Coding is the process of writing instructions for computers to understand using programming languages. These programming languages are specific languages that allow people to communicate with computers. Years ago, coding would have been a completely new term for everyone. But after years of development of cutting-edge technology, coding is no longer an allusive affair.
According to Gitnux, 58% of digital industry job vacancies require coding skills.
This market with jobs in the coding department will continue increasing. Almost all kinds of firms have their own software management and development teams. Coding is an important skill in these roles.
Coding can open many employment opportunities for you in the job market. This skill can help you develop your own mobile game, get certificates of internship, or even gain work experience and gain money.
But there are several coding languages and out of them, we need to choose one to start with. While choosing a coding language to learn there should be several points that one should consider such as the efficiency of the language, features of the language, compatibility and interoperability, the kind of resources available for learning the language, etc.
According to data from PYPL (PopularitY of Programming Language), derived from data by Google on the number of times programming language tutorial is searched for,
Python is at the top with a 28.59% market share, followed by Java with a 15.79% market share. The top 11 languages with their market share are shown in the chart below.
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Let’s look at a brief introduction to some of the most famous Programming languages in the world.
Best Coding Languages to Learn in 2024:
1. PYTHON
It was developed by Guido Van Rossum in 1989 and is a general-purpose programming language that is used in web app development, data science, artificial intelligence, scientific computing, machine learning, etc.
The reason for the wide popularity of Python is the fact that it has a clean, readable, concise syntax supported by a large number of software developers. It also has a vast standard library. Apart from this, Python is also a free open-source programming language and hence it is cost-effective. It is cross-platform, highly extensible, and operable on various operating systems. Additionally, it can be integrated with other programming languages such as C++, Java, etc.
The only drawback is that it is not as fast as other programming languages and hence may not be the best choice.
2. JAVA
Java was created by James Gosling in 1995. It is a general-purpose, platform-independent, and object-oriented programming language that allows the creation of high-performance applications. Like Python, Java is also supported by a large and active community of developers. The vast amount of documentation and resources available makes it easier to learn. It can be used for web development, mobile development, desktop applications, big data, etc.
One of the drawbacks is that Java is verbose and hence needs more programming than other languages to reach the same result.
3. JAVASCRIPT
It was created by Brendan Eich in 1995. JavaScript is a versatile and dynamic scripting language that runs on both client-side and server-side web applications. It can be used to develop interactive web interfaces, handle user input, manipulate the DOM, mobile app development, desktop applications, game development, etc.
It is easy to learn due to the similarities it shares with other languages. Additionally, it is an interpreted language and hence does not need to be compiled before being run.
One of the drawbacks is that it does not have a standard debugging environment.
4. C/C++
C was developed by Dennis Ritchie in 1972. C++ on the other hand was developed by Bjarne Stroustrup in 1983. Though both languages are used for system programming, they have different applications. C is used mainly for embedded systems while C++ is used for the development of desktop and server applications. These languages can be used to write high-level codes that can be read by humans and machines. It is a compiled language, and hence, the code needs to be converted into machine code before execution.
However, these languages have a steep learning curve and are complex as well.
5. C# (C-SHARP)
C# is a Microsoft language created by Anders Hejlsberg in 2000. It is a general-purpose, object-oriented, and component-oriented programming language and enables the creation of high-performance applications. It is easy to learn and type-safe programming language which means that it allows catching errors at compile time. It can be used to develop web development, mobile development, desktop applications, and cloud-based servers. It Is also a well-known game programming language.
6. R
This is a programming language developed by Ross Ihaka and Robert Gentleman in 1993. It is very popular among statisticians and data scientists.it is a free and open-source language available for Windows, macOS, and Linux. It can be used to write code, debug code, and create data visualizations. It allows to creation of complex and sophisticated statistical models.
It can be difficult to learn as it has a steep learning curve. It can be difficult to read and debug.
7. PHP (Hypertext Preprocessor)
Created by Rasmus Lerdorf in 1994, PHP is a general-purpose scripting programming language. It is one of the best programming languages for developing websites and can be embedded in HTML code.
It can be difficult to debug as it is not compiled before execution and is not very fast compared to other languages.
8. TYPESCRIPT
It is developed and maintained by Microsoft. All valid JavaScript code is also valid as TypeScript code. It adds additional features such as static typing and class-based object-oriented programming. It is easy to learn, read, and debug and can easily be refactored.
9. SWIFT
It is a new language launched by Apple in 2014. It is fast, easy, safe, and requires less coding skills and hence, is the preferred language for developing iOS and macOS applications.
10. OBJECTIVE – C
It is a general-purpose, object-oriented language created in the 1980s. It is primarily used to develop iOS applications, macOS applications, and other Apple software. It is easier to learn for those familiar with the C programming language. It has lost its popularity to languages such as SWIFT.
11. RUST
It was created by Mozilla in 2006. It is a cross-platform, statistically typed, and free-to-use programming language. It provides memory safety without using garbage collection with a low learning curve and easy-to-read syntax. It has a variety of applications such as network programming, game development, web development, and system programming.
Also Read The Top 7 Most In-Demand Coding Languages in 2023
As mentioned earlier, choosing the best programming language depends on your career goals, interests, the kind of work you are interested in, etc. The area for learning coding is ever-evolving and progressive. With the availability of multiple resources, learning coding is getting easier. You just need to start somewhere and keep learning!