Like so many questions in life, there is no single right answer to the question, “What is the best programming language for beginners?” Every coding language has its pros and cons and each application may benefit from using one language over another. Still, if you are looking for the right coding language for beginners, there are a few that stand out because they are easier to learn and they complement well with other languages and platforms.
What are the most popular programming languages? And what are they used for?
According to GitHub, an advanced programming platform that allows users to create, store and distribute software, these are the most used coding languages:
- JavaScript
- Python
- Java
- C/C++
- Go
- Ruby
- PHP
- C#
- Swift
- Rust
The ratings are based on the number of times each particular coding language was pulled from GitHub to be used, but they do not tell us about the actual uses for these languages or how suited they are for coding for beginners. Being on this list does not automatically mean that any of these constitute the best coding language for beginners, but being on this list does indicate popularity and common use.
That being said, you can surmise that the most in-demand languages are highly sought after for a reason: the highest number of people found them to be valuable.
JavaScript
JavaScript is the most popular coding language for two simple reasons: it is highly versatile and is quite easy to learn. This makes it a good candidate for your first programming language. Once learned, it can be used to build everything, from websites to servers to apps. It allows users to work on both the server-side and the client-side — or front-end web development — giving a team more flexibility to share the workload.
The most common careers that employ people able to use JavaScript are software engineers, mobile developers, front-end developers, and full-stack developers.
Python
Python is a popular coding language because it can be used in a wide variety of situations and it is easy to learn, even for those who are new to coding. But don’t be fooled by its ease of use. Python is a powerful tool, used by giants in the digital world like Google and Facebook.
Although Python can, and is, regularly used for website development, it can do so much more. It can be used for animating, scientific computing, machine learning, and creating, searching, and organizing data sets.
There is a wide variety of careers in need of Python users as well, including data scientists, software developers and engineers, as well as analysts of all types.
Java
Java has been one of the most popular languages for over 20 years because of its reliability, scalability and cross-platform compatibility, and is used by companies like Google, Uber, and Netflix. It is more complex and harder to learn than some of the newer languages, but that does not make it any less useful. It is commonly used to build mobile apps, back-ends, and especially used for machine learning because of its speed.
The careers that are looking for Java users include data analysts, scientists, and front-end, back-end, full-stack, and mobile developers.
C/C++
While not the easiest coding language for a beginner to learn, tackling it may be a wise choice. Not only are its users in high demand, but comprehending the complexities of this language makes it that much easier to learn other programming languages.
C is popular because of its speed and reliability, and because it is the root of so many other coding languages. C++ is an updated version that is frequently used for computer programming.
C/C++ are frequently used for coding programs that are very graphics heavy- think gaming, photo and video editing apps, etc. Mobile developers are the most common employers of C/C++ coders.
Go
Go is a relatively new language that is growing in popularity because it is easy to learn and simple to use. Designed by Google as an alternative to some of the older languages, like Java and C++, it can tackle most of the applications in a more user-friendly way.
While it is not in huge demand yet, it might be a wise choice for those just entering into the coding game, since there aren’t many experienced Go users out there.
Go users generally work in the data science fields, but the options may increase as the popularity of this language continues to rise.
Ruby
Ruby is a scripting language that is used most frequently for web development. While it does not have a large variety of uses, it is still in demand because it is used by many major businesses, including Airbnb and Shopify.
While there are not a tremendous number of jobs available using this language, its relative obscurity means that those who know it are in high demand and are frequently paid above industry standards.
The most common careers that use Ruby are Software engineers and back-end developers.
PHP
While PHP’s popularity may be waning, it is far from a dead language. It is still very commonly used in website building and may be present in as many as 79% of those sites on the web today.
While not the simplest coding language for beginners, its heavy use worldwide in websites means that those who know how to use it are always in demand.
Most people who use PHP find careers as website developers.
C#
C# was developed by Microsoft principally to be used as part of their .NET framework for building Windows applications. Microsoft, and their .NET framework, is one of the most widely used software companies by businesses large and small, and so jobs for those who write C# are currently, and likely will continue to be, in high demand.
Most users of C# end up in careers that revolve around mobile or game development.
Swift
Swift is a newer coding language created exclusively for use in the development of iOS and MacOS apps. It may not be the best coding language for beginners because of its narrow scope. However, those who can use it are well paid and enjoy a higher level of job security.
At this point, careers for those who know Swift are largely limited to iOS developers.
Rust
Rust is a coding language that is well-liked by programmers because it offers a high level of memory safety as well as its high speed. Rust lets you work directly with the computer’s memory at a lower level than languages like Ruby and JavaScript. It can be more complicated to use, but it gives you more control over what the program is doing at a low level.
Because of this, is it frequently used by tech companies who understand the need for such security.
There are not yet many jobs out there for those who use Rust, but that may change as companies outside the tech world see its advantages.
Those who know Rust most often work in game or web development.
- Easy to Learn – JavaScript, Ruby, Python, Go
- In Demand – JavaScript, Python, Java, C/C++
- Best Growth Potential – JavaScript, Python, C/C++, Go
Understanding both your short-term and long-term career goals will help you to choose which programming language you should learn first. There are many variables that affect this decision, including how easy it is to learn, how in-demand those who use it are, and how likely you are to want to expand and grow within your career.
