R or Python, Who Is Better for Statistical Analysis?

R is just so much easier for real data analysis and has more functions. Python can do these things, but the modules are scattered (there’s at least three separate modules to fit curves that people have written to do different things) and don’t always give the needed output. The NLS example using Python above is, more or less, a replica of R’s NLS output and the missing pieces can be easily added.

R is currently head-and-shoulders above Python for data analysis, but we remain convinced that Python CAN catch up, easily and quickly. It is entirely possible to do statistical analysis in Python if you want to spend the time coding the analyses yourself. By and large, R is the way to go (for now). We would not be surprised that, if 10 years or so, Python’s data analyses libraries coalesce and evolve into something that can rival R.

For those of you interested in trying this out, the data can be downloaded here.