What do you know about the world of coding? The simplest answer is that there are some programming languages and IT specialists use them to create a program. At the beginning of the IT age, there were only a few languages that were different, and this difference was obvious even for a newbie. When you got some programming assignments, you could easily choose the best language to realize it. Nowadays the situation has changed a lot. It is hard to estimate the number of programming languages because it is not so easy to recognize where is the language itself and where is its clone with small changes. Different resources state that there are 700 — 10 000 programming languages in the modern world. Some of them are popular, some were made for fun, some were created inside the one company to protect their developments from possible hackers. Some are more useful for applications, some are better for websites. There are special languages for hardware and security needs. The hardest question is how to choose the best one among this diversity. If you ask a professional, he will probably advise starting to learn one of the basic languages, but no one can predict which one will be in great demand in five years. Our position is more simple. We are not going to predict, we just want to find out top trending programming languages in 2020 and suggest you choose among them.
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The list of top 8 programming languages
- JavaScript (JS). It is a language for the web, applications and even for artificial intelligence. JS is perfect for creating front-end user interfaces. It has object orientation based on prototypes and develops extremely fast. If you want to work on these questions, JS is a perfect choice. If we imagine that today a new language that can substitute JS appeared, it will take several decades before we stop using JS.
- Python. This language appeared in the 1991 year and is still in use. Programmers say that it is simple and elegant compared with younger languages. Data science, data analysis, artificial intelligence are among other scopes of application. To start with Python and later try another language is a good idea for those who want to study from the origins.
- Java. Java is not among developing languages, but it is still used for mobile applications and games. It is about the structure and simple changes if necessary. A lot of companies still use it so it wouldn’t be a mistake to try yourself in Java.
- Go (Golan). According to the name of this language, it is easy to guess that it was developed in Google for their own needs and became popular all over the world. It is based on C but with some convenience features. It seems like this language has great potential so try it if you want to become a part of the Go team.
- TypeScript. Microsoft also developed their own language. It is based on JS with some additional options and functions. It has a user-friendly interface, errors notifications, good navigation. This language has a future at least because Microsoft uses it in its applications and they are not planning to switch to another one.
- C++. Every schoolchild knows this name and knows that C++ is an extension of a C. C++ is good for graphic designs and 3D models and high-quality games. As you see, it can work with big data. Another bonus is that the majority of C programmes are running under the C++ so if you are good in one of these languages you can easily switch to another when necessary.
- Ruby. This language was developed in Japan in the 90th. It is rather widespread for now. Even nowadays a lot of applications are written in Ruby. It has a lot of tools and libraries and a big community of programmers who are ready to help.
- PHP. PHP was created for web sites in 1994. This language is also not developing nowadays because modern languages give easier solutions for the same tasks. But it is still useful for cybersecurity. White hackers also prefer PHP for their activities. It is still widely spread and popular among the older generation of programmers.
How to choose the best language for programming in 2020
There is only one right answer to the question about the best language. If you ask professional programmers, the majority of them won’t even remember what led them to their language. But nowadays the situation has changed because you have access to the information and can research a lot before making a choice. This choice is important, because you will have to deal with the variety of programming assignments when studying. If at some point you find yourself in trouble with a particular task, you can always address a professional coder for homework assistance and pay for your programming project done by a real expert.
It is also good to talk to the programmer that works with every language you are interested in and discover together the pros and cons of it. You are lucky if you meet a person who uses several programming languages and can compare them deeply. From the other hand, all this information is about the past and present, but nobody can be sure about the list of top programming languages in 2030. Computer science is developing so fast that even tomorrow a new language can appear and become simpler, more clear and more convenient for developers. The thing is that it obviously will not be used as a basis for one of the top languages. So if all researchers say that in 2020 JS is the best and it is a language of the future but you don’t feel that it is for you, you must follow your guts and choose what is best exactly for you. Remember, that real professionals are highly demanded in all spheres and in all languages.