What is a Programming Language?
A programming language is a method of communicating with computers used by programmers (developers). Programming languages are made up of a set of rules that allow string values to be converted into various forms of machine code or, in the case of visual programming languages, graphical elements.
What are the Best & Most Popular Programming Languages to Learn in 2023?
1 - JavaScript / TypeScript
Javascript, originally known as LiveScript, was created in 1995. However, because Java was such a popular language at the time, it was marketed as Java's "younger brother." JavaScript evolved into a fully independent language over time. Nowadays, JavaScript is frequently confused with Java, and while there are some similarities, the two languages are distinct.
Javascript is the most widely used programming language in the world, and it is in high demand among a wide range of organisations. Every year, the average Java developer earns around $112,152.
- Jobs Found: ~469K (33%)
2 - Python
Python is one of the most popular programming languages today and is easy for beginners to learn because of its readability. It is a free, open-source programming language with a large community and extensive support modules, as well as easy integration with web services, user-friendly data structures, and GUI-based desktop applications. It is a well-known programming language used in machine learning and deep learning applications.
Python is used to create 2D imaging and 3D animation applications such as Blender, Inkscape, and Autodesk. It has also been used in the development of popular video games such as Civilization IV, Vegas Trike, and Toontown. Python is used by popular websites such as YouTube, Quora, Pinterest, and Instagram, as well as scientific and computational applications such as FreeCAD and Abacus. Python developers earn around $109,092 per year on average.
- Jobs Found: ~290K (20%)
3 - Java
Because of its Write Once, Run Anywhere (WORA) capabilities, this general-purpose programming language with an object-oriented structure, owned by Oracle Corporation, has become a standard for applications that can be used regardless of platform (e.g., Mac, Windows, Android, iOS, etc.). As a result, Java is known for its platform portability, from mainframe data centres to smartphones. There are currently over 3 billion devices running Java-based applications.
Java is widely used in web development, application development, and big data. Java is also used on the backend of many well-known websites, including Google, Amazon, Twitter, and YouTube. It is also widely used in a wide range of applications. Spring, Struts, and Hibernate are popular new Java frameworks. There are hundreds of ways to learn Java with millions of Java developers worldwide. Furthermore, Java programmers have a large online community that helps each other solve problems.
Java is a more difficult language to learn, but experienced Java developers are in high demand. Every year, the average Java developer earns around $109,225.
- Jobs Found: ~240K (17%)
4 - C#
C#, pronounced C sharp, created by Microsoft, rose to prominence in the 2000s for its support of object-oriented programming concepts. It is a popular programming language for the.NET framework. C#'s creator, Anders Hejlsberg, compares the language to C++ rather than Java.
Because it uses the integrated development environment product, Microsoft Visual C++, C# is best suited for applications on Windows, Android, and iOS. C# is used on the back end of many well-known websites, including Bing, Dell, Visual Studio, and MarketWatch. C# developers make approximately $111,760 per year.
- Jobs Found: ~157K (11%)
5 - PHP
PHP is an open-source programming language that was developed in 1990. Many web developers believe that learning PHP is essential because it is used to build more than 80% of websites on the Internet, including well-known sites like Facebook and Yahoo.
PHP is primarily used by programmers to create server-side scripts. However, developers can use this language to create command-line scripts, and programmers with advanced PHP coding skills can use it to create desktop applications.
PHP is regarded as a relatively simple language to learn for new developers. PHP professionals have access to a number of dedicated online communities, making it simple to get help and answers.
PHP programmers earn an average annual salary of around $107,409.
- Jobs Found: ~119K (8%)
6 - C/C++
C is probably the oldest and most popular programming language and is the root of other programming languages such as C#, Java, and JavaScript. C++ is a more advanced version of C. Many developers today skip C entirely, while others believe that learning C first provides a solid foundation for C++ development. Both are commonly used in computer science and programming.
C and C++ programmers can use compilers for a wide range of platforms, making applications written in these languages highly portable. C and C++ are both considered high-performance programming languages. As a result, they are widely used in the development of applications where performance is critical, such as client/server applications, commercial products such as Firefox and Adobe, and video games. C and C++ programmers earn an average annual salary of around $118,366 each year.
- Jobs Found: ~95K (7%)
7 - Ruby
Consider Ruby if you want to start with a language that is known for being relatively easy to learn. It was designed in the 1990s to have a more human-friendly syntax while remaining flexible due to its object-oriented architecture, which supports procedural and functional programming notation. Ruby on Rails ("RoR") is a web-application framework written in Ruby. Ruby developers praise the language for being simple to learn and for having a short learning curve. These characteristics have resulted in a large community of Ruby developers and growing interest in the language among new developers. A Ruby developer's annual salary is approximately $121,000.
- Jobs Found: ~70K (5%)
8 - GO
Go was developed by Google in 2007 for APIs and web applications. Because of its simplicity, as well as its ability to handle multicore and networked systems and massive codebases, Go has recently become one of the fastest-growing programming languages.
Go, also known as Golang, was designed to meet the needs of large-project programmers. Because of its simple and modern structure and syntax familiarity, it has gained popularity among many large IT companies. Google, Uber, Twitch, and Dropbox are among the companies that use Go as their programming language. Go is also gaining in popularity among data scientists because of its agility and performance.
Go developers can earn an annual salary ranging from $141,654 to $261,000.
- Jobs Found: ~30K (2%)
Summary
Javascript and Typescript clearly dominate the developer job market. Javascript and Typescript account for 33% of job offers that specifically requested a programming language. This is significant because it means that nearly one out of every three job offers required Javascript or Typescript knowledge.
Python and Java are the second and third most popular programming languages in 2022, with plenty of job opportunities. Java has surpassed Python in the last month with a consistent upward trend, so anyone who claims that Java is an obsolete programming language should reconsider.
C# is another language to consider; it has gradually increased over the last eight months. The same is true for GO, which is steadily increasing month after month. Both languages, especially Go, may take a bigger role and job market share in the future.