9 Top Programming Languages

There are many different programming languages that a new coder can learn. Here is a review of the top 9 according to the needs of commercial software developers. The list is in no particular order of importance, but merely serves a reference list.

1.    SQL (pronounced ‘sequel’)

SQL nearly always tops the list, it has become ubiquitous and can be found in various guises. As a suite of database technologies (MySQL, PostgreSQL and Microsoft SQL), it can be used to power servers for big businesses, small businesses, hospitals, banks and academic establishments.  Virtually every online service, web application or mobile app eventually touches something SQL.  Mobile devices and tablets have access to a SQL database called SQLite and many mobile apps and web based services use it as a direct technology component.

2.    Java

Java is now one of the most persistent technologies in the digital era, having been launched nearly 20 years ago, its longevity is unprecedented.  Due to its long life, java is one of the most widely adopted programming languages, used by some 9 million developers and running on 7 billion devices worldwide. When Android hit the market as a technology, it’s programming language of choice was Java, and is used for all native Android apps. The language is regarded as simple and readable by most developers and that has been its core strength. Its highly compatible with older systems and this ensures that code requires less maintenance and upkeep over long periods. A lot of high profile online applications are built in Java, such as LinkedIn and Amazon.

3.    JavaScript

JavaScript is a scripting language (not compiled) used on web pages to inject interactivity. This should not be confused with java which is a compiled programming language. JavaScript is used to create many of the web page effects we have become used to seeing, pop-up boxes, web forms and even simple video games.  JavaScript is now a fundamental part of how the internet works and is embedded into web browsers. The language has developed more complex functions to support things like real-time communication through technologies like Node.js and has become a framework for front-end development through Angular.js

4.    C# (pronounced C-sharp)

C# (released in 2000) is the latest in a long line of Microsoft developed programming languages. These languages fit into the well-used .NET framework. It is a multi-paradigm programming language encompassing strong typing, imperative, declarative, functional, generic, object-oriented (class-based), and component-oriented programming disciplines.  C# is an evolution of the C and C++ languages that have been in mainstream use for the past 30 years.

5.    C++ (pronounced C-plus-plus)

C++ is a general-purpose programming language. It has imperative, object-oriented and generic programming features, while also providing facilities for low-level memory manipulation.  It was designed with a bias toward system programming and embedded, resource-constrained and large systems, with performance, efficiency and flexibility of use as its design highlights.

C++ is a general purpose object-oriented programming language based on the earlier ‘C’ language. Developed by Bjarne Stroustrup at Bell Labs, C++ was first released in 1983. Stroustrup keeps an extensive list of applications written in C++. The list includes Adobe and Microsoft applications, MongoDB databases, large portions of Mac OS/X and is the best language to learn for performance-critical applications such as “twitch” game development or audio/video processing.

6.    Python

Python is a general purpose programming language that is simple and incredibly readable since closely resembles the English language. This simplicity to read is Python’s main strength and makes it a great language for beginners. Python has quickly become the language of choice for academia, recently bumping Java as the language of choice in introductory programming courses.  Because of Python’s use in the educational realm, there are a lot of libraries created for Python related to mathematics, physics and natural processing. PBS, NASA and Reddit use Python for their websites.

7.     PHP

PHP is a server-side scripting language designed for web development but also used as a general-purpose programming language. Originally created by Rasmus Lerdorf in 1994, the PHP reference implementation is now produced by The PHP Group.  PHP originally stood for Personal Home Page, but it now stands for the recursive acronym PHP: Hypertext Preprocessor.  PHP tends to be a popular language since its easy-to use by new programmers, but also offers tons of advanced features for more experienced programmers.

8.    Ruby on Rails

Ruby on Rails, or simply Rails, is a web application framework written in Ruby under the MIT License. Rails is a model–view–controller (MVC) framework, providing default structures for a database, a web service, and web pages. It encourages and facilitates the use of web standards such as JSON or XML for data transfer, and HTML, CSS and JavaScript for display and user interfacing.

Ruby on Rails has many positive qualities including rapid development, you don’t need as much code, and there are a wide variety of 3rd party libraries available. It’s used from companies ranging from small start-ups to large enterprises and everything in-between. Hulu, Twitter, Github and Living Social are using Ruby on Rails for at least one of their web applications.

9.    iOS/Swift

Swift is a general-purpose, multi-paradigm, compiled programming language created for iOS, OS X, watchOS, tvOS, and Linux developed by Apple Inc. Swift is designed to work with Apple's Cocoa and Cocoa Touch frameworks and the large body of extant Objective-C (ObjC) code written for Apple products. Swift is intended to be more resilient to erroneous code ("safer") than Objective-C, and more concise. It is built with the LLVM compiler framework included in Xcode 6 and later and, on platforms other than Linux, uses the Objective-C runtime library, which allows C, Objective-C, C++ and Swift code to run within one program.

Developers will find that many parts of Swift are familiar from their experience of developing in C++ and Objective-C. Companies including American Airlines, LinkedIn, and Duolingo have been quick to adopt Swift, and we’ll see this language on the rise in the coming years.