We deal with websites, apps, operating systems, programs and video games, both for work and for entertainment.
Each of these applications is built using a programming language. In this in-depth analysis we will see which programming languages are most requested and appreciated in the workplace.
What are programming languages
Programming (or development) is the process of creating an algorithm with a series of specific instructions to be executed by a computer. Your computer is a calculator, as are your smartphone / tablet or your smart TV.
Without pretending to exhaust such a complex subject, we can say that, in general, all these devices do not understand human language and the instructions to be executed must be given in a language that is understandable to the CPU of our computer. This language, made up of instructions, is called machine language and is not very understandable for us humans who do not think in binary code.
Fortunately, there are languages, compilers and strict and unique ways of communicating instructions to the PC. Once the program has been written, the compiler will take care of transforming it into understandable and executable instructions by the computer.
Each programming language has a syntax, that is a certain number of specific words and rules that allow the compiler (or the interpreter) to understand without uncertainty and ambiguity what we want the machine to do and which therefore allows it to realize the equivalent in machine language. A language also has semantics.
Languages are divided into various families: in general, high-level languages are those closest to human language and furthest away from machine language. Conversely, low-level languages are those closest to machine language such as Assembly.
Among the most used languages, for obvious reasons, we will find only the high-level ones.
What are the most used programming languages
There are many programming languages: from Fortran which 1957 was the first high-level language to reach a certain popularity, it has come a long way.
To give you an idea of which are the best programming languages, we will use the ranking released every year by GitHub . It is one of the most popular and appreciated hosting / deployment platforms for software and its statistics can give us a fairly precise idea of which programming languages the job market prefers.
These are languages used by millions of developers and it is very important to get an idea of what programming languages to study and what it takes to start programming. Many languages are better suited for developing web applications, others for desktop and mobile applications, and other languages for developing video games.
Here is the ranking of the most used languages in descending order (from least popular to most requested) and a brief description of them:
10. Ruby
In tenth place we find Ruby. It is an easy to learn and dynamic open source language. Despite the simplicity of its syntax which makes it closer to natural language than machine language, it is extremely powerful and is famous for being used for creating web apps. Given its power and versatility, it is increasingly chosen for the development of apps and prototyping.
9. Shell
It is a language used to program scripts. Scripts contain a set of instructions for a system. Scripts are programs which usually do not need any graphical interface and which are executed through a terminal. It is a programming language widely used by those who have to manage complex computer systems (such as system administrators).
8. C
C is a programming language that would be an understatement to define classic. It is part of those languages developed in the 70s and is the basis on which most programmers took their first steps. It is a powerful sequential language with which it is still possible to program everything (system programming, low level, micro-controllers). The C is mainly used to program PC software.
7. C ++
In seventh place we find C ++ which is the natural evolution of C. It keeps the power of the original language and most of its syntax unchanged but adds the possibility to program objects. Also in this case we are dealing with a language of great power: it is often used to write programs and operating systems, especially for computers. It is the most efficient language for programming video games.
6. PHP
PHP (Hypertext Preprocessor language) is a highly regarded open source scripting language. Thanks to PHP it is easy to manage large databases. The language supports both imperative logic and object-oriented programming. IS
been used for the creation of websites, including important ones such as: Facebook, Wikipedia and Yahoo. Today it is mostly used for command line scripts, server applications, and stand-alone applications with a graphical interface (GUI).
5. C #
It is pronounced “C Sharp” and is one of the most loved languages among developers according to the 2020 Stack Overflow Developers report. It is an object-oriented interpreted language with C-like syntax. For these characteristics it is one of the major competitors of Java.
C # is a very versatile language and is mostly used to program desktop applications on Windows, business programs, web apps and video games (with Unity). Certainly one of the most useful modern languages to know.
4.TypeScript
In fourth place we find TypeScript, which is an open source programming language developed by Microsoft. In fact, it is an extended version of JavaScript (it is a “superset”): any program written in JavaScript is also compatible with TypeScript syntax, without the need for any modifications. It is enjoying great success due to some features that make life easier for developers. Often, with Microsoft’s open source solution, large applications are developed which are then recompiled into JavaScript to be executable in a browser.
3. Java
On the lowest step of the podium, in third position, we find Java. It is the interpreted language par excellence: once the code has been written, it can be easily ported to any compatible platform without having to modify it (with the presence of a virtual machine). Thanks to this feature and its versatility and power it has become one of the most popular languages over the years. Today with Java you really do everything, from computer programs, to apps for mobile devices, passing through famous sites such as LinkedIn.
2. Python
Second is Python which has managed to hold the highest position compared to Java for the second year in a row. It is an incredibly versatile language, with a modern and intuitive syntax.
It is certainly one of the programming languages to recommend for those who want to take their first steps in this world, even if during the learning process it is recommended to pair it with one with a more classic syntax such as C ++. Python is often used to train AI (machine learning), to write control, management and testing software and in many other areas.
1. JavaScript
The King of the most used programming languages is JavaScript. The reason is quickly explained: this language moves practically every dynamic or interactive element present in the current web. Hence JavaScript is the main front-end programming language.
Recently, thanks to NodeJS which allows you to execute JavaScript code on the server side, it is also becoming popular as a language for back-end use. Through JavaScript, apart from what we have already said, you can also program applications and games.
