Top 10 Programming Languages to Consider Learning in 2024

If you’re interested in software development as a career, you’re probably wondering which programming languages you should learn first. Which ones are easy to master, and which will open up the greatest number of opportunities?

If you go by sites such as GitHub, it’s clear that the software-development conversation is dominated by a relatively small handful of programming languages such as Python, JavaScript, and Java. These languages have been used for many years, which means there’s a mountain of legacy code for developers to support in addition to building new services and applications. On top of that, there are up-and-coming languages such as Kotlin which are increasingly popular among developers, and definitely worth considering (depending on your use-cases, of course). 

With all that in mind, anyone considering a career in software development should familiarize themselves with the following:

Python

• Why Learn It: Python reigns supreme as the beginner-friendly, general-purpose language. Its easy-to-read syntax and vast libraries make it perfect for web development, data science, machine learning, and automation. Here’s a deeper breakdown of popular, Python-related libraries, tools, and more.

• Use Cases: Web applications (Django, Flask), data analysis (NumPy, Pandas), machine learning (Scikit-learn, TensorFlow), scripting, automation.
• Where to Start: Python.org
• Takeaway Advice:

JavaScript

• Why Learn It: JavaScript (JS) is the undisputed king of front-end development. It’s crucial for building interactive web experiences and creating Single-Page Applications (SPAs). Modern JS frameworks like React and Angular have expanded its reach to back-end development as well.

• Use Cases: Front-end web development (user interfaces, animations), back-end development (Node.js), mobile development (React Native), full-stack development.
• Where to Start: JavaScript.com

Java

• Why Learn It: Java is an evergreen, object-oriented language with a robust ecosystem. It’s widely adopted for enterprise applications, Android development, and big data frameworks like Hadoop. Strong Java skills are highly sought-after in the job market.

• Use Cases: Enterprise applications (banking, e-commerce), Android development, big data (Hadoop, Spark), desktop applications.
• Where to Start: Java.com

C#

• Why Learn It: C# is another object-oriented language with a syntax similar to Java. It’s popular for building .NET applications, games (Unity), and enterprise software. C# developers are in high demand, especially for Windows development.
• Use Cases: .NET development (web applications, desktop apps), game development (Unity), enterprise software.
• Where to Start: C# Language Documentation

C++

• Why Learn It: C++ is a high-performance language that provides granular control over hardware. It’s the go-to choice for system programming, game development (Unreal Engine), and performance-critical applications.

• Use Cases: System programming (operating systems, device drivers), game development (Unreal Engine), performance-critical applications (trading platforms, simulations).
• Where to Start: C++

Go

• Why Learn It: Go, developed by Google, is a compiled language gaining traction for its simplicity, speed, and concurrency features. It’s ideal for building web services, cloud-native applications, and command-line tools.
• Use Cases: Web services (microservices, APIs), cloud-native development, command-line tools, network programming.
• Where to Start: Go

Kotlin

• Why Learn It: Kotlin is a modern, general-purpose language designed to improve upon Java. It’s rapidly gaining popularity for Android development and is also used for server-side development.

• Use Cases: Android development (replacing Java as the primary language), server-side development (Spring Boot), web development.
• Where to Start: Kotlinlang.org

TypeScript

• Why Learn It: TypeScript is a superset of JavaScript that adds optional static typing (and yes, there’s a lot of debate over whether it should qualify as its own language). This improves code maintainability and reduces errors in large-scale web applications. It’s a popular choice for building complex front-end UIs and Single-Page Applications (SPAs).
• Use Cases: Large-scale web applications (SPAs), front-end development frameworks (React, Angular), improving code quality and maintainability of JavaScript projects.
• Where to Start: Typescriptlang.org

Rust

SQL

• Why Learn It: SQL (Structured Query Language) is essential to learn for anyone who wants to work with relational databases. An older language, SQL allows you to query, manipulate, and extract data from those databases, which is a fundamental skill for everything from web applications to data analysis.
• Use Cases: Data retrieval and manipulation from relational databases, web applications (e-commerce, social media), data analysis (business intelligence, reporting).
• Where to Start: w3schools.com

Which languages you learn, of course, depends on your ultimate needs and specialization. For example, a software developer interested in building AI applications will necessarily adopt a different “toolbox” than one who wants to build mobile services (with some overlap, of course). But keep in mind that no matter which languages you choose, you’ll need to continuously update your knowledge and skills throughout your career.