Many people have this dilemma and so had I a few months ago.
The dilemma was which programming one must learn first? And how does it matter which language you are learning?
Many people do not know the answer to this question, and hence I have decided to write this article to give clarity on a topic that needs answering.
So let's get started!
How does the language that you learn matter in what you do?
I've also been in this situation once when I was in a dilemma on which programming language I must choose. I had many options like Python and HTML. But I was unsure about the language I must be learning as I did not know what I wanted to do by learning the language.
I started learning Python nevertheless on the advice of a friend. But I later understood that my ambition lied in building attractive and charming websites and then I knew that I made a mistake by learning Python(even though I can do backend web development with Django, but that is a different topic altogether, as I cannot do frontend web development with Python)
Hence I got to know that your programming language of choice must be based on your field of interest rather than a language that feels simpler to you or the thing that is suggested by your friends.
Learning a simpler language when compared to others has an advantage in terms of simplicity but that language might not be related to your field of interest and might not help you achieve what you want.
For example, I might like OS Development, but I started learning JavaScript which is in no way helpful to me in OS Development.
And coming to taking advice from friends, friends might not have the same interest as you, so they might suggest what's been useful and what's been helpful to them, but it might not be helpful for what you like and have an interest in.
So it's better if you start knowing your interests and look for a language that is used for development in your field of interest and start coding in that language.
How do I know what my interests are?
You might know where your interests lie already in various fields like web development, data science, artificial intelligence, OS development, desktop development, game development, mobile development, etc.
But for some of you who do not know where your interests lie, It's the time when you decide what you like.
There are some ways to know where your interest lie, some of them are:
- Observe which topic/field catches your attention the most.
- See by which topic are you captivated.
- Which field do you feel is interesting.
- Which topic do you most read and watch about? in the context of blogs and vlogs.
- The topic that sets you off the most and fills in you the surge that motivates you to do something that field is what attracts you.
So what are some common fields?
There are many fields and many sub-fields, hence I cannot list each and every field. But I will list the fields that are very much common and almost everyone knows. The fields are:
- Web Development
- Data Science
- Artificial Intelligence
- OS Development
- Desktop Development
- Mobile Development
- Game Development
- Robotics and,
- IoT
What are some languages used in Web Development?
Web Development is a very vast topic. A lot of languages are used in Web Development and there is no restriction for you to learn a specific language for developing the web.
But it is always advisable to learn a language that is currently trending and popular because it is most likely that development in that language might be supported and easy when compared to others.
I would like to divide web development into frontend and backend so that the languages that I suggest make more sense to you. Giving a brief explanation of frontend and backed for clarity, frontend is the part of a website that one can see and view. It includes all the text, images, links, colors, etc.
Whereas backend is a part of the web that one cannot see but is present. It is mainly about how the website works rather than how the site looks when compared to the frontend.
Some frontend development languages and frameworks:
- HTML
- CSS
- JavaScript
- ReactJs
- VueJs
- Svelte
Some backend development technologies:
- JavaScript(it is present in both frontend and backend because it is used in full-stack web development)
- NodeJs
- Django
- Flask
- Java
- PHP
Note that these languages are in demand in web development hence they have been listed.
Moving onto... Data Science!
What are some languages using in Data Science?
Data Science is another popular field in development. Data Science is the art of retrieving useful data from large sets of data evolved in your app, and then picking out useful insights that can be useful for your organization in terms of business growth, people's feedback, and response to a specific product, how many people viewed your product, etc.
Data Science is becoming very popular these days due to the large amounts of data gathered and people's interest to inspect the data and try to get some insights out of it. It has many sub-fields like Data Analysis, Data Engineering, Machine Learning, etc
Some languages used in Data Science:
- Python
- JavaScript(even though it is mostly used in web development, it is also used in data science. It is more used with other languages as support rather than first choice)
- R
- SQL
- MATLAB
What are some languages used in Artificial Intelligence?
Artificial Intelligence is a very intriguing and interesting topic to explore. I've always been fascinated by how AI works and its implementation. Artificial Intelligence is performed by machines emulating the work of humans.
Things like analyzing problems, solving problems that come under problem-solving that humans do normally do are emulated by robots in an attempt to mimic what a human does and give consistent results.
AI is becoming increasingly famous due to its capabilities of futuristic actions and promises
Some languages used in AI:
- Python
- R
What are some languages used in OS Development?
Operating System(OS in short) is a very important facet in our lives. Operating Systems provide services to their users in terms of various apps. Some of the common os' are Windows, macOS, Linux.
OS Development is very interesting and important at the same time, thinking that your OS is going to be used by billions of people all over the world. So choosing a language that assists you in this process is very important.
Some languages used in OS Development:
- C
- C++
- C#
- Swift
- Objective-C
What are some languages used in Desktop Development?
Desktop Development is the process of making desktop apps. To be specific, it is an app that runs on an OS. All the apps that we see and use on our laptops and pcs are called desktop applications.
This type of development is native as apps mostly function on only 1 type of operating system but nowadays many apps are being made cross-platforms meaning that one app can run on multiple os' without any problem.
Desktop development is also important and interesting just like OS development because your application is going to be used by a lot of people.
Some languages used in Desktop Development:
- C
- C++
- C#
- JavaScript(ElectronJS)
What are some languages used in Mobile Development?
Mobile Development is the process of making apps for mobile use. Mobile development is becoming a lot popular due to the recent shift to mobile, and also many new languages and frameworks have been made to assist you in mobile development.
Some languages used in Mobile Development:
- Java
- Kotlin
- Flutter
- React Native
- Xamarin
What are some languages used in Game Development?
Game development is the process of making games meant to be played on various devices like computers, consoles, mobiles, tablets, etc. Game enthusiasts will sure want to develop some cool games
Some languages used in Game Development:
- C++
- C#
- Java
- Rust
So these were some common development fields and the languages used for development in those fields.
Hope you found this article useful and enjoyed it
