In 2019, there were 23.9 million developers globally. That number is expected to grow to 28.7 million by 2024, making the computer programming sector one of the fastest-growing in the world.
Also known as a software developer or computer programmer, a developer is a professional who creates software and applications. Computer programmers write, debug, and execute the source code of software applications.
A career in computer programming is one of the most lucrative, with the top 25 percent of US developers earning an average of $109,120 in 2018 alone. The demand for developers who are well-versed with the top programming languages available today are is on the rise.
If you’ve been considering a career in computer programming, the best place to start is learning the hottest styles of programming in the market. In this post, we discuss six of the most competitive programming languages in the world.
But first,
What Is Programming Language?
A programming language is a type of formal language that contains a specified set of instructions used to produce various kinds of output. Generally, the programing language implements specific algorithms in computer programming.
Through the years, thousands of programming languages have been developed. Many more are created each year, especially with the rise of cloud computing. Programing languages are usually written in either imperative form or declarative form.
Top Programming Languages in 2020
As we pointed out earlier, there are countless programming languages in existence today. Not all programming languages, however, are created equal. Here are some of the most preferred languages by programmers today.
JavaScript
It’s hardly possible for a developer to do their job without ever using JavaScript in some way. JavaScript has been the most popular programming language for years now. The vast majority of web developers have used JavaScript at some point.
JavaScript is vital when it comes to front-end web development. The most popular sites today, including Gmail, YouTube, Facebook, and Twitter, use JavaScript to display content to users and create interactive web pages.
While JavaScript is primarily a front-end language that’s run on the browser, the language can also be applied on the server-side to create scalable network apps. To do so, programmers use Node.js, which is compatible with Windows, Linux, Mac OS X, and SunOS.
What makes JavaScript so popular is its forgiving and flexible syntax, making it ideal for beginners. This programming language also works well across all major browsers.
Scala
For developers who are already familiar with Java, it’s worth checking out Scala. Scala combines some of the best JavaScript features, including Java’s lightning-fast JVM runtime environment and Object-Oriented Structure, and gives them a modern twist.
This programming language is highly functional, allowing developers to boost the quality of their code to look like pure math. With Scala, software engineers can do concurrent programming and execute complex procedures in parallel.
Scala is one of the most strongly typed programming languages. As a developer, you can customize your data type and rest assured that bugs are impossible at runtime.
Swift
Swift is one of the relatively new programming languages in the market today, having entered the programming scene in 2014. This language is used to develop applications in iOS and macOS. If you prefer Apple products, this is the programming language you want to use.
One of the best things about Swift is that it’s designed to match the current realities of iOS development. The language has also been optimized for performance and performs wonderfully on all iPhones and iPads. Swift is also the basis of such operating systems as tvOS for Apple TVs and watchOS for Apple watches.
Given that Apple is an industry leader that will be around a long time, and iOS apps are the most profitable today, Swift is a programming language you want to be well versed in.
Go
Go is among the popular programming languages Google favors. This low-level language is used by developers looking to enter the systems programming field.
Go features the functionality of C and C++, but without the complex syntax. This programing language is ideal for building web servers, data pipelines, and machine-learning packages.
Web developers often use PostgreSQL with GO Language for the best results. PostgreSQL is currently the most powerful open-source database worldwide.
Python
There’s hardly a programming-language in the world that’s more user-friendly than Python. Software engineers who use this language often praise its clear, intuitive, and English-like syntax. These features make it one of the most popular choices for beginners, together with Java.
Like JavaScript, Python has many useful applications, making this programming language a flexible, powerful option for software engineers. Python is popular in back-end web development because of the easy-to-learn Django framework that’s written in the programming language. So far, Django has been used in the creation of sites like Spotify, Instagram, and Mozilla.
Python features notable packages such as SciPy and NumPy, which are popular in the fields of Mathematics, scientific computing, and engineering. There are other libraries in this programing language such as PyTorch and scikit-learn that make it perfect for academically inclined developers.
Rust
While Rust is an upstart compared to the other programming languages on this list, it has quickly established itself as one of the most used programming languages by web developers. The vast majority of software engineers who have used Rust in the past say that they want to keep working with it.
Like Java, Rust is primarily designed to be used in low-level systems programming. What sets Rust apart from the rest is its focus on security and speed. Developers of Rust prioritize writing secure code by stopping programs from accessing memory parts that they should not, which might lead to unexpected behavior or system crashes.
So reliable is Rust that giant tech companies such as Coursera and Dropbox now use it internally.
Choose the Ideal Programming Language for You
So, which programming language should you choose? Only you can answer this question, depending on your interests and career goals. Any of the top programming languages we’ve covered in this post can set you up for a deeply satisfying career in software development.
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