julia with cloud services like AWS Braket signifies the ongoing commitment to making quantum computing more accessible. It's an exciting development that showcases Julia’s potential to shape the future of quantum computing.

Julia Has Potential in AI Innovation

Julia’s features align well with the requirements of AI development. It offers the computational power needed for processing large datasets, the flexibility for implementing complex AI algorithms and the speed for delivering real-time results.

Packages like Flux. jl and Knet broaden the scope of AI innovation with Julia. These packages provide powerful tools for machine learning and deep learning, paving the way for cutting-edge AI solutions.

Julia Has a Robust Community

Julia has a robust community that offers support and resources for both new and experienced users. From online forums to documentation and tutorials, the community is a valuable resource for learning and mastering Julia.

Open-source contributions drive a significant part of Julia’s development. This collaborative approach has led to the creation of numerous packages and tools that enhance Julia’s functionality and usability.

Julia or Python: How to Choose?

While Julia is robust and growing, sometimes a project’s specific requirements make Python the better choice.

If you’re looking for a general-purpose language with a vast ecosystem, a large community and ease of learning, Python is the way to go. If your project involves heavy numerical and scientific computing, demands high performance, and you’re comfortable with a smaller but specialized community, Julia is the better choice.

In many cases, using both languages in tandem might be the optimal solution. Performance-critical components can be written in Julia, while Python can be used for other aspects of the project.

Both Python and Julia are potent languages, each excelling in different areas. Your choice should be guided by your specific needs and project goals. Remember, the goal is not to find the best language overall, but the most suitable one for your specific project or use case.

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Julia’s Future

Given Julia’s unique features and capabilities, the demand for Julia programmers is likely to increase in the coming years. Learning Julia now could therefore open up lucrative and exciting opportunities in the future.

As an open-source language, Julia is continuously evolving, with new features and improvements being added regularly. This makes it a dynamic and exciting language to learn, promising to keep pace with the changing demands of the programming world.

Whether you’re a seasoned programmer or a beginner, Julia is a language worth exploring. Its combination of speed, ease of use, expressive power and potential in emerging fields like quantum computing make it a compelling choice for anyone looking to boost their programming skills or break into new areas like AI and quantum computing.

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