Is Tableau a Programming Language?

Key takeaways

Tableau is a visual analytics platform that connects data sources and metrics, allowing you to gain insights into your data with graphs and charts.

• More than 3 million users are part of Tableau Public, an online community platform that uses the visual analytics platform [1].

• Although Tableau is not a programming language, you can often integrate it into programming languages to connect data sources and create more effective visualizations.

• You can use Tableau with programming languages Python and SQL to help automate data visualization workflows. 

Learn more about what makes Tableau different from programming languages and how you can use it to create compelling data visualizations with no coding experience. Then, build your skills in data analytics in as little as six months with the Google Data Analytics Professional Certificate.

Is Tableau a programming language?

Tableau is not a programming language; it is a tool that helps you translate data into a visual format that is easier to interpret. What started in 2003 as a computer science project by a couple of Stanford students is now used worldwide by businesses, government agencies, and non-profit organizations. It's like a visual microscope that lets you see patterns and trends that you might not be able to see otherwise. Access to this information can help you save time when making important decisions.

How is Tableau different from programming languages?

The primary difference between Tableau and programming languages is how people use them. You use programming languages like Python, Java, JavaScript, and Ruby to write computer instructions. Tableau visualizes raw data by presenting it in easier-to-read graphs and charts. In fact, developers use two programming languages (VizQL and Python) to write and update the code that powers Tableau.

Another key difference is the ease of use. Before writing code in a programming language, you will likely need to take time to understand how coding works and decide which language will be helpful in your personal and professional pursuits. Thanks to the platform's drag-and-drop features and easy-to-use interface, you can use Tableau even if you have yet to learn how to work with a programming language. However, some coding knowledge will benefit you if you want to become a Tableau developer or perform more complex functions. 

Since programming languages power software applications, you can do more with them. When using Tableau, you can access the dashboards and reports already built into the program. If you are fluent in a programming language, you can write your own code to conduct calculations and implement machine learning and deep learning operations. Having this flexibility can give you more control over the data analysis.

Read more: What Is Data Analysis? (With Examples)

How is Tableau similar to programming languages? 

Data scientists and technical users use Tableau to create custom visualizations and dashboards to display data so that viewers can manipulate it to make sense of what they see. For example, users can use Tableau to write calculated fields that perform complex calculations on data. In this way, data scientists and other data professionals can use both Tableau and programming languages to understand and examine data.

You can also use Tableau to automate tasks, much like you could with a programming language. For example, you can create an automated dashboard that updates itself regularly. Similarly, you can automate tasks like this through a programming language like Python.

Tableau allows you to share data and insights with others, and so do programming languages. You can often integrate Tableau into your programming language to connect data sources and create more effective visualizations. To share your work in Tableau, you can publish your story in Tableau Public, share it on Tableau Server, or send a direct link to colleagues. If you prefer, you can write code in Python to display data in your platform of choice, including Tableau. The end result is the same, even though the behind-the-scenes process differs.

Is there coding in Tableau?

No, to use Tableau, you do not need coding skills. The platform is built with a drag-and-drop interface to allow users to visualize data without the need for coding. If you want to advance in your usage of Tableau, you can use SQL queries. 

Who uses Tableau?

Many organizations, from well-known brands like Lenovo, Verizon, and Charles Schwab to data analytics firms, schools, and individuals who work with data. More than three million people are part of Tableau Public, an online community that connects users and allows them to collaborate and share their data visualizations [1].

Careers that use Tableau software

Salesforce surveyed business leaders around the globe, and 80 percent of the respondents shared that their businesses rely on data to make decisions that benefit the organization [2]. They're hiring people who can help them access this data, which is one reason jobs for data scientists are growing much faster than average. More than 82,500 jobs in the field should open between 2024 and 2034, according to information from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics [3].

If your career relies on data—whether extracting, analyzing, or explaining it to others—you may use Tableau to display the information you need to share with stakeholders or make decisions for the organization. Although you can find these careers in just about every industry, the work tends to be concentrated in science and technology, finance, insurance, and enterprise management.

Here are some jobs you might find in these areas:

• Business analyst: $105,000 [4]

• Business intelligence analyst: $116,000 [5]

• Data analyst: $92,000 [6]

• Epidemiologist: $91,000 [7]

• Financial analyst: $106,000 [8]

• Marketing analyst: $93,000 [9]

• Market risk specialist: $123,000 [10]

• Software engineer: $148,000 [11]

• Tableau consultant: $132,000 [12]

• Tableau developer: $114,000 [13]

Explore our free resources for data analysis 

Check out our LinkedIn newsletter Career Chat to stay on top of the latest industry trends and career exploration. Then, explore some of our free data analysis and visualization resources:

• Hear from a pro: Meet the Data Analyst Using His Creativity to Tell Visual Stories 

• Study the lingo: Data Analysis Terminology | Coursera

• Find your career path: Career Paths in Data Analysis: Decision Tree

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