So you're just starting out and you want to learn a new programming language. But the problem is, there are so many options out there and it can really be confusing trying to choose the best language to begin with.
Maybe you've tried searching online for a good language to begin with, and you see a lot of these blog posts telling you to learn JavaScript or Java or maybe C#.
Now I'm not saying these languages are the wrong ones and neither am I saying they the right ones. It's just that choosing a programming language that is good for you depends on a number of factors.
These factors are there to guide you and also to reduce confusion so that when you finally make a choice, you're more likely to be satisfied with what you have chosen.
One other thing I will also like to point out is that there is no best language.
All these programming languages are just tools programmers use to achieve anything they want on a computer.
When I first started out as a programmer, I knew of other programmers who could code in so many other languages and I was curious on how they could achieve that, but when I started coding, I discovered it wasn't as hard as I thought.
Why they were able to do that was because the basic concepts of programming are the same across all programming languages.
This means, if you know c++, it will be relatively easy to pick up another language like c# or java.
With that being said, it still doesn't mean you can just pick up any language and learn because the basic concepts are all the same.
You can decide to choose any language and you'll still do fine but I recommend that there should be some factors to be considered first, before choosing a new programming language as a beginner.
Factors to Consider While Choosing a Programming Language
1. Interest
What do you want to build? What do you think you will enjoy building the most? Do you enjoy playing games and think you will enjoy building them too?
You can learn a good language for game development like C# and go into game development with the Unity game Engine.
Your interest in whatever you do is really important because you're more likely to be successful doing the things you love.
When you start building out the things you really like, it's going to give you a huge boost in your motivation, which will prompt you to want to keep building out things.
2. Job Opportunities
For some newbies out there, the main reason they want to learn programming is because of the job opportunities they can find.
And because of this, you need to take into consideration the jobs available to you either locally or remotely.
It wouldn't be really nice to learn c++ when the jobs around you are all based on javascript.
3. Learning Curve
As a newbie developer, you'll need to understand the basics of programming before you'll finally be able to start building out projects.
As a result, you need to learn the basics of programming with a programming language that is easy to understand. I would suggest learning a scripting language first.
It wouldn't really be nice that while you're trying to understand the basics of programming, you're also struggling so hard with the syntax of the language you're trying to learn.
4. Popularity
I consider popularity to be really important due to the fact that, you're just starting out, and you're going to need all of the help that you can find.
Choosing a really popular programming language means there are a lot of people already using that language and if you get stuck along the way during learning, you can easily find some help online.
It also means there will be a lot of tutorials for whatever topic you want to learn.
Top 5 Programming Languages to learn as a Beginner
These languages have been chosen based on the factors discussed above. In no particular order, they are:
1. Javascript
This is the language of web developers. It happens to be a good choice due to the number of job opportunities you can find with it and also its popularity.
It is a scripting language popularly used for writing frontend code alongside with html and css. It is also commonly referred to as a client-side language.
Basic syntax for javascript:
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8" />
<title>simple hello world program</title>
</head>
<body>
<script type="text/javascript" charset="utf-8">
// the hello world program
alert("Hello, World!");
</script>
</body>
</html>
2. Java
Java is one of the languages that have remained popular for quite a long time now.
Java is a general purpose object-oriented programming language which has been used commonly for the development of enterprise applications and the creation of web servers. One very popular framework used together with java is spring.
In terms of job opportunities, java still remains one of the best languages to learn.
Basic syntax for java:
// Your First Program
class PrintHelloWorld {
public static void main(String[] args) {
System.out.println("Hello, World!");
}
}
3. PHP
PHP happens to be one of the first server-side languages used on the web.
The syntax of this language is beginner-friendly and it also happens to be very popular.
One major framework used with PHP is Laravel. Together they are used for developing web servers.
Basic syntax for PHP:
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<body>
<h1>My first PHP page</h1>
<?php echo "Hello World!"; ?>
</body>
</html>
4. Ruby
Ruby is another great choice for beginners. It is a high-level general purpose programming language, commonly used in the development of web applications and also in areas like e-commerce, content management and prototyping.
One very popular framework used together with ruby is Ruby on rails.
Basic syntax for ruby:
#!/usr/bin/ruby -w
puts "Hello, Ruby!";
5. Python
Finally python.
Python is a very popular programming language and a very good one for anyone who wants to go into data science.
It is very beginner friendly and easy to understand because of its syntax.
Python can be used for a variety of purposes, from game development to the development of web servers.
Basic syntax for python:
# This program prints Hello, world!
print('Hello, world!');
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