The Main Programming Languages to Choose in 2022

Each programming language has its characteristics, advantages, and disadvantages, its scope and its list of related technologies. Some let you create elaborate sites, like CasinoChan and apps, while others are for developing more simple projects. Let’s compare several popular web development languages and figure out what will help you make an informed choice.

HTML and CSS: The “Building Blocks” of Websites

HTML (Hypertext Markup Language) and CSS (Cascade StyleSheets) are at the base of all web development and no site can do without them.

They are essential to create the content and layout of a web page, and you can’t write a program in them. However, web technologies are already being used in other areas, including desktop and mobile apps, so these “languages” have good prospects.

HTML and CSS are simple – you can learn the basics in a couple of days, even on your own. So if you’re really scared of programming and don’t believe you can do it, try starting there. It’s up to everyone and will help you to smoothly enter into programming and assess your strengths. And then you can move on to other languages if you want.

JavaScript: Frontend Chief

JavaScript is everywhere these days. It’s one of the fastest-growing languages of our time, and it’s gaining popularity very quickly. JavaScript is multifunctional, and can be used to develop programs for any platform.

It was originally used to create interactive web pages, but now it’s used to make server, mobile, and desktop apps, and much more.

However, despite its widespread use, JavaScript is not a magic pill. It has its own limitations, which make it not suitable for all tasks.

As for the disadvantages, there are tools that help compensate for them. For example, TypeScript and Flow make working with types safer, but the code gets harder to write.

Because of this feature, complex programs with high reliability requirements are not developed in JavaScript. If a button on your site doesn’t work, that’s unpleasant but not terrible, but if you have a bug in banking or industrial software, that’s worse.

PHP: the Elephant You Can’t Miss

PHP is the champion of web development. It is used to create server-side applications, scripts and utilities. You’ll find it in the backend of many well-known companies’ websites, such as Wikipedia and Facebook.

Some people call PHP a “horrible” language or even say it’s dying. This assessment was made when PHP was just gaining popularity. At the time, the language had many flaws and was not written in any serious way. It was remembered as such by some experts, but PHP is more than a decade old as a real mature language. Moreover, a huge number of website builders and editors are written in it.

Python: Suitable for Everyone

Python is also often used in web development and is one of the most popular languages for data analysis and Data Science. You’ll find Python in website and utility development, machine learning, and neural networking.

It’s also a suitable language for beginners and is often recommended for learning to program. It often shines in the top five of the TIOBE index.

Java: Conservative and Reliable

Java is a feature rich, object oriented language with strict typing. Don’t confuse it with JavaScript, they only have similar names but in practice they are in many ways the opposite of each other.

Complex software is written in Java: industrial and banking systems are just what you don’t write in JavaScript. In addition, a huge number of desktop applications, Android applications, and server programs are written in Java.

Java is a fairly complex language, so it’s usually chosen by people who already have some programming experience and training. For example, those who are studying to become programmers at university.

The most popular IDE in Java is the JetBrains product, IntelliJ IDEA. Although the free development environments Eclipse and NetBeans also have large user communities. The undisputed leader among frameworks for Java is Spring. This is a universal library for fast web and console application development.

What Should a Beginner Choose?

Let’s describe a brief algorithm of choice.

To begin with, choose not a language, but the direction you are interested in. This can be web, desktop, mobile or server development. Or maybe you want to do data analysis.

Now assess your strengths and skills and choose a language that suits your level. If you have never programmed anything and never studied programming at school or university, start with an easier language (JavaScript, PHP), and if you feel more confident and already tried to write something, you can choose Java.

Once you decide on a language and learn its syntax, don’t forget to get acquainted with the technology stack and popular frameworks – you will definitely need it. You don’t have to try to learn everything thoroughly at once, but it’s important to get familiar with the technology.