Choosing a language to learn to code is a lot like choosing a language to speak. Whether you learn French, Spanish or Mandarin, each takes a different path to unique professional opportunities and experiences. And each one offers a different excuse to show off how smart you are at a party.
There are dozens of coding languages in common use today, and no one wants to make the wrong choice. But really, which language you should learn depends on what you want to do. Read on to find out which language is best for you.
If you’re completely new to coding, also check out How to Learn to Code. (opens in new tab) This guide will introduce you to the basics of coding and programming. We also have a guide on the value of coding bootcamps. (opens in new tab)with advice on best laptop for coding that too.
Why are there different programming languages?
Programming languages work at different levels of “abstraction”. For example, if you want to program the instructions that the CPU gets at a very granular level, you have to do it using a “low-level” language called Assembly. But trying to create real useful software in assembly takes forever.
So there are “high-level” programming languages that handle the tedious stuff like memory management and other behind-the-scenes processes. With them, you can only write code that does the specific things you want your code to do.
Over the years, this has led to the emergence of a myriad of new “high-level” languages better suited to various computing tasks. For example, PHP is great for building slick websites, and Apple’s Swift language is great for building basic apps. Basically, you convert various building blocks (menus, pages, buttons, etc.) into Lego blocks and code them into screens.
Related: Coding vs Programming: What’s the Difference?
I’m a complete novice, where do I start?
If you are learning from scratch, Python is the best place to start. It’s easy to get the hang of, and teaches you many core concepts and ideas found in all languages, such as conditional logic, loops, differences between strings, integers, and booleans.
Python is also very well supported and can run almost anything. It’s built into MacOS and can be easily installed from the Microsoft Store on Windows. And there are countless easy-to-use plugins that can do whatever you want, including connecting to databases, manipulating data, generating graphics, and more.
What is the best language for building apps?
The best language for creating your app depends on the platform you’re using and how grand your ambitions are. As mentioned earlier, Apple’s Swift is great for simple apps for all of Apple’s products, from Macs to iPads and iPhones. For Android apps, you should instead focus on a language called Kotlin.
If you want to develop killer apps cross-platform, there are some tools and platforms that try to fill that gap. If you want to do this, look for something like React Native that works similarly to JavaScript. The software is smart enough to compile both iOS and Android apps by writing the code once.
What languages are best for AI and data science?
A solid foundation in Python is a good place to start if you want to be on the cutting edge of AI and data science. There are tons of data science plugins, well designed for data manipulation and presentation.
However, if you’re more hardcore, delve into a statistics-specific programming language called R. This is very useful for calculating numbers.
What is the best language for making games?
Creating a game is a complex process, but it’s best to start with a game engine rather than a language. For example, Unity and Unreal are two of the main engines in which many games are created today. These engines can make game development simple or dizzyingly complex.
Ultimately, though, you’ll need to have a good foundation in the programming language C++ to really get comfortable with game development. If you’re new to coding, start with something a little easier.
What is the best hardware for coding?
There is no single answer to which computer is best for programming. It depends on the actual situation.for live science Best laptop for coding and programming. (opens in new tab) If you want to code on the go, list it. However, there are some points to consider.
For example, if you’re building an iPhone or iPad app, you’ll need a Mac to access all of Apple’s developer tools. Similarly, if your goal is to write code to process large amounts of data, you should use a machine with a powerful GPU so you don’t have to wait forever for the data processing to complete. there is.
You can perform basic coding tasks on a relatively low-spec machine. If you’re just tinkering with Python or web scripting languages like JavaScript and PHP, a modern Windows PC or Mac should be able to handle it. You can also use a Chromebook if you don’t mind digging into settings and enabling access to specific developer tools.
We recommend that you run your code on a computer other than your main machine. For example, you don’t want your computer to be left without you if your code accidentally erases critical system files or causes other problems. Therefore, we recommend choosing a secondary device such as a Raspberry Pi or Intel NUC to store and run your code. That way, if something goes wrong, you can wipe the storage clean and start over.
Don’t worry. You can write code and do all other work on your main laptop or desktop PC. This is just for saving files and connecting remotely to other machines over the local network. If you want to play very safe, you can easily get an “EC2” instance of Amazon Web Services that looks a bit like a virtual Linux machine in the cloud. Low power options only cost a few pennies per month. If something breaks, you can close them and open a new instance to start again.
Which language makes the most money?
according to IT job watch (opens in new tab), the language with the largest payday is Korn Shell. It’s an obscure and fairly old language designed to interact with UNIX systems, reportedly earning around $142,000 (£115,000) a year.
However, I wouldn’t recommend trying to master it by blowing the dust off your stone age PC. Because it is not widely used. When it comes to mainstream coding careers, a typical Java engineer’s annual salary is his $94,000 (£76,000), while a Python coder is around $90,000 (£72,500).
If you want to be a little more cutting edge, both Go and Rust are increasingly popular languages with impressive yearly earnings. Commonly used for data processing and backend web development, Go earns a median salary of $99,000 (£80,000). And you can make $108,000 (£87,500) with Rust, which is often used to create software that runs on embedded systems where efficiency matters.
