Top Trending Programming Languages to Master in 2021
The best programming languages that are worth spending your time on to learn and master
While most of us are stuck at home due to the pandemic, it has become customary to regularly learn something new or follow a new hobby to eliminate boredom. Even though most of the fields have declined throughout the past year, the software engineering field has continued to grow and evolve at rather a rapid pace. Due to this reason, more and more software developers from beginners to professionals have focused on learning new languages and frameworks which they feel would be beneficial for them in the future. But also, there is another group of people including myself, who do not have a specific targetted programming language they intend on learning and mastering. This article will be a special guide for that certain group of people to choose a language to study and also for everyone else who wishes to be updated on the current trends in the software development field.
There are many differently approached methods to get a ranked list of popular programming languages such as based on GitHub pull/push requests, Google search queries, npm downloads, etc. But here I am considering the languages that would be beneficial for the future as well. Therefore this ordered list is made after doing some research on current and expected future trends. So here are the top programming languages which will be worth the time spent on learning in 2021:
1. Python
Python is considered to be the fastest-growing open-source high-level programming language at the present day. Python is also known to be the most user-friendly programming language due to its simple syntax which is a lot closer to the natural English language.
Python has gained this massive boost in popularity in recent years mostly due to the technological advancements in the fields of Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, and Data Science where Python is prominently used. Additionally, according to the survey by Stack Overflow, it is the leading programming language developers do not know but want to learn. Another reason for the Python language’s high value is it can be used for full-stack web development with frameworks like Django and Flask. The server-side of Spotify and Instagram websites are built by using Python.
Putting Python at #1 on the list was nothing to be hesitant of: it had both the highest number of job posts and the largest positive search trend of all the languages. You simply can’t go wrong career-wise by adding Python to your reserve.
2. JavaScript
Why learn JavaScript? Simply put, JavaScript is the standard programming language of the web. This means you can develop complete software using JavaScript frameworks and libraries alone!
When you open your web browser and start browsing, 95% of the websites have JavaScript!
JavaScript, often abbreviated as “JS”, is a high-level and multi-paradigm language that supports event-driven, functional, and imperative programming styles. JS is undoubtedly the most popular web development language which is also universally known as the “language of web developers”. Because JavaScript has a forgiving, flexible syntax and works across all major browsers, it is also one of the friendliest programming languages for beginners. A wide variety of add-ons extend the functionality of JavaScript as well.
A majority of the web’s most popular sites, from Facebook and Twitter to Gmail and YouTube, rely on JavaScript to create interactive web pages and dynamically display content to users.
Learning JavaScript is a much broader task since it consists of many competitive frameworks for both front-end and back-end developments. If you plan on learning JavaScript, I recommend these most popular frameworks:
- Front-end web development — React, Angular, Vue
- Back-end web development — Express, Nest, Next
3. Java
Yes, you saw right! Java being one of the oldest programming languages is still in a huge share of legacy web applications, and these applications require developers to maintain and enhance them. One of the main reasons for Java’s existence is its platform-independent “write once, run anywhere” nature.
Java is the programming language most commonly associated with the development of client-server applications, which are used by large businesses around the world. Its powerful features include strong memory management, high performance, backward compatible and top-notch security. With its presence in almost 3 billion devices, Java’s new frameworks such as Spring, Struts, and Hibernate have also become very popular.
Java is favoured by enterprises, with roughly 90 percent of Fortune 500 companies use Java for building applications and back end systems which make Java appear on this list at #3
4. Swift
If you’re interested in Apple products and mobile app development, Swift is a good place to start. Swift is Apple’s language for developing applications for Mac computers and Apple’s mobile devices which were built with the intention of replacing Objective-C, which hasn’t received any significant improvements since the 1980s. Swift also has a highly user-friendly syntax, runs code quickly, and can be used for both client-side and server-side development.
Objective-C still has way more jobs than Swift by the present day, but Objective-C lacks modern functionality which makes it more possible to be overrun by Swift in the near future and therefore, I believe supporting the trends, that Swift will be a good programming language to master for great opportunities.
5. C++
C++ is a general-purpose programming language created as an extension of the C programming language. It can be also called the pioneer of the modern world’s most used programming languages and root of other programming languages such as C#, Java, and JavaScript.
C++ is mostly used in game development, scripting, mobile applications, especially performance-intensive tasks which is one of the main reasons for learning C++ in 2021 and beyond. There is a large number of mission-critical software written in C++ that can’t be replaced with another language that gives the same level of speed and control over system resources.
Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality, two fields in technology that has gained huge recognition in recent years are some core development areas where C++ is necessarily used. Additionally, C++ is used in building operating systems, libraries, and other programming languages. It is extensively used in game development where there is a shortage of developers. Most companies in the automobile, aerospace and banking industries are looking for C++ developers. These are important reasons for learning C++ in 2021.
Some honourable mentions…
C#, Go, R, Ruby are some of the other tempting languages that I came across which almost made it through to the list. In my opinion, the languages mentioned in the list has a higher potential than the honourable mentions as of the current day. But I am sure there may be a lot of people out there with a different view and I am respecting everyone’s opinions.
Summing up…
When deciding which programming language to learn, it’s important not to get caught up in flashy trends and popularity contests. Although the field of computer programming changes rapidly, the languages that I’ve mentioned above have a great deal of staying power for a considerable time period.
But on top of all, give your first priority to what you love doing. If you are interested in being an iOS developer, then go ahead and choose Swift! If you are interested in frontend developments, JavaScript is likely where you’ll want to start. Machine Learning? Python is your language.
I am grateful for your time spent reading this article and happy coding! Stay safe!
