Which Programming Language to Learn and Why?

During my college days I used to be confused a lot regarding which programming language to select for my career. I tried to consult my seniors and my teachers to find the answer. However, I didn't get the answer that I wanted to hear. After completing my Bachelors in Engineering, I started to work as a software developer in Java. Soon I discovered that one should learn programming language as per the requirement or interest. Learning one programming language to develop applications is not the end rather than it is just a beginning to the world of programming. One can always learn and work on a programming language for a couple of years and then later switch to a new programming language. Programming concepts and software development approach learned during working with a particular programming language is always helpful in learning a new language. Hence, it will always be easy for a programmer to learn a new language. I have listed some of the programming language that one can learn as per the requirement or the interest.

If you want to build a Mac or iPhone app, learn Swift.
Sure, tons of frameworks out there let you build native mobile apps using HTML and JavaScript. But if you’re really serious about building iOS apps, you really need to learn Swift. Bonus: Swift is also used for building Mac OS X desktop apps!
 

If you want to develop enterprise level applications & Android apps, learn Java.
Java can be used to develop both web and desktop based applications. Moreover, Java is popular among the programmers who develop large scale enterprise level applications like MIS, ERP, CRM and so on. The use of Java to develop applications is in increasing trend worldwide. Developing a website in Java platform for small business may not be the right decision since it will be an expensive choice in terms of both manpower and cost. If you’d rather develop Android apps (which include apps for devices like the Kindle Fire, not just smartphones), then Java is the language to learn. Native Android apps are all coded in Java. That said, it’s also incredibly powerful and has tons of advanced capabilities.

If you want to develop web applications & work with open source applications like WordPress, OpenCart, Magento then learn PHP.
WordPress is one of the most popular content management system and it is very easy to use. 25 percent of all the websites in the world run on WordPress, with 50,000 new sites added daily. In other words, learning WordPress opens up a huge market for you. E-commerce applications can be easily build using OpenCart and Magento. WordPress, OpenCart and Magento all are coded in PHP. PHP is both easy to use for new programmers, and has advanced features for more expert coders. (There are other CMSs built with PHP, too, like Joomla and Drupal.) For more on WordPress, check out our Freelance WordPress Developer Career Blueprint. You’ll get 3 months of step-by-step courses and a guided apprenticeship while you work with your first client.

If you want to work on big, complex, data-driven sites and apps, learn SQL.
Ambitious, data-driven websites and apps have one thing in common: databases. And most of those databases are written in some form of SQL (MySQL, PostgreSQL, Microsoft SQL, etc.). In fact, many smaller sites pull content and information from a database (including most blogs and sites built on a CMS). Basically, SQL is everywhere, and if you use the internet, you’ve definitely encountered it before, probably without even realizing it. If you want a versatile set of skills that can come in handy on almost any website or web app, becoming proficient in SQL is a fantastic choice. Bonus: SQL skills are super valuable if you want to be a data analyst or strategist.

If you want to build games or audio/video apps, learn C++.
C++ is the programming language of choice for performance-critical applications like games or audio/video applications. (Also, all the Adobe design applications, like Photoshop, Illustrator, and After Effects, are built in C++.) It’s used in Apple’s OS X operating system. Parts of Facebook, Google, and various Microsoft applications are written in C++. It’s even used for the SETI@home project! If you’re interested in working on these big software and web projects, C++ is a must.

If you want to build windows apps, learn C#.
C# is most commonly used for building applications that run on Windows. It’s used for web development (with Microsoft’s .NET framework), game development, and general Windows development. It’s now possible to write iOS and Android apps with C#, too, using the Xamarin platform.

If you want to build modern websites and web apps, learn Javascript.
You can build a website with nothing more than HTML and CSS, but if you want to build a website that will fit in with the modern web, then you need to learn JavaScript. JavaScript is the most common way to make websites and web apps interactive. It’s most often used with libraries like jQuery and AngularJS to create web apps that work across all modern browsers and device types. JavaScript can also be used with frameworks like phonegap to create mobile applications for iOS and Android. The downside to JavaScript is that it can be tricky to learn and especially to debug. But don’t fear! You can learn JavaScript (and jQuery, and a bunch of other great subjects) in our new Front End Developer Career Blueprint.

If you want to teach programming in colleges/ universities and work in data analysis, learn Python.
If you want to teach coding, or work on apps and sites aimed at schools and universities, Python is where it’s at. While there’s no single programming language being used across every university, college, public school, and private school, Python is definitely the most popular. Python is easy to learn, and focuses on simple and readable code (because it’s very similar to the English language). Recently, Python knocked Java out of the top spot for beginner programming courses, with eight out of the top ten computer science programs now using Python to teach coding. Python Because of this popularity in the education sphere, Python has a lot of libraries for things like mathematics, physics, and natural processing. Besides, sites for both NASA and PBS are built on Python!

Piyush Giri has completed computer engineering and is currently working as a software developer and trainer at IT Training Nepal Pvt. Ltd.