Most Popular Programming Languages: The demand for programming skills seems to grow by the minute and it has become a very lucrative venture flowing from the last decade. Developers and programmers are also among the highest paid earners, with a whopping 13-17% increase in income amassed. For this reason alone, a lot of people are rushing into the coding world to get established and earn some bucks for themselves.
With the plethora of programming languages in existence, it is often difficult to make a decision of where to start. This is why a newbie in the coding world needs to know what language are most popular now, or that would be in demand in the nearest future. In our list below, we handpick the best from the lot and put it up for your perusal, and we give reasons why they are relevant in these times in the coding world.
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Top 16 Most Popular and Fastest Growing Choices Programming Languages 2024
1. Javascript: Javascript is rated on Stack Overflow as the most widely used programming language in the world, even though its flaws have been magnified by the arrival of newer languages. It is also one of the languages that is easy to learn, and one needs no previous knowledge of coding to do this. It is this ease of use that places JavaScript on our list of most popular programming languages. This is also the reason why many people are hopping onboard to use it.
Javascript is mostly used for creating interactive features and adding them to the website, app or whatever web platform it may be. This ensures ease of navigation and well developed user interface.
2. HTML: HTML stands for Hypertext Markup Language. It is used for web development and maintenance. It is actually one of the most important languages to learn if you want to make a headway in the programming world.
It is used for formatting information that appears on a website; it defines a website in ordinary text and merely forms its textual structure. The definitive parts of the website’s content such as links, headings and subheadings and paragraphs all fall under the scope of HTML.
Based on the fact that it quite important in the making of web structures and other programmes, HTML also tops the list as one of the most in-demand languages. Concurrently, it also tops Stack Overflow’s list of widely used programming languages.
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3. Solidity: Solidity doesn’t make it up in the list because it is one of the easily accessible, easy to learn languages, or because it pertinent to the structure of every web development project. It amkes it here because it is a groundbreaking and innovative language which has been found to specifically cater to the language needs of programmers navigating the Blockchain industry.
This is new and fresh grounds as well as it represents a major area which is the future of technology in fusion with Blockchain industry. Specialists in this field would be sought after in no distant time.
Many developers have a thing or two to say about Solidity, and it includes a preference for the language especially whe writing Cryptocurrency. In addition, specialists in the field would be in higher demand that they are today.
4. Python: Python is a programming language that is on every ends all encompassing. It allows for the use of distinct styles and functions in creating programe, encouraging language flexibility. This makes it easy to use for both newbies and experience programmers alike.
Python is popular for its multipurpose nature as well as the fact that it has been used to develop many high-end programmes (such as YouTube) which we now use all over the world. It comes highly recommendable as it quite easy to learn. This is because unlike some other language with only allows you to correct errors in coding after you’ve created them, Python allows a ‘correct as you create feature’. It also has a large catalogue of tasks and commands which gives programmers a wide range of options to choose from. It is also used in developing back ends as well as in data science. It is a highly marketable language.
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5. Go: Perhaps, what makes Go particularly popular among programmers is its simplicity. A novice can even begin coding with Go and become a pro in a matter of days. It has an efficient system which supports memory management due to its integrated structure which works as a garbage collector.
This, along with the fact that the development of a newer model of the language is on the ranks is a magnet for code lovers. Developers have long began specialising on this one as it has many potentials and favourable features.
6. Rust: Working with ro learning Rust language always feels like using jg multiple languages at a time. This is because, much like C++, it is multi-dimensional and provides users or developers with quite a number of application options to choose from.
A Stack Overflow survey also revealed that it is much loved in the coding community. However, they are not much Rust developers because a lot of programmers are unaware of the many features Rust has. It allows for the use of different styles of programming, as well as enable quicker compilation while coding. It is used to create operating systems and web browsers.
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7. C#: Brought to front by Microsoft in 2002, C# is a much welcome modification to the C++ coding language and is one of the languages with features focused on object orientation.
It is mostly used to develop all types of applications, including desktop, mobile and web apps, as well as games. It is also a highly sought after skill in the coding world, and it is particularly always in-demand because of its ever useful nature. It allows for the development of more and more games and applications, especially on the web and desktop platforms. In addition, it is in many cases easier to learn than some of the newer, upcoming languages which do not have as much documentation yet.
8. Sql: Structured Query Language, alo know as SQL works with databases. It helps coders to effectively manage and manipulate these database systems. It is used to locate, update and retrieve data or records in a database system
However, it should be noted that SQL doesn’t really work with larger database systems, but only smaller ones, where it is highly efficient.
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9. Typescript: Typescript ranks amongst the fastest growing programming languages in recent times. This comes almost as a surprise, given the fact that it was created by Microsoft as a response to the many complaints about the growing incompetence of JavaScript.
Typescript was so impressive that it prompted Google to build on it rather than going on to develop theirs.
10. CSS: Cascading Style Sheets or CSS has functions that can be likened to that of HTML. However, while HTML is focused on web text and structure, CSS is focused on the arrangement of web elements, and things such as colour, size and position of these elements. Together, they both work on the basic structure of the site, as well as its appearance. Therefore, the functions of CSS can be categorised under web design and development.
It is time-saving in the sense that its functionality also trickles down to sub-elements. This means that once you work on a parent element, the features trickle down or cascade down to the sub-elements, so that one doesn’t have to code all over again for these ones.
CSS is not a complex language, and so it is easy to learn, master and use.
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12. Kotlin: A cross-platform programming language called Kotlin is intended for creating apps. A majority of Android developers—more than 60%—use it. According to various reputable indexes, Kotlin is one of the programming languages with the quickest growth rates. Structured concurrency and simple code in Kotlin.
It has strengthened security components. Comparing it to Java, its coding is about 20% shorter. It is interoperable. Kotlin is used by companies like Pinterest, Uber, Trello, Amazon, etc. So, learning Kotlin in 2022 is the finest decision you can make if you want to advance your career in android app development.
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12. PHP: One of the key general-purpose programming languages over the next few years will continue to be PHP. One of the earliest server-side languages that support HTML embedding for functionality enhancement to web pages. Due to the growing popularity of the internet, PHP developers are highly sought for.
There are some amazing features in PHP. Straightforward and simple to learn. Compared to other scripting languages, it is quicker. It is secure to fend against threats and assaults. Amazing websites like Facebook, Yahoo, and Wikipedia operate on PHP.
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13. Objective-C: An object-oriented, general-purpose language is called Objective-C. Smalltalk is where it gets its grammar from. It was the main language used by Apple to create apps for MacOS and iOS until 2014, when it debuted Swift.
Due to the abundance of apps that were created using it, Objective-C is still comparatively common. Swift is now the primary language used for contemporary MacOS and iOS programming, so it’s likely that this prevalence will ultimately wane as the number of supported apps decreases. Learning Objective-C is challenging.
Experience with other languages does not translate well to Objective-C because it employs grammar and linguistic norms that are uncommon in those other languages. Learn both Objective-C and Swift if you want to concentrate on creating software for the Apple environment. This will enable you to maintain earlier Objective-C apps and create new Swift applications. There are plenty of positions accessible between the two.
14. MATLAB: As a whole, MATLAB is not a computer language. It is, strictly speaking, a program used to describe and compute intricate mathematical operations. It is mostly utilized in laboratories and academic environments for study. Complex matrix operations can be handled by MATLAB, which also allows expansions that use sophisticated mathematical notation. MATLAB supports calling FORTRAN, C#, and C functions.
The abilities and concepts connected to mathematics rather than programming are more closely related to the information required to use MATLAB. MATLAB is fairly simple to learn if you’re already an expert math student, such as someone pursuing a PhD in the subject. For those searching for employment in engineering or mathematics, knowing MATLAB is a useful ability.
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15. Visual Basic: Microsoft released Visual Basic (VB) as a BASIC computer language alternative. It is an integrated development environment and event-driven language that is mainly used to create Windows apps. VB was created to be simple to learn and to generate useful software quickly. Older versions of Microsoft Office programs, like Access, include Visual Basic for Applications (VBA). Office papers were programmatically altered using VBA. VBA was used to create mini-applications for Access datasets.
The final version of Visual Basic, Visual Basic 6.0, was discontinued by Microsoft in 2008. While there is still a lot of code in use, it is no longer maintained, and there are fewer and fewer tasks that require Visual Basic. Any positions still open are probably geared toward upkeep and/or porting to a contemporary platform.
16. R: For statistical study of information, statisticians and academics mainly use the programming language R. R is used by statisticians who work in fields like demography and insurance actuarial science. Due to these useful areas of application, its code is quite large. Similar to MATLAB, the majority of the skills required to work with R are related to statistics. R coders blend their understanding of statistics with the fundamentals of coding and software development.
R is not widely used by coders, and there aren’t many positions available because the work is so specialized. However, data analysts who perform statistical tasks can greatly benefit from having R expertise. You should seriously think about including R in your toolkit if that task sounds like something you’d like to investigate.
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New programming languages are cropping up everyday, and some of them with even more potentials than their predecessors. However, the singular point to note in the evolution of these languages is that some of them become classics, with functions that never become obsolete, while others needs upgrades to keep up with coding trends. Then there are others developed to have specific functions which require which one can master and become a specialised developer of it.
Edeh Samuel Chukwuemeka, ACMC, is a lawyer and a certified mediator/conciliator in Nigeria. He is also a developer with knowledge in various programming languages. Samuel is determined to leverage his skills in technology, SEO, and legal practice to revolutionize the legal profession worldwide by creating web and mobile applications that simplify legal research. Sam is also passionate about educating and providing valuable information to people.