PyScript vs. JavaScript: A Battle of Web Titans

into frontend web development today, and also you could be pondering: what does this must do with Data Science? Why is Towards Data Science publishing a post related to web dev?

Well, because data science isn’t only about constructing powerful models, engaging in advanced analytics, or cleansing and remodeling data—presenting the outcomes can also be a key a part of our job. And there are several ways to do it: PowerPoint presentations, interactive dashboards (like Tableau), or, as you’ve guessed, through a web site.

Speaking from personal experience, I work day by day on developing the web site we use to present our data-driven results. Using a web site as a substitute of PowerPoints or Tableau has many benefits, with freedom and customization being the largest ones.

Regardless that I’ve come to (type of) enjoy JavaScript, it’s going to never match the fun of coding in Python. Luckily, at FOSDEM, I learned about PyScript, and to my surprise, it’s not as alpha as I initially thought.

But is that enough to call it a possible JavaScript substitute? That’s exactly what we’re going to explore today.

JavaScript has been the king of web development for many years. It’s in all places: from easy button clicks to complex web apps like Gmail and Netflix. But now, there’s a challenger moving into the ring—PyScript—a framework that enables you to run Python within the browser with no need a backend.Appears like a dream, right? Let’s break it down in an entertaining head-to-head battle between these two web technologies to see if PyScript is a real competitor!

Round 1: What Are They?

That is just like the Jake Paul vs Mike Tyson battle: the brand new challenger (PyScript) vs the veteran champion (JS). Don’t worry, I’m not saying today’s battle will probably be a disappointment as well.

Let’s start with the veteran: JavaScript.

• Created in 1995, JavaScript is the backbone of web development.
• Runs natively in browsers, controlling every little thing from user interactions to animations.
• Supported by React, Vue, Angular, and a large ecosystem of frameworks.
• Can directly manipulate the DOM, making web pages dynamic.

Now onto the novice: PyScript.

• Built on Pyodide (a Python-to-WebAssembly project), PyScript enables you to write Python inside an HTML file.
• No need for backend servers—your Python code runs directly within the browser.
• Can import Python libraries like NumPy, Pandas, and Matplotlib.
• But… it’s still evolving and has limitations.

This last is a giant one, so JavaScript wins the primary round!

Round 2: Performance Battle

In terms of speed, JavaScript is like Usain Bolt—optimized and blazing fast. It runs natively within the browser and is fine-tuned for performance. Alternatively, PyScript runs Python via WebAssembly, which implies extra overhead.

Let’s use an actual mini-project: a straightforward counter app. We’ll construct it using each alternatives and see which one performs higher.

JavaScript

Click Me
0

PyScript

from pyscript import display
count = 0

def increment():
    global count
    count += 1
    display(count, goal="count")

Click Me
0

Putting them to the test:

• JavaScript runs immediately.
• PyScript has a noticeable delay.

End of round: JS increases its advantage making it 2-0!

Round 3: Ease of Use & Readability

Neither of each languages is ideal (for instance, neither includes static typing), but their syntax could be very different. JavaScript might be quite messy:

const numbers = [1, 2, 3];
const doubled = numbers.map(num => num * 2);

While Python is much easier to grasp:

numbers = [1, 2, 3]
doubled = [num * 2 for num in numbers]

The indisputable fact that PyScript lets us use the Python syntax makes it the round winner no doubt. Regardless that I’m clearly biased towards Python, the indisputable fact that it’s beginner-friendly and frequently more concise and easy than JS makes it higher by way of usability.

The issue for PyScript is that JavaScript is already deeply integrated into browsers, making it more practical. Despite this, PyScript wins the round making it 2-1.

Yet another round to go…

Round 4: Ecosystem & Libraries

JavaScript has countless frameworks like React, Vue, and Angular, making it a powerhouse for constructing dynamic web applications. Its libraries are specifically optimized for the net, providing tools for every little thing from UI components to complex animations.

Alternatively, PyScript advantages from Python’s vast ecosystem of scientific computing and data science libraries, equivalent to NumPy, Pandas, and Matplotlib. While these tools are excellent for Data Visualization and evaluation, they aren’t optimized for frontend web development. Moreover, PyScript requires workarounds to interact with the DOM, which JavaScript handles natively and efficiently.

While PyScript is an exciting tool for embedding Python into web applications, it’s still in its early stages. JavaScript stays the more practical alternative for general web development, whereas PyScript shines in scenarios where Python’s computational power is required throughout the browser.

Here’s a table summarizing among the key components 

Round’s verdict: JavaScript dominates usually web dev, but Pyscript shines for Python-centric projects.

Final Verdict

This was a fast fight! We still don’t know who won though…

Time to disclose it:

• For those who’re constructing a full web app,  JavaScript is the clear winner.
• For those who’re adding Python-powered interactivity (e.g., data visualization), PyScript may very well be useful.

With that said, it’s fair to say that JavaScript (and its derivatives) still stays the net’s frontend best choice. Nonetheless, the long run of PyScript is one to look at: If performance improves and it gets higher browser integration, PyScript could grow to be a powerful hybrid tool for Python developers willing to include more data-related tasks on the frontend.

Winner: JavaScript.