Which programming language to learn first
by Bradley Nice, Content Manager at ClickHelp.com — online documentation tool
Every beginner who wants to work in IT or just make something cool in their spare time, ask themselves — which programming language to learn first? But the truth is, there is no universal answer. Moreover, on certain positions, you are required to know more than one language.
Okay, but what about the first language? Well, I can’t give you a definitive answer. For web development it’s good to know PHP, JavaScript, Python or Ruby (aside from HTML and CSS); for mobile development — Swift, Java, Objective-C or C#. And I won’t even start on desktop applications — you can create them with most of the languages, or even a mixture of them, because some are suitable for one thing, others — somewhere else.
Anyhow, I took a liberty and chose 5 programming languages you can choose from.
Python
Python is considered to be the easiest programming language from this list. It has minimalistic and easy to understand syntax. Despite its visual simplicity, this language is one of the most powerful ones. With its help, you can work with a simple text or build neural networks. And thanks to the rise of the latter in the past couple of years, Python is on the rise and the demand for it is getting higher by day.
JavaScript
JavaScript is considered something of a must-have, and not without a reason. Most of the interactive stuff you see in your browser is powered by JavaScript.
Its syntax is more complex: there are a lot more special symbols than in Python, and all kinds of braces.
Besides, the JavaScript ecosystem is richer than Python’s as it offers lots of different development environments, code editors, frameworks, libraries and other stuff.
C#
If you’re still uncertain about the language, then you haven’t decided what attracts you the most: web, mobile or desktop applications. Then your choice might be C#: it’s a universal tool for every type of development. For desktop applications, you’ll need Visual Studio, Xamarian for mobile and ASP.NET for the web.
Besides, C# is the main programming language in Unity — a framework for game development. So if you’re into this stuff (as well as AR/VR, which is quite popular now), C# is your #1 choice.
Swift
Ah, now we have something interesting. Unlike previous mentions, Swift is not a universal language which is suitable for the majority of platforms. In fact, it is limited to Apple products only. Virtually, Swift programming doesn’t exist outside of your MacBook. So, if you’re a dedicated Apple user and want to contribute by making cool apps and games for your favorite platform, Swift is your best buddy.
Java
For over two decades this language is on the “most demanded” list, and it’s gotta mean something, huh? Nowadays it’s mostly associated with Android development, but it’s just the tip of the iceberg. With Java, you can create widgets for web or write desktop apps — it’s truly universal.
Besides, Java is an excellent language to fully understand programming: it incorporates all of the OOP concepts, features work with memory and periphery, and you can practice in functional programming as well.
This was a small list with quick examples of the programming languages and where are they used. If you would like to know more, see examples maybe or read something else about programming languages — let me know in the comments below!
Have a nice day!
Bradley Nice,
Content Manager at ClickHelp.com — best online documentation tool for SaaS vendors
