When deciding which coding language to learn, you have to take into account various factors such as your current skill set, how it aligns with a said language, career aspirations, difficulty factor, and why you need to learn the language. Here’s a list of the most popular coding languages currently.
Java and .Net: These are so popular that they meet 60-70% of the coding industry’s requirements and remain in the top slot for writing web-based applications. Between the two, statistics show that two-thirds of the industry’s requirements call for Java. Although it is a general-purpose programming language, it has set some serious standards in the coding world. Since it has an object-oriented structure, it can be used to develop device- and OS-agnostic applications like Mac, Windows, Android, iOS, and so on.
Python: It has become popular with beginners due to its readability and is also the go-to language for many startups to complete application development using the Django Framework. It is an open-source programming language with ample support modules and community development, user-friendly data structures, GUI-based desktop applications, and easy integration with web services. This makes it the most sought-after language for Machine Learning and Data Engineering-based solutions.
Node.js-based Full Stacks MEAN and MERN: While MEAN uses Angular as a front end, MERN uses React.js. Both languages are built on MongoDB and Express.js web application framework, making these an option for startups. Node.js-based stacks are favoured for cross-platform and quick app development.
Angular, React, and Vue: All three are gaining traction in various industries. Of these, React.js is usually adopted for newer applications. However, requests for Vue.js are on the rise, thanks to its syntax simplicity and good documentation.
Kotlin: Kotlin is a free, general-purpose, open-source coding language, initially designed for JVM and Android. Its object-oriented and functional programming features focus on interoperability, safety, clarity, and tool support. This has set it on the fast track to becoming the language of choice for most android applications.
React Native: The JavaScript-based React Native combines the best of native development with React, a leading JavaScript library for building user interfaces. This makes it great for android and iOS projects, or can even create a brand-new app from scratch using your mobile device.
Swift: Originally developed to resolve difficulties in Objective-C, Swift is now replacing the latter for iOS-based application development, after a change in syntax, library and method names, new features integration, newly added library with Core ML and AR kit and Vision frameworks.
Flutter: A cross-platform framework from the Google-based DART language, it allows users to develop applications for Android, iOS, Linux, Google Fuschia, Windows, and so on, through a single codebase.
We live in a digital age where technology is improving by leaps and bounds. This translates to plenty of opportunities for new-age technologies and so learning a coding language can bolster your portfolio and give you an edge either in the industry or on your own entrepreneurial journey.
The writer is Founder, Bridgelabz
