Python vs VBA with Excel

The main downside that I see with Python rather than VBA is that Excel does not natively support Python and MSFT doesn't seem interested in officially helping build support for Python interacting with Excel. So you are kind of on your own using third party add-ins/libraries like xlwings (https://www.xlwings.org/ ) to get your Python macros to interact with Excel. I personally never figured out how to get xlwings to work for me, and this late in my career (old dogs, new tricks, and all that) I have not had the motivation to figure it out, but I know that some on here have made it work.

The big advantage I potentially see is that, because VBA is specific to Excel/MS Office and doesn't port well outside of MS Office, python macros may port more easily to other spreadsheets. I know that LO Calc has some built in support for Python macros. It seems possible that one could program their macros and user-defined functions in Python, then use those macros/functions in any spreadsheet, once you figure out how to get each spreadsheet to interact with Python.

If you are early enough to be choosing a programming language, I might suggest that you consider Javascript. MS Office's new developer model seems built on Javascript/Typescript type languages. Google Sheets has long used Javascript as its primary macro language. LO Calc has built in support for Javascript. At this stage, I feel forced to use Excel/MS Office because I learned VBA and VBA does not port well outside of MS Office. If I were a young dog deciding what tricks to learn, I might be inclined to learn Javascript because the three main spreadsheet competitors (and minor ones as well) know how to work with Javascript, and I would be free to choose a spreadsheet application based on other strengths and weaknesses.