I found an old textbook that focuses on Python 2.7, but I see that Python 3.12 is the current version. Is there any reason to learn the older syntax for legacy systems in the banking or insurance sectors, or has the industry completely moved on? I don't want to waste time learning outdated print statements and integer division rules if they aren't relevant anymor
3 answers
You should focus 100% of your energy on Python 3. Python 2 reached its "End of Life" in early 2020, meaning it no longer receives security updates or bug fixes. While some very old legacy systems in banking might still have Python 2 scripts running in the basement, the vast majority of those have been migrated or are in the process of being replaced. Python 3 introduced critical improvements like native Unicode support, better asynchronous programming with asyncio, and f-strings for cleaner formatting. Learning Python 2 now would be like learning to fix a typewriter when everyone is using a laptop.
Are you aiming for a role in a specialized field like cybersecurity where you might encounter older malware written in Python 2?
Focus on Python 3. The syntax is more consistent, and features like Type Hinting make it much easier to work in large teams.
Exactly. Type hints in Python 3 have revolutionized how we write and debug code. It’s hard to imagine going back to a version without them.
I’m actually looking at general backend development. Then Python 3 is your only path. The performance improvements in the recent 3.11 and 3.12 versions are massive. Plus, all modern libraries like NumPy, Django, and FastAPI have dropped support for Python 2 years ago. If you try to use modern libraries with an old Python 2 environment, nothing will work. Stick to the latest stable release to ensure your skills stay marketable.