Python and R for the Modern Data Scientist

Book excerpt: Success in data science depends on the flexible and appropriate use of tools. That includes Python and R, two of the foundational programming languages in the field. This book guides data scientists from the Python and R communities along the path to becoming bilingual. By recognizing the strengths of both languages, you'll discover new ways to accomplish data science tasks and expand your skill set. Authors Rick Scavetta and Boyan Angelov explain the parallel structures of these languages and highlight where each one excels, whether it's their linguistic features or the powers of their open source ecosystems. You'll learn how to use Python and R together in real-world settings and broaden your job opportunities as a bilingual data scientist. Learn Python and R from the perspective of your current language Understand the strengths and weaknesses of each language Identify use cases where one language is better suited than the other Understand the modern open source ecosystem available for both, including packages, frameworks, and workflows Learn how to integrate R and Python in a single workflow Follow a case study that demonstrates ways to use these languages together