Learn programming for data science

When I work with data, it's mainly via data visualization tools (i.e. Tableau, Qlik, Power BI, etc.); however, I do think that there's so much value in learning how to program with R and/ or Python. I believe that both languages (R & Python) are useful and can be effective in their own ways. In this article I share a few compelling reasons why I think people should learn programming for data science.

1. Free to use: R & Python are both open-source programming languages - this means they are freely available.

2. Powerful: R & Python can both handle complex, large data sets. They can be used for resource-intensive simulations and high-performance computer clusters.

3. Engaged community: R & Python both have an engaged community comprised of passionate users that regularly interact on discussion forums and attend conferences.

4. Libraries: R & Python provide access to thousands of free libraries available for unlimited use. New libraries or tools are added continuously to their respective catalogs.

5. Easy to learn: The languages for R & Python are organized in a way that is easy to grasp it is intuitive. There are several resources and courses available both online and in-person that can help you learn R & Python.

LEARN R: Here is a link to a course that I found useful for becoming proficient in R - Business Science University. You can learn by following an Matt Dancho as he walks you through large-scale data science projects. He's built a community of 1000+ data scientists and is there to answer questions as they come up.

LEARN PYTHON: Here's a link to a course that I found useful for becoming proficient in Python - Data Science Infinity. The program covers the technical skills required for success, as well as the soft skill that will set you apart from the other candidates and includes UNLIMITED guidance and support along the way! Andrew Jones (the instructor) has vast experience interviewing hundreds of data scientists at companies including Amazon, and Sony and covers techniques and inside knowledge around how to approach and succeed in interviews.

QUESTION: Are you learning R or Python? Comment below with your favorite resources and add some of your own reasons for learning programming.