Microsoft is bringing popular programming language Python to Excel. A public preview of the feature is available today, allowing Excel users to manipulate and analyze data from Python.

You won’t need to install any additional software or set up an add-on to access the functionality, as Python integration in Excel will be part of Excel’s built-in connectors and Power Query. Microsoft is also adding a new PY function that allows Python data to be exposed within the grid of an Excel spreadsheet. Through a partnership with Anaconda, an enterprise Python repository, popular Python libraries like pandas, statsmodels, and Matplotlib will be available in Excel.

  • rhymepurple
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    1
    ·
    1 year ago

    What do you mean? This new Python integration cannot accomplish the majority of things capable in VBA or C++ (or even regular Python).

    • BarqsHasBite@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      1
      ·
      1 year ago

      I can do basic things in vba. I don’t know enough to leave Excel and start writing a standalone program in vba, c++, or Python. I can learn a few commands, but I’m not going to become a programmer.

      • rhymepurple
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        1
        ·
        1 year ago

        So you’re saying that you’re more likely to use Python in Excel than Python outside Excel?

        If you’re “not going to become a programmer”, wouldn’t it just be better to learn the extra Excel formula or two instead of learning Python, Python data structures, Pandas, etc. in addition to how all that works within Excel?

        Learning how to use HSTACK(), VSTACK(), XLOOKUP(), and other newer Excel fomulas will likely be much easier than understanding how to do the equivalent in Python.

        • BarqsHasBite@lemmy.world
          link
          fedilink
          arrow-up
          1
          ·
          1 year ago

          I would never use Python outside of Excel just like I never use visual basic outside of Excel.

          I would use it for the same reason I (rarely) use vba in Excel, some things you can’t do with formulas.