Each decade after the early 1940’s has seen the release of some programming language or the other. Gradually, the list of programming languages available for use has been increasing and so has been a programmer’s confusion in terms of which one to use. Each programming language has its set of pros and cons. Therefore, a good programmer would not reveal his or her programming language choice without listening to what you want to develop. Some languages work well for a certain type of applications, while others many work well in other cases.
If you ask me which the best programming language is, I would not be able to give you a definite answer. But, this does not mean that there is no definite answer. The answer depends on what you are looking for and there is a best in every category. The nuances involved in selection are so vast that it would be impossible to list all the permutation and combinations and then tell you which language is the best. Let’s look at the 3 questions that can instantly help you select the right programming language.
#1 Why Do You Want to Learn?
If you are wanting to learn a language to make a career, then select a language that has demand. A language that is versatile and reliable. For example, languages like Java and C++ are difficult to learn but are in demand. You are more likely to find a good paying job if you have learnt these.
Another important consideration here is whether you want to develop mobile apps or web apps. It is not important to choose one but then you can look at application specialist languages like HTML5, Swift, etc. This does not limit these languages to mobile app only but are comfortable choices.
#2 What Is Your Budget?
Many popular programming languages like Java have free integrated development environment (IDE) and therefore it is a good choice if you have a budget constraint. By choosing languages where free IDEs are available, you only have to pay for the course if any.
You should also consider the cost of resources available to help you learn a programming language. If you choose a popular language, then you will find plentiful free resources. But, if you choose a not so popular one, then you might have to struggle to find resources and these might even be expensive.
#3 How Much Time Do You Have?
This plays a vital role in deciding which language you should opt for. Depending on your capability to learn and also on the complexity of the language selected, you would need a certain amount of time in hand. If you want to learn a language within a span of a few weeks, then choose a language like Python or Ruby which is easy to learn.
But, if this is a career choice and you have devoted sometime, it would make more sense to learn Java, JavaScript, C++, etc. because these are comparatively more versatile.
Tips to Facilitate Learning
Learning is fun but this does not work always. Sometimes, you have to be serious to accomplish your dream. You cannot learn a programming language overnight, here are some best practices from industry experts that are sure to help you learn faster:
- Have a project in mind, why not start working toward it while learning. Say for example, you want to build an app, you have the concept so connect with your mentor and ask for guidance on how to build that app while learning the basics.
- Seeing creative usages of the programming language always helps. It is a good way of realizing the potential that a programming language has and what you can create with it. This samples are a great way to take a break and still learn.
- Practice always work. This is no secret but yes people often overlook this. Coding will slowly grow on you and with time you would not have to refer to your guides or reference book for doing a certain task. Make sure that you try to implement what you learn at least a couple of times.
Tips to Facilitate Earning
If you want to learn a programming language to make money, then these tips will help you make the most out of the opportunity.
- Choose Java, Python, R, or Objective C as your programming language. These have some of the highest paying jobs to boast about.
- Be multi-lingual (not in literal sense). Knowing more than one programming language can be extremely helpful in bagging a good job.
- Be aware of the industry updates and be willing to learn always. Although the basics don’t change, the updates might ease your work.
The fact that each language is thriving in some domain or other points out to the reality that programming as a career is a good choice. If you have not thought about it yet, then it is the time to do so.
The information presented experts of Java application development here should help you make a wise choice. Let me know what programming language you chose after considering the aspect mentioned above.