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Learning how to code from scratch can be a daunting task. With the rise of startups, the demand for programmers has been higher than ever before. With the job market so hot, this demand is not going to go down any time soon. Now, there are numerous programming languages floating around and you are probably wondering, “Where do I even begin?”

So, to make your decision simpler, we are going to list out five programming languages which are:

In popular demand

Relatively simple to learn

Has real-world utility.

The Evergreen Demand for Programmers

This article by Bloomberg shows how hot the demand for programmers is. Here are some of the more important highlights:

Unemployment rate for software developers has gone own from 4% in 2011 to 1.9% in 2017.

Majority of the software related jobs have gone from looking for experts to looking for great team players.

Because of this very reason, avenues have opened up for people from non-technical backgrounds to learn to code and get recruited in a respectable job.

The 5 Easiest Programming Languages

So, now that we know the high demand for programmers, let’s look at the five languages which are not only easy but are extremely popular as well:

JavaScript

Python

Ruby on Rails

Java

C++

#1 JavaScript

JavaScript was created by Brendan Eich, who will later go on to find Mozilla Firefox and Brave browser. JavaScript or JS is a lightweight, dynamic, and object-oriented programming language. JavaScript, along with HTML and CSS forms the three pillars of web designing. HTML helps put content on your website while CSS helps you with the design layout.

So, what exactly does JS do?

Before JavaScript came along, websites used to be extremely static. JavaScript brought along the era of more user-friendly and dynamic websites. When you keep this in context and realize how much business is done online, you can see why you can make such a strong case for JavasScript. It has single-handedly made websites more user-friendly.

Even though originally JavaScript was supposed to be a client-side script, several implementations such as node.js have allowed for server-side implementation as well. The Mozilla Foundation officially manages JavaScript and new language features gets added periodically.

Features of JavaScript

The following are the features of JavaScript

All modern browsers have a built-in JavaScript engine.

JavaScript has a structured programming syntax and has functional and block scoping.

JavaScript is dynamically typed. Meaning, a variable which was storing integer values a moment ago can store a string during runtime

JavaScript is an object-oriented programming language.

JavaScript is a functional language. So it supports modulation via functions

JavaScript also supports implicit and explicit delegation.

JavaScript is case sensitive, so “width” is different from “Width”.

You can learn more about JavaScript in our detailed guide here.

JavaScript Hello World Program

What you see below is your typical JavaScript program.

< html > < body > < p > Before the script ...</ p > < script > alert( 'Hello, world!' ); </ script > < p >... After the script .</ p > </ body > </ html >

The following section is the JavaScript part which is inside an HTML code.

< script > alert( 'Hello world!' ); </ script >

Why learn Javascript?

JavaScript is easily one of the most popular and in-demand languages out there. It is used everywhere on the internet.

Since JavaScript is client-side, it is extremely fast

Simple and beginner friendly.

Being client-side, it reduces the workload on the server’s side.

It has a rich and easy to understand interface.

JavaScript has become extremely versatile and can be used in various ways.

Why not learn JavaScript?

Since the code runs on client-side, it can be exploited and used in a malicious manner. This is the reason why many people choose to disable JavaScript.

JavaScript interpretation varies from browser to browser. While server-side scripts will always produce the same output, client-side scripts can be a little unpredictable.

#2 Python

According to python.org, “Python is an interpreted, object-oriented, high-level programming language with dynamic semantics. Its high-level built in data structures, combined with dynamic typing and dynamic binding, make it very attractive for Rapid Application Development, as well as for use as a scripting or glue language to connect existing components together.”

Python is one of the most popular and powerful languages out there. Not only is it extremely beginner friendly, but it has also found applications in a lot of different areas as well. In fact, according to a survey by IEEE, Python happens to be the most popular language of 2017.

Origins of Python

Guido van Rossum, a Dutch programmer, created Python back in 1991. Python is based on a simple philosophy: Simplicity and Minimalism. One of the more notable ways that they incorporated simplicity into their language is by using white spaces to signify code blocks instead of curly brackets or keywords.

The name of the language is derived from the famous British comedians Monty Python. The core philosophy of the language was summarized in the document “The Zen of Python:

Beautiful is better than ugly

Explicit is better than implicit

Simple is better than complex

Complex is better than complicated

Readability counts

The Python Library

One of the greatest strengths of Python is its super extensive library. The library contains built-in modules (written in C) that provide access to system functionality such as file I/O that would otherwise be inaccessible to Python programmers, as well as modules written in Python that provide standardized solutions for many problems that occur in everyday programming.

You can learn more about Python in our guide here.

Python “Hello World” Program

Let’s see wht this means by checking out a simple “hello world” program.

print(‘Hello, world!’)

Yup, that’s about it!

Python is one of the simplest languages to learn because of its lack of complicated syntax.

Why learn Python?

It is one of the best starting points for beginners. Since Python emphasizes readability, it is easy to understand the code.

Python has huge application in new disruptive technologies like blockchain, machine learning, and the Internet of things(IoT).

Python is excellent for asynchronous code. Asynchronous code is a form of parallel programming in which a unit of work runs separately from the main application. It notifies the main application of its completion, failure, or progress.

Why not learn Python?

It is slow compared to other languages

While it is present on many servers and desktop platforms, it is weak in mobile computing. It is rarely seen on the client side of web applications and on web browsers.

Since Python is dynamically typed, the program may require more testing to make sure that it performing appropriately.

#3 Ruby on Rails

Ruby is a simple, dynamic, and object-oriented scripting language that is used in the development of websites and mobile apps. It is quite similar to Python in its simplicity and readability. There is a strong online community as well who are more than willing to help out programmers.

The Rails Way

Rails, on the other hand, is a web application development framework that is actually written in the Ruby programming language. Rails makes programming a lot easier by making assumptions as to what will be the best way to go about things. It empowers you to achieve more by writing less code. This method is often called “The Rails Way.” This philosophy has two guiding principles:

DRY (Don’t Repeat Yourself): DRY states “Every piece of knowledge must have a single, unambiguous, authoritative representation within a system.” Ok, so what does it mean in simple English? Basically, repetition is something that is looked down upon in Ruby on Rails since it makes the code less maintainable and buggy.

Convention over Configuration: Simply put, Rails gives you opinions about the best way to proceed with things rather than making you specify every single minute amount of detail.

You can learn Ruby on Rails by following their documentation here.

Why learn Ruby on Rails?

The framework allows you to build web applications very quickly.

The language is extremely elegant and flexible.

One of the most in-demand languages in the job market.

A great starting point for beginners.

Why not learn Ruby on Rails?

The apps are not as fast as the ones written on Java.

It is difficult to scale up

Since there is such strict adherence to following a standard it doesn’t really inspire originality.

#4 Java

Java is one of the most popular and in-demand programming languages out there. Created by Sun Microsystems in 1995, it is object-oriented as everything else on this list and class-based. It has derived a lot of its syntax and structure from C++ and may not be the best place to start if you are a beginner.

It was designed for flexibility, allowing developers to write code that would run on any machine, regardless of architecture or platform. According to the Java home page, more than 3 billion computers and 4 billion mobile phones worldwide run Java. So, what is the reason behind this popularity?

The popularity of Java

Java is used to build applications and platforms for many devices, including computers, laptops, gaming consoles, etc. It is also a key language for networking, particularly for data centers that store and transfer Web-based data.

Java is used to create applets. Applets are miniature, dynamic programs which can be embedded within web pages. They are used to make websites dynamic and more interactive.

Java programmers have always been and always will be in high demand.

Android applications run on a Java language environment. Learning Java will open up that lucrative avenue for you as well.

Writing Java programs

Java program development requires a Java software development kit (SDK) that typically includes a compiler, interpreter, documentation generator and other tools used to produce a complete application. You can download the JDK here.

Java “Hello World” program

The following is how a “Hello World” program in Java looks like:

class A { public static void main(String args[]) { System . out . println( "Hello World" ); } }

Why learn Java?

Java is platform independent.

Java is used to design distributed computing with networking capability integrated into it.

The Java language is exceptionally secure.

Java is a multithreaded language and which can perform many tasks at the same time. This helps improve the scalability of the system.

Why not learn Java?

Java consumes a lot of memory.

The syntax may be a little complicated and overwhelming for first-time coders.

#5 C++

The evergreen C++ maybe the grandaddy of all object-oriented languages. Bjarne Stroustrup created C++ as an extension of the C language. The Language was designed to have the flexibility and efficiency of the C but with some major differences. The most significant difference between C and C++ is that while C is process-oriented, C++ is object-oriented.

The Importance of C++

Many will claim that C++ is an outdated language and you are wasting your time learning it in this day and age. However, the fact of the matter is, if you want to be a truly world class programmer, then you need to learn C++. If you master C++, then you will know how to:

Write programs that are efficient in memory usage

Write programs which make efficient use of CPU usage.

Understand the differences between compiler, linker, and loader.

Learn the differences between compile time and run time.

While most modern languages take of all these by, you will need to understand these subtle nuances if you want to become a world-class developer.

C++ “Hello World” program

A simple C++ “Hellow World” program looks as follows:

#include <iostream.h> main() { cout << "Hello World!" ; return 0 ; }

Why learn C++?

C++ is very popular and has lots of support available online

An extremely powerful language which can be used to create a variety of programs.

Every major operating system has an inbuilt C++ compiler

C++ has a higher performance and speed than almost any other languages because ot doesn’t depend on an interpreter.

Since many languages are based on C++, it is a great starting point.

Why not learn C++?

May not be as secure as other languages.

Maybe difficult for beginners

It has no built-in memory management, so that needs to be done manually.

It is extremely strict when it comes to syntax which decreases its flexibility.

Conclusion

Below are the most in-demand programming languages based on job openings available on Angel list and Indeed.

Angel list

Indeed

As mentioned before, we chose these five programming languages for you based on the following criteria:

Ease of learning

Popularity

Real-world utility

We suggest that you go through all these languages and find the one that best suits what you want to do with your career. The possibilities are endless, so we recommend that you go through this article again, weigh the pros and cons of each language, and choose one.