Top 6 Programming Languages to Learn - In-Demand 2024

Here you are at the threshold, about to step into the programming world. It is vast and full of opportunities that excite you. But, wait, there is also confusion- where do you begin? Which language to start with? There are so many – some more popular than others. But, which one would be ideal for you?

The answer to these questions will only emerge after some self-reflection and asking yourself the following questions:

Why do I want to learn a programming language? It is for professional purposes or for personal fascination and learning?
What Technologies are in demand in 2022, and which ones will emerge in the future.
Do I want to build apps, websites, games, or mine and analyze data?
Do you want to learn a high-level language that is relatively easy to work with or a low-level language that is closer to the hardware?
What kind of work are you planning to get through the language you learn? Startup? Freelance? Or in one of the tech giants?

Learning and mastering a language is time and energy-consuming. Hence, be clear as to why you are picking a particular language so that when the going gets tough, you have a strong ‘why’ to fall back on!

Here is a list of 6 programming languages which are high in demand

Python

One of the most trending languages currently, Python is a general-purpose language that is popularly used for artificial intelligence, machine learning, data analysis, scientific computing, and backend web development. Whatever you want to build- be it games, resources, apps, etc.- can be built in and by Python!

It is continuously rated highly for being beginner-friendly and for opening doors to many wonderful career opportunities. It is very easy to understand (reading almost like English) and saving beginner coders from the confusion of hardcore syntaxes like the ones in C or Java. it is the 4th most used language on Github and has the 5th biggest StackOverflow community- so you’re never at a loss for the community!

The average salary for a Python coder is INR 5.5 LPA which only foes up with experience and skill.

Source – Payscale

Java

This one is evergreen. Java was initially developed as a replacement for the notoriously complex C++ language. It received such a great response that now 90% of Fortune 500 companies have used it for app and backend development. If you’ve ever wondered the language of Android apps, it is this. If you have already started with learning Java and planning to meet some companies, here is the list of Java Interview Questions which will help you excel most interviews.

Although less beginner-friendly than Python, Java is still conducive for amazing career opportunities. In the beginning, you might be deterred because you will need to code a lot to get a working app, but the long-term benefits are numerous and it is the 3rd Most Demanded Skill on the Angel List. It also boasts the 2nd largest community on StackOverflow.

Should you become a Java programmer, expect an average payout of INR 13 LPA when you are thoroughly experienced. For a beginner, the job opportunities are massive, one of the highest compared to other technologies.

R Programming

If you are clear that data analysis, statistical computing, machine learning, and data visualization is the path for you, then go for R. It is also known as the lingua franca of statistics since it was developed by statisticians only.

Be warned, however: R is not the most beginner-friendly language out there. It doesn’t read much like English and hence, is comparatively more difficult to understand. However, it performs excellently the tasks it is designed for. Data visualization in R is much simpler than it is in Python. Due to its niche nature, R does not have as big a community as other languages, making it the 11th most followed language on StackOverflow.

JavaScript

If front end web development is your field of choice, then along with HTML and CSS, JavaScript is an essential language in your skillset. It allows you to build interactive websites, mobile apps, desktops apps, and even games!

Java is relatively beginner-friendly since it is a high-level language and does not require any coding environment to run. Your browser will do. The hangup, though, is that the same piece of code might run differently in different browsers. If you are looking for support to deal with these hangups and frustrations, you’ll find ample amounts of it as JavaScript has the largest StackOverflow and Meetup community.

An experienced JavaScript front end developer can earn up to an average of INR 13 LPA.

Swift

If building native iOS and Mac OS apps are your dreams, then Swift will help you realize your dream.

It is heavily influenced by Python and Ruby and hence is easy to learn. It reads like English so that is another plus point. Apple developed it to be the polished version of the clunky Objective-C language that iOS developers had to work with previously. Even though it is relatively new in the programming arena having only come out in 2010, it is still the 10th most followed language on StackOverflow.

An experienced Swift developer can earn an average of INR 5 LPA.

Ruby

Ruby is a high-level scripting language that is great for full-stack web development. It is incredibly easy and fun, to begin with, making it a popular choice among coding beginners. It was developed by Yukihiro Matsumoto in Japan where it was used to make games. It has the 8th largest StackOverflow community where its users follow the unofficial saying “Matz is nice and so are we.”

The ease of prototyping in Ruby makes it very popular with tech startups. In fact, current tech biggies like Twitter, Shopify, Airbnb have built their websites using Ruby at some point.

There you have it- a comprehensive list of the most trending programming languages for every need you might have. What are you waiting for now? Crack open your laptop and get programming!

Mayank Sahu

Blog Author

Mayank Sahu is the Program Marketing Manager with upGrad for all emerging technology vertical. His past experience is in analytics industry extensively in healthcare Domain. Mayank has completed his Graduation from IIT Delhi.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. How to crack a coding interview?

The first step to cracking a coding interview is to practise on paper. Once you achieve the results via practising, you can train your mind to function accordingly. Next is to choose the best resources available for learning. Books, blogs, YouTube content, and online courses assist in learning to code. Mock interviews are extremely useful. Appearing for mocks will give you an insight into the mistakes you should avoid in the actual interview. Furthermore, you should also focus on your software design skills since coding interviews are more than just coding questions. They also want to check your analytical and problem-solving skills. Another great piece of information before a coding interview is to prepare company-specific questions. This will nurture your confidence, and the interviewee will know about your areas of interest.

2. Does a programming language matter for a developer?

Whether a programmer is a novice or experienced, a programming language shouldn’t make any difference. However, you should know the basics of languages like Python, C, Java, HTML, etc. and various patterns and paradigms to incorporate the same in your project. Classes and syntaxes don’t make you a good programmer, the ability to solve problems does. These key ingredients set apart a good programmer from the rest. After all, to write a structured, organised, and clean code, it is compulsory that you are well-versed with the code dynamics.

3. Why is it important to know about computer programming?

To get a computer programmer degree, learning programming languages is a must. To create classes, commands, and functions, one should know programming languages. Furthermore, creating programs that work effectively on different operating systems like iOS and Android is equally significant. Since these operating systems have their own function and class, they depend entirely on the programming languages. Every application on the Internet is created using a programming language. If you skill yourself with computer programming, you can become a diverse computer programmer. Also, this skill is essential to create a society that will impose a global impact in the future.

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