If you take your first steps in this universe, you may wonder which programming language you should learn first.
Now, if you have decided to train in programming, congratulations! You have chosen a career that is booming thanks to constant technological innovations. This also means that it offers a very attractive job opportunity and many possibilities for professional growth.
There are many programming languages (more than 700), so the offer can be overwhelming. So, what factors should we take into account? In this article, we give you 7 tips you can apply to choose your first programming language.
Tips for Choosing Your First Programming Language
1. Choose a popular programming language
If we are taking our first steps in coding, it is best to learn a popular programming language. This will give us a better chance of being hired by companies and clients. In addition, it is much easier to begin to understand a language if it is widespread because we will find many tools for its study. The most popular languages are Java, Python, JavaScript, C++, and C#.
2. Think about your goals
Your goals and desires are another factor you should consider when choosing your first programming language. This way, you are unlikely to succeed if you choose the wrong programming language.
Yes, you maybe make applications that, for example, will help to take a cardiogram quickly or write my papers for study purposes, but will it be useful to you in the work process? After all, the ideal programming languages vary depending on the project: it is not the same to develop a mobile app, a video game, or a marketplace website, for example.
What motivates you? What kind of development projects would you be excited about doing? Try to think about that and then choose the right programming language for you. Let’s look at a list of the best coding languages according to each project:
- Data analysis: SQL, Python, R, Matlab.
- Automation: Python, JavaScript, Ruby.
- Games: Python, JavaScript, C++, C#.
- Websites: HTML, CSS, JavaScript.
- Android: Java, Android Studio, SDK.
- iOS/MacOs: Swift, iOS SDK, Cocoa, Swift, Objective-C, Xcode.
- Windows: C, C++, C#, Windows SKD, .NET.
3. Choose a simple language
Remember that your chosen programming language does not have to be too complex if you are just starting in software development. There are languages with easier structures and syntax and a smoother learning curve. Python, JavaScript, HTML, and CSS are some relatively simple programming languages to learn.
In contrast, the bad idea is to start with programming languages such as Lisp, Prolog, or Haskell. Even C++, although very popular, can be complicated for a beginner because it has many advanced features.
4. Think long term
When choosing your first programming language, think about future possibilities. For example, JavaScript is a very versatile language with a large ecosystem of languages based on it, such as TypeScript, which is used by Microsoft and adds static typing and object-oriented programming features.
5. Analyze the market
If you want to work as a programmer in a company, focus on the language used. For example, Amazon uses JavaScript for the front end and Java, Perl, and C++ for the back end. Google, meanwhile, uses Java, Python, and C++, but also Go, a language developed in-house. Meanwhile, Netflix uses JavaScript – it all depends on where you’re targeting your professional interest!
6. Consider your location
It’s also important to consider which coding languages are most commonly used in your region because programming languages don’t have the same popularity worldwide. Some languages may be more widely used in certain countries due to aspects such as early implementation or local industry support.
For example, according to PYPL, which measures the popularity of programming languages, Python is the most important language in the United States, Germany, the United Kingdom, France, and India. However, things change with R. While it is very popular in the United States, in the rest of the countries, it is not part of the top 5.
7. Try different languages
After all this advice, you’re probably unsure which programming language to use. In that case, the best advice we can give you is to try several: only then will you get an idea of their syntax, structure, features, development environments, and more.
Which programming language to choose?
What is the ideal programming language to start with? Well, there is no single answer. It all depends on your desires and aspirations. However, one last tip we can give you is to talk to other programmers: advice from people with experience in various coding languages can be very valuable as you take your first steps. Good luck!
