5 Popular and In-Demand Programming Languages Today
Which programming language should you learn? JavaScript and Python are two of the most popular languages in the startup industry and are in high demand. Startups often use Python with frameworks like Django and Flask, as well as use NodeJS (JavaScript). These are also good languages to start with for beginners.
Here is a list of popular and in-demand programming languages in 2023.
Javascript Language
Javascript is a high-level programming language and a key technology of the World Wide Web. It is used as a client-side programming language by 97.8% of websites. Initially, Javascript was only used for web browsers, but now it is also used on the server side and for non-browser applications. It was created in 1995 with the name LiveScript and later became a standalone language. Despite often being confused with Java, Javascript and Java are two entirely different languages. Here are some evaluations of this programming language:
Difficulty | From basic to intermediate |
Skills required | HTML and CSS to define content and layout of web pages |
Platform | Cross-platform (desktop, mobile, web) |
Advantages |
|
Disadvantages | Can be interpreted differently by different browsers, making writing compatible code on multiple browsers challenging. |
Python
Python is one of the most popular and easy-to-learn programming languages today. It is an open-source language, supports numerous modules, and has a strong development community. Python integrates easily with web services, has friendly data structures, and supports desktop applications with user interfaces. Python is widely used in machine learning and deep learning. It's also used for developing image and 3D animation packages, creating popular video games, and applied in various scientific and computational fields. Additionally, Python is a popular language for well-known websites like YouTube, Quora, Pinterest, and Instagram. Here are some evaluations of this programming language:
Difficulty | For beginners - Python makes it easy for newcomers to work effectively |
Skills required | Problem-solving, abstract thinking |
Platform | Web, Desktop |
Advantages |
|
Disadvantages | Doesn't start with fundamental programming knowledge (many find it overly abstracts important basic concepts) |
Go
Go, developed by Google since 2007, is designed for web applications and APIs. This language has become one of the fastest-growing programming languages due to its simplicity and ability to handle multi-core systems, networks, and large source codes. It's gaining attention from many tech giants like Google, Uber, Twitch, and Dropbox. Go is also popular in data science due to its flexibility and superior performance. Here are some evaluations of this programming language:
Difficulty | From basic to intermediate |
Skills required | Easy to learn if you already know another programming language; if not, patience and willingness to learn are needed. |
Platform | Cross-platform, mainly on desktop computers |
Advantages |
|
Disadvantages |
|
Java
Java is one of the most popular programming languages today. It is owned by Oracle Corporation and follows an object-oriented structure. Java is widely used across various platforms thanks to its mobility (Write Once, Run Anywhere - WORA). It is used in web development, applications, and big data. Java is also commonly used as the backend for many well-known websites like Google, Amazon, Twitter, and YouTube. With millions of Java programmers globally, this language has a strong supporting community and is highly regarded in the industry. While Java is more complex to learn, skilled Java developers are in high demand. Here are some evaluations of this programming language:
Difficulty | Intermediate |
Skills required | Problem-solving, understanding object-oriented structure |
Platform | Web, Mobile, Desktop |
Advantages |
|
Disadvantages | Many new vocabulary terms to learn; higher-level language. |
Kotlin
Kotlin is a versatile programming language, initially developed by JetBrains in 2011 and officially released in 2016. It is compatible with Java and supports functional programming. Kotlin is widely used for Android, web, desktop, and server applications. It's considered an improvement over Java and is favored by many companies, including Google, Coursera, Pinterest, and PostMates. Here are some evaluations of this programming language:
Difficulty | Intermediate to advanced |
Skills required | Prior experience with programming languages, especially Java |
Platform | Web, Mobile, Desktop, Server |
Advantages |
|
Disadvantages | Compile speed varies; no 'static' keyword in Kotlin. |
Conclusion
Above is a list of programming languages considered the best and that you should know. Learning one of these can help you start a programming career or advance in your current job. With options ranging from Python for beginners to Java for the experienced, you can easily find the language that suits you