I’m really interested in software engineering from a meta trends perspective. There’s a natural selection that goes on in code and the evolution of software engineering that I find just so fascinating. This is simply my take and just another listicle for programming aspirants.
As the software development industry is rapidly evolving,
the industry is demanding its professionals to acquire the knowledge of more
lucrative tools and applications and get a deeper understanding of the latest
top programming languages.
But should you choose the language you focus on in terms of
pay grade, preference or the specialization that will be most lucrative in the
future? That’s entirely up to you. What follows is only my opinion, and I have
zero background in the field.
- Choosing
a language is a big decision: you will likely spend months learning a
programming language and years refining your skills.
- Think
about the crucial factors to consider when choosing a language include
whether it is used and whether that language will help you get a job.
Languages in greater demand are more likely to offer more lucrative job
prospects.
- Another
important factor is whether the language has a strong community from which
you can source answers to questions or seek help.
- You
are advised to stay on top of the industry by keeping tabs on what grows
in popularity.
So in general you should also strive to monitor the industry
trends. For instance:
- Job
openings that mention a particular language, based on job openings data
from LinkedIn.
- Use on GitHub,
according to data from GitHub on the number of repositories that use the
languages we study.
- Community activity, based on data collected from Stack Overflow’s question pages.
Follow the Microsoft Trends
Try to follow LinkedIn, GitHub, and Stack Overflow to learn
more about in-demand programming languages. (two of these companies are owned
by Microsoft).
But even data on top jobs on LinkedIn or top languages used
on GitHub may not paint the entire picture.
Because GitHub is such a widely used resource by developers,
finding data on how many repositories there are for each language is useful. A
repository refers to a project hosted on GitHub.
All that being said no listicle on this will do the topic justice and each list will be slightly different.
Stack Overflow
Stack Overflow can be used as a unofficial barometer for
community support you will get while trying to navigate the language.
So let’s get into it.
1. Java Script
- JavaScript,
often abbreviated JS, is a programming language that is one of the core
technologies of the World Wide Web, alongside HTML and CSS.
- JavaScript
is a high-level programming language that is one of the core technologies
of the World Wide Web.
Over the years, several languages have come and faded but
JavaScript is one of the most renowned languages that has been in high demand.
It has been ranked under the top 10 programming languages
consistently for several years now.
Companies like Google, Facebook, Uber, etc, all use
JavaScript. But what makes this programming language so prominent?
JavaScript often referred to as JS, is a
scripting language originally known for adding responsive components to
web pages. It has a wide range of applications in game
development, mobile app development, web development, and much more.
What this language is used for:
- Web
development
- Game
development
- Mobile
apps
- Building
web servers
Think about it: Java developers create web
applications, software, and programmes. They are involved throughout the entire
development life cycle of a product. The good thing is that you can code almost
anything in this language.
2. Python
- Python
is an interpreted high-level general-purpose programming language.
- The
use of considerable indentation in its design philosophy promotes code
readability.
- As
one of the more easy-to-learn and -use languages, Python is ideal for
beginners and experienced coders alike.
The ever-increasing importance of data in businesses has led
to a rapid rise in the demand and popularity of Python.
It is used in server-side development and has a wide
collection of tools, libraries, and frameworks that make it a necessity in the
fields of Data Science and Machine Learning. Python is incredibly versatile
along with its outstanding data handling capabilities.
In the past few years, various packages have been created
for the purpose of data analysis and machine learning with the
help of Python.
These packages include NumPy and Pandas that allow users to
understand and modify data; TensorFlow using to code ML algorithms and PySpark,
an API for operating with Spark- a structure for seamlessly working with
massive data sets.
What this language is used for:
- Back
end development
- Data
science
- App
development
3. Kotlin
- Kotlin
is a cross-platform, statically typed, general-purpose programming
language with type inference.
- Kotlin
is general-purpose programming, statistically-typed language that supports
both functional and object-oriented programming.
- It
is highly compatible with Java and all Java libraries. The language is
easy to learn and can be used to build online and Android applications.
Indeed there is no denying the fact that Android is the
highest-selling and commonly used operating system worldwide. And Kotlin has
been declared as the primary language for Android development by Google.
Hence for programmers who are looking to jump into the world
of Android development, Kotlin is the one for you. It is a general-purpose
cross-platform programming language that is fully interoperable with Java.
Also, the use of Kotlin is growing in areas like data
science, web, cloud, and server-side development. Therefore, earning
this language will take you a long way in advancing or beginning your career as
a programmer.
Think about it: Kotlin has been Google’s
preferred software development language since 2017.
4. Go
Golang, famously known as Go is an open-source programming
language used to build simple, reliable, and efficient software.
It was developed by Google in 2007 as an alternative to C,
C++, and Java.
Projects like Blockchain, Docker and Kubernetes
use Go to support the concurrent running of processes and
multi-threading effortlessly.
Developed at Google in 2007, Go is a top-tier programming
language. What makes Go really shine is its efficiency; it is capable of executing
several processes concurrently.
Go is the best programming language for beginners because of
its speed, simplicity, and increasing popularity. It is lightweight and great
for writing network applications.
What this language is used for:
- System/network
programming
- Audio/video
editing
- Big
Data
Think about it: Given the fact that it’s
open-source, though, you have plenty of opportunities to master this language
fairly quickly.
5. Scala
- Scala
is an extension of Java, a language associated strongly with data
engineering, with interoperability thanks to Java bytecode compiling and
running on Java Virtual Machine.
- Built
as a response to perceived problems in Java, it’s a newer, more elegant language.
- The
programming language’s static types help control and avoid bugs in complex
applications and provide access to several libraries.
Scala is a general-purpose coding language that promotes
both functional and object-oriented programming standards. It comes with
distinctive features like string interpolation, lazy computation, type
inference, and many more.
Additionally, the Scala code can be transformed to byte
codes and executed on Java Virtual Machine.
Numerous tech giants like LinkedIn, Netflix,
Twitter, eBay, etc. are using this language for their own products and
platforms.
6. C#
- Perhaps
one of the most shocking answers that one can expect in this article is
C++. C++ finds use in analytics, research as well as in-game development.
- The
popular game development engine — the Unreal Engine — uses C++ as the
scripting language for all of the functionality one can define while
building a game. C++ also finds extensive use in software development.
C# (C sharp) was inspired by the C language and was built by
Microsoft in the year 2000. It was released in 2002 by Microsoft and stands
today as a much-loved improvement on the C++ coding language.
It is more advanced than C and is fully integrated with
.NET.
It is loved by game developers for making 2D and 3D games
with the use of the Unity game engine (think Metaverse). It is
also used for the development of desktop and mobile applications. Based on
several reports, the demand for C# is surely going to scale.
There are many programming languages available today, but,
before learning them, it’s important to know which of the languages are here to
stay for a while.
If you’re planning to move up the ladder in your current
position or want to shift your career, it is beneficial to upskill and learn
one of the above 7 languages to excel in tech.
What this language is used for:
- Game
development
- Desktop/web/mobile
apps
- VR
Think about it: If for no other reason, it’s
important to learn C++ in 2022 in order to become a competitive developer in
the gaming industry.
7. Rust
If you’re looking for faster compilation, better
cross-platform capabilities or just better career prospects, Rust is a great
language to pick up.
Rust is a multi-paradigm, general-purpose programming
language designed for performance and safety, especially safe
concurrency. Rust is syntactically similar to C++, but can guarantee memory
safety by using a borrow checker to validate references.
What this language is used for:
- Operating
systems
- VR
- Web
browsers
Honorable Mention:
Also, I recommend you consult the TIOBE index from time
to time.
- Typescript
- PHP
- SQL
- Dart
- Assembly
Language
Did I miss anything? Let me know in a comment below. What
kind of a software engineer or datascientist can you envision as your future
career?