This is the final article in our series on Programming Languages to Learn. We started with discussing the classics and what beginners should learn, before diving into Niche Programming languages. Now, we’ll discuss the up and coming coding languages - that should be learned after you’ve mastered the classics - and which languages will be popular this year.
It’s important to note that the classics will stay popular, with Python, Java and JavaScript remaining the favorites. As for new languages that are gaining momentum, we put together this list for when you’re considering which new language to learn next.
With Android gradually gaining momentum in the smartphone market, Kotlin is growing in popularity among both front-end and back-end developers. Running on the Java virtual machine, it is supported by Google and appreciated for its clear and short syntax. Pinterest moved from Java to Kotlin even before Google announced its support of the latter. Coursera and Trello, among other apps, also use this language.
Another coding language promoted by Google, Golang, is simple, like Python, but powerful, like C++. It’s fit for multi-core apps and supports concurrency. Go-code is easy to learn and easy to read; thus often used for legacy code that requires iterations by several engineers. The similarities with C-languages make it accessible for C++ and C# programmers.
This new, system-level programming language was one of the most loved languages by engineers in 2018 and 2019. Created by Mozilla, Rust is focused on performance-critical tasks. Experienced programmers compare programs written in Rust to C/C++ in speed and memory usage. Dropbox, Yelp and Cloudflare all use Rust in production.
A high-level, dynamic programming language, Julia is most appreciated by data scientists. Its fast execution makes Julia perfect for projects with large datasets. The language’s syntax is compared to Python, but it’s more rapid in dealing with massive amounts of data. It still cannot compete with Python in popularity, but Julia might be your next choice if you plan to work with big data.
To sum up our full programming languages review, remember if you are just starting out in software engineering, we recommend you opt for the classics. There are no shortage of resources to learn a classic programming language, and a large number of jobs available on the market. Python, Java, JavaScript, C++, Ruby continues to attract the largest number of engineers, and the demand for these doesn’t look to be dropping.
If you’ve been dreaming of a specific field of software development though, the list of programming languages to learn first may differ from the classics. Whether you’re interested in cloud computing, Android app development, blockchain or something else, the programming languages to learn will depend on the field that triggers your interest.
If we can give you one piece of advice though, it’s this -- don’t choose a new or niche language to learn for your first foray into software engineering. Do your research into the industry, gain some foundational skills, then add the technical skills and unique languages you need to get the job of your dream.
If you’re ready to learn to become a Full-Stack developer, and want support, guidance, accountability and a community, we’d love for you to join Microverse. Learn more about the only online school for software developers from any country in the world below!
Ariel is the founder & CEO of Microverse, an online school for software engineers. Read more about Microverse and how it can help you.
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