Beginners in programming can be difficult to decide which language to learn first. The most popular ones have many uses, and learning even one or two will give great opportunities. Here’s where to start.
Python
Developers love Python for its versatility, yet it’s increasingly being used in highly specialized areas like data science and machine learning. Python regularly tops various lists of programming languages. A specialist with knowledge of Python can gain access to a wide variety of tasks and projects.
In addition, many developers find Python easy to learn.
“Python is the perfect first programming language for beginners. It has a clear and readable syntax that makes it easy to learn the basics of programming and quickly focus on creating solutions to your problems,”
said Pixolution CTO Sebastian Lutter
There are many Python tutorials available online. For example, Python.org offers a handy introduction to programming and Python. Microsoft has a Python for Beginners video course with dozens of lessons. Most of them are less than five minutes long, and all of them are 13 minutes or less.
Java
Java is a very popular programming language. Its basic principle is WORA – write once, run anywhere. The code can run on any device with a Java Virtual Machine.
There are many useful resources devoted to Java on the Internet. InfoWorld describes language updates on a special Java page. If you need help from the expert community, the Oracle forum is a good place to ask questions and check out other people’s work. There’s also a site with tutorials. The Reddit forum has a subsection for those who need help and tutorials on Java.
Once you have learned the basics of the language, you can test your skills on some tasks, in which case the HackerRank portal is suitable for you.
Kotlin
Although less used than Java and Python, Kotlin has quickly gained popularity – especially after Google named it a top-notch development language for Android.
Google is so committed to making Kotlin a popular language that it now offers an online course, Android Basics in Kotlin, which is a great starting point for beginners. There are also additional courses from Google: Kotlin Bootcamp for Programmers, Android Kotlin Fundamentals, and Advanced Android in Kotlin.
Most Kotlin developers use the language to build mobile apps, but it’s increasingly used for desktop apps, the backend, and the Internet of Things (IoT). Even if you’re not interested in building Android apps, this language is worth learning.
Swift
It used to be that developers working in the Apple ecosystem could only program in Objective-C. After three decades, Apple decided it was time for something new. In 2014, Apple launched its own programming language, Swift.
Swift will come in handy for those interested in creating apps and services for iOS, iPadOS, macOS, watchOS, and anything else Apple might launch in the next few years (like an augmented reality OS). Knowing iOS is also important if you’re making products that interact with mobile apps and services.
If you’re learning Swift elements, familiarize yourself with functions, loops, sets, arrays, and strings, as well as structures and classes. Swift Playgrounds, while geared toward children, is useful for beginning Swift programmers of all ages.
JavaScript
If you want to develop applications or websites, you should learn JavaScript. A modern JavaScript tutorial is good for beginners, with elements of the language broken down into individual modules. Full Stack Academy also has free courses. Once you have a good grasp of the basics of the language, start learning frameworks that can simplify your workflow.
Also, if you’re learning JavaScript, you should learn as much as you can about TypeScript, an extended version of JavaScript that just came out in version 4.0. Whether or not you consider TypeScript a programming language in its own right, there’s no denying that it has features that can speed up your JavaScript programming.