Programming library definition
Libraries in programming languages are collections of prewritten code that users can use to optimize tasks.
Library examples
Here are a few programming library examples you might encounter in Python, JavaScript, and other languages.
NumPy
Primary Language: Python
Use: NumPy is a library used to make powerful arrays. For machine learning, NumPy divides the data and manipulates it easily.
Meaning, machine learning uses many operations on arrays of data. These data sets often contain thousands of numbers and to iterate through every single value one at a time would be difficult and lengthy. NumPy simplifies all of this!
Matplotlib
Primary Language: Python
Use: Going off of the above, Matplotlib is used with NumPy to help with datasets. Specifically, Matplotlib handles large datasets and comes complete with standard graphing functions. It’s also useful for visualizing values over time.
Basically, Matplotlib is great for plotting and works hand-in-hand with NumPy.
TensorFlow
Primary Language: Python or C++
Use: TensorFlow is a library developed by Google to facilitate the creation and training of machine learning models and neural networks. It can be used to create and train machine learning models.
Keras
Primary Language: Python
Use: Keras is also a library developed to facilitate the creation and training of machine learning models and neural networks. But going off the above, Keras was introduced to simplify TensorFlow. This library can make machine learning significantly easier and it still uses TensorFlow as a backend.
Pillow
Primary Language: Python
Use: In Python, you can use the Pillow library to create bitmap images.
SFML
Primary Language: C++
Use: The Simple and Fast Multimedia Library (SFML) is a library that allows for the creation of images, generation of sound effects, and even connecting of multiple computers!
p5
Primary Language: JavaScript
Use: p5.js is one of the most well-known JavaScript libraries with tons of built-in code.
p5 play
Primary Language: JavaScript
p5.play is a p5 library for easily adding collisions, animations, and various other features dealing with sprites.