6 Essential Advantages of Pandas Library – Why Python Pandas are Popular?

Choosing a new library to start off with is a very difficult decision to make. There is a lot of research involved and so many roads to take. Thus having a list of pros and cons about the library or the framework can be very helpful for one. It will not only help you to decide but also give you an idea of what exactly the framework is capable of and what expectations you can have from it. Therefore in this article, we bring you a list of advantages of Pandas – A Python library. Besides, we also cover the disadvantages of Pandas.

So, are you excited to explore the Advantages and Disadvantages of Pandas??

1. Advantages of Pandas Library

There are many benefits of Python Pandas library, listing them all would probably take more time than what it takes to learn the library. Therefore, these are the core advantages of using the Pandas library:

1.1. Data representation

Pandas provide extremely streamlined forms of data representation. This helps to analyze and understand data better. Simpler data representation facilitates better results for data science projects.

1.2. Less writing and more work done

It is one of the best advantages of Pandas. What would have taken multiple lines in Python without any support libraries, can simply be achieved through 1-2 lines with the use of Pandas. Thus, using Pandas helps to shorten the procedure of handling data. With the time saved, we can focus more on data analysis algorithms.

1.3.  An extensive set of features

Pandas are really powerful. They provide you with a huge set of important commands and features which are used to easily analyze your data. We can use Pandas to perform various tasks like filtering your data according to certain conditions, or segmenting and segregating the data according to preference, etc.

1.4. Efficiently handles large data

Wes McKinney, the creator of Pandas, made the python library to mainly handle large datasets efficiently. Pandas help to save a lot of time by importing large amounts of data very fast.

1.5. Makes data flexible and customizable

Pandas provide a huge feature set to apply on the data you have so that you can customize, edit and pivot it according to your own will and desire. This helps to bring the most out of your data.

1.6. Made for Python

Python programming has become one of the most sought after programming languages in the world, with its extensive amount of features and the sheer amount of productivity it provides. Therefore, being able to code Pandas in Python, enables you to tap into the power of the various other features and libraries which will use with Python. Some of these libraries are NumPy, SciPy, MatPlotLib, etc.

2. Disadvantages of Pandas Library

Everything has its disadvantages as well, and it is important to know them, so, here are the disadvantages of using Pandas.

2.1. Steep learning curve

Pandas initially have a mild learning slope. But as you go deeper into the library, the learning slope becomes steeper. The functionality becomes extremely confusing and can cause beginners some problems. However, with determination, it can be overcome.

2.2. Difficult syntax

While, being a part of Python, Pandas can become really tedious with respect to syntax. The code syntax of Pandas becomes really different when compared to the Python code, therefore people might have problems switching back and forth.

2.3. Poor compatibility for 3D matrices

It is one of the biggest drawbacks of Pandas. If you plan to work with two dimensional or 2D matrices then Pandas are a Godsend. But once you go for a 3D matrix, Pandas will no longer be your go-to choice, and you will have to resort to NumPy or some other library.

2.4. Bad documentation

Without good documentation, it becomes difficult to learn a new library. Pandas documentation isn’t much help to understand the harder functions of the library. Thus it slows down the learning procedure.

So, this was all about important Advantages and Disadvantages of Pandas. Hope, you liked our explanation.

Summary

Despite having a few disadvantages, the advantages of Pandas always outweigh the Cons. That is what we see if we go through the points given above. Don’t let the limitations given above scare you, instead let the pros motivate you to harness the immense potential stored within the Pandas Library. Besides the advantages, there are many important features of Pandas, which makes it popular in the industry. You must know them to enhance your concepts.

Lastly, do not hold any queries back and ask them in the comments.