Web development is an ever-evolving industry and full of opportunities. While there was a point of time just a few years back when you could become an expert web developer by knowing one programming language, the facts have completely changed in a short span. Now, IT jobs demand developers that now just know, but are proficient in multiple programming languages.
However, it does mean that if you’re planning for a career in IT, you will start learning every other language you come across. You must analyze the IT industry in terms of past & current trends to predict future demand. Also, it’s not just about industry requirements, but you need to analyze your existing coding skills and make a choice that aligns with your knowledge, experience, and ability & interest to learn. Scratching your head utterly confused?
We completely understand how difficult it can be to narrow down your choice from the pool of options available at your disposal. Whether you are looking into web development or mobile development, certification or long-term courses, you need to narrow down the never-ending list & finally shoot the arrow at one point to be successful. To help you with that, we’ve compiled a list of the 10 most popular programming languages that are sure to be the preference of IT employers in 2021. Scroll down to know about these languages, their use, and the complexities that come along with each.
Best Programming Languages to Learn in 2021:
1. Python
It is one of the most popular open-source programming languages today amongst developers because it’s easy to use & read. It has powered some of the reputed platforms like Youtube, Instagram, Pinterest & Quora, and is also beneficial for computing & scientific applications like Abacus & FreeCAD. It is also used for 2D & 3D animation packages like Autodesk, and popular video games.
Advantages & Disadvantages:
: It is a high-level programming language yet easy to read, learn & write with its English-like syntax; this boosts the productivity of developers to focus on complex problems rather than basic coding. It also offers portability, meaning the same code can be used for different devices.
That said, it has a slow execution & can affect the speed of your application as well. Additionally, it requires a large amount of storage space & is not efficient for database management which adds to the challenges.
2. Java
An in-demand programming language in the IT sector, Java is widely used by IT giants like Twitter, Google, Amazon & Youtube. While it is of course used for app & web development, it also has big data applications. It is powering thousands of websites today, supported by a large community of developers.
Advantages & Disadvantages:
It tackles one of the biggest challenges by becoming Write Once, "Run Anywhere" coding language. It makes your code compatible with multiple platforms like iOS, Android, Windows, etc. It enables the manipulation of almost all computer functions including graphics, sound, files & so on by programming. The major downside, however, is never-ending vocabulary & the high-level.
Kotlin is interoperable with Java, supporting functional programming languages. It is used for the development of websites, Android, server-side & desktop applications.
Advantages & Disadvantages:
One of the significant benefits it offers is light-code as compared with other programming languages like Java. Also, it is easy to adopt. Nonetheless, like every other, it comes with its downside of fluctuating compilation speed.
4. Swift
This programming language was developed by application, especially for Mac & Linux applications. Swift was released in 2014 and quickly made it to the list of top 10 TIOBE Index rankings for monthly ranking of programming languages. It is used by some of the top iOS applications like Mozilla Firefox, WordPress and SandCloud.
Advantages & Disadvantages:
One of the biggest advantages for aspiring developers is that they do not require any prior experience or knowledge for programming languages. They can simply jump to learning this one with the help of tutorials, available globally on the internet. Though it’s open-source & accepts everything from Objective-C, its use is limited to iOS applications.
It is relatively easy-to-use with less coding & clean syntax. The only disadvantage could be its lack of support for earlier iOS versions because it is a young language
5. C#
C# is an older language that was developed by Microsoft & gained popularity in the 2000s. Deemed as the most powerful .NET framework, it is claimed to be more like C++ than Java by its creators Andres Hejlsberg.
C# is used for the backend development of globally renowned websites like Bing, Market Watch, Visual Studio and Dell. It is widely used for cross-platform applications, including enterprise software & mobile apps.
Advantages & Disadvantages:
This powerful programming language has multiple benefits for both developers & end-users. It is simple to use, open-source, fast, object-oriented, interoperable with other codes, updateable and scalable and supported by an extensive library.
That said, the downsides cannot be ignored either. One of its biggest drawbacks is the lack of GUI adaptability for different platforms. It offers less flexibility, too, built around the .NET framework of Microsoft.
6. C and C++
The oldest yet most common programming language even today, C shares its roots with C#, JavaScript and Java. C++ is nothing but an advanced version of C. Both languages form an integral part of Computer Science & programming courses. However, self-taught developers may skip upon C, directly jumping to the advanced version, others often emphasize the importance of C in building a strong foundation for the learning of C++. These are widely used for desktop, mobile and embedded applications.
Advantages & Disadvantages:
This powerful programming language has multiple benefits for both developers & end-users. It is simple to use, open-source, fast, object-oriented, interoperable with other codes, updateable and scalable and supported by an extensive library.
That said, the downsides cannot be ignored either. One of its biggest drawbacks is the lack of GUI adaptability for different platforms. It offers less flexibility, too, built around the .NET framework of Microsoft.
7. PHP
Another open-source programming language, its origin goes back to 1990. Powering more than 80% of global websites including Yahoo and Facebook, it is considered to be essential for developers. It is widely used for creating cross-platform applications that are compatible with mobile, desktop & web.
Advantages & Disadvantages:
It is an open-source programming language that makes development & integration of applications easy. It is a highly cost-effective solution and is preferred for flexibility in terms of database connectivity.
The downside is that it is less secure & cannot support large applications.
Conclusion
These are some of the most significant programming languages with which you can kick start your web development career. Other than these, you can also learn programming languages like R, Go, and Matlab that are designed for specific functionalities and are increasingly gaining popularity.
Hope this guide was helpful. Stay tuned for more such information that will help you scale up your growth scale many folds in 2021.
