The Great Resignation has prompted many people to change their careers in favor of tech jobs. To succeed in the job market, you’ll need to learn in-demand programming languages. If you’re wondering what the best programming languages for jobs are, this article will show you where to start. There are hundreds of programming languages out there with different functions.
Is important to know what programming languages professionals use and what the most popular programming languages for jobs are. For example, learning Python can land you a lucrative job as a developer earning an average annual salary of $113,241 per year, according to Indeed. This article will guide you to the best programming languages to learn for jobs in fields from game development to machine learning.
What Are Programming Jobs?
Programming jobs refer to any kind of work that requires programming skills. A career in programming requires knowledge of a list of languages to design, develop, and test software. Popular programming jobs include software developer, web developer, computer systems engineer, database administrator, software engineer, and general computer programmer.
What Are Programming Languages?
A programming language is what computer and software developers use to communicate with computers. They refer to instructions used to program a computer to achieve a specific output. In other words, lines of code indicate what the computer should be doing.
There are different types of programming languages. They include functional programming language, general-purpose programming language, and object oriented programming language. Programming languages are used to develop websites, mobile apps, and desktop applications. Without numerous programming languages, many of the devices we use would be useless.
What Are the Most Common Programming Languages?
Programmers commonly use Python, Java, C++, JavaScript, and Go. According to TIOBE, a programming language ranking site, Python is the most used programming language. While Python is a major language, programmers are often proficient in many programming languages, because different programming languages have different functions.
Best Programming Languages to Learn for Jobs
- Python
- Java
- C and C++
- JavaScript
- Go
Which Programming Language Is Best for Programming Jobs?
Python
Python is one of the most in-demand languages. As mentioned previously, the TIOBE Index ranks Python as the most popular language to date. Python is commonly used in deep learning, building websites, artificial intelligence, and data analysis. This high-level programming language also doubles down as a general-purpose language.
Tech companies pay Python developers about $113,241 per year in the United States, according to Indeed. After mastering Python, some of the jobs that you’ll be eligible for include Python developer, data analyst, product manager, and code instructor.
Java
Java is a popular language used for backend development projects. However, this object oriented programming language is also used for mobile computing, game development, web applications, desktop computing, and numerical computing. The parent company Oracle owns the Java programming language, and it has an active community.
According to the TIOBE Index, Java is the third most popular programming language. Java is easy to learn, and it is an open-source programming language that works great on platforms like Windows, Raspberry Pi, Mac, and Linux. According to ZipRecruiter, the average salary of a Java developer is $105,801.
C and C++
If you want to start a career in tech, you should start by learning C. C is considered the mother of all languages, making it a good choice for beginners. C++ is a cross-platform language that works well on Windows, Linux, and Mac. It was created as an extension of C to create high-performance applications.
C and C++ are some of the most popular programming languages used today. Learning these languages is ideal for your job prospects and career goals, as they provide you with the basic skills to create computer applications, write embedded software, and create compilers.
JavaScript
JavaScript is used by many developers and companies around the world. For instance, Netflix and Walmart build Internet applications around JavaScript. It was initially used for developing interactive websites. However, JavaScript is used today to build web apps, mobile applications, and real-time networking apps. The average salary for a JavaScript developer is $107,529, according to ZipRecruiter.
Go
Go is a relatively young programming language conceptualized at Google. It was initially created to replace C++, hence the similarity to C. Go is a tool for professional programmers that offers productivity at minimum effort.
Companies like Google, Facebook, Microsoft, and HP run on Go. The demand for professionals with Go programming skills is fairly high, and with such programming skills, you could earn up to $128,736 per year, according to ZipRecruiter.
Which Programming Language Should I Learn First?
C, Python, or JavaScript are the programming languages you should learn first. Learn C as your first language, as it will help you learn other languages easier. With programming languages, any experience with programming languages makes learning other languages much easier.
With that said, what you want to learn first should be influenced by the career goals and career path you want to pursue. For instance, job seekers who want to become an iOS developer should learn Swift first. Those seeking a career in software development specializing in mobile application development should use JavaScript.
Is it Possible to Choose the ‘Wrong’ Programming Language?
No, there are no wrong programming languages, only wrong uses of programming languages. Occasionally, programmers will use a single programming language for a variety of projects, like Python, for example. Although Python is a fantastic language for many projects, it is not ideal for developing high-speed video games or multi-threaded applications. That is why it is crucial to be well-versed in a multitude of programming languages.
How to Learn Programming
Learning programming can be easy when following the right steps. Most students learning to program tend to focus more on the knowledge of syntax as opposed to the application. In other words, students focus on theory more than practical applications. Here is a step-by-step guide that highlights how to learn programming.
Choose a Path and Create a Plan
When learning programming languages, the first step you should take is to choose a path. You can become a web developer, front end developer, backend developer, or robotics engineer. From there, you need to determine which programming languages are essential in that career path. HTML, CSS, and PHP are ideal languages for web development, while JavaScript is an ideal language for mobile app development.
Creating a plan involves choosing a study curriculum. There are many online resources that you could use to learn programming, including a degree in computer programming. If time and money are concerns of yours, we recommend a coding bootcamp. Coding bootcamps offer programming courses led by industry experts and take only a few months to complete.
Pick Relevant Projects
Once you’ve spent time learning the fundamentals of programming, the next step to take is building projects. If you want to get a job as a programmer, you must show employers what you’ve done in the past.
Consider building several applications. There are great projects on repositories such as GitHub that range from easy to medium to hard that will test your skills and expertise on a variety of programming languages.
Create a Personal Website
A personal website will showcase your work, projects, and all the essentials that a potential employer will be looking for. It serves as a marketing tool that you can use to sell your skills, allowing employers to browse your work and determine if you have potential in the company. You can also include your resume and LinkedIn profile to help you in the job-hunting process.
How to Learn Programming: Top Resources
- The Code Academy. This online interactive platform features both free and paid resources on its web page, including articles and tutorials. You can access free reading material for up to 12 programming languages, including C, Python, and PHP.
- freeCodeCamp. freeCodeCamp is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing learning resources online. freeCodeCamp also features online forums and chat rooms which are ideal to learn more from the online developer community.
- edX. edX is a massive open online course (MOOC) provider with many learning resources from top universities across the world. You can find free programming tutorials and paid-for programming courses on this platform.
- Udemy. Udemy is a popular for-profit MOOC provider that offers both free and paid courses. You can use this platform for its free resources if you are on a budget.
- Khan Academy. This non-profit educational organization offers a ton of free programming resources on its platforms. Use this platform to learn HTML and CSS, and SQL.
Ready to Break into Tech?
Mastering programming languages is the key to successfully breaking into tech. Although different programming languages lead to different careers, learning one programming language could help you learn another. Fortunately, there are many online resources that can help you learn faster and more effectively.
One of the best ways to break into tech, however, is by enrolling in a coding bootcamp. The best coding bootcamps in the United States offer intensive yet comprehensive coding courses. Such organizations offer career services that can help you land a job shortly after graduating. If you are ready to break into tech, join a coding bootcamp today to start your programming career.
Best Programming Languages for Jobs FAQ
Python is the best programming language for getting a job. Since the TIOBE Index reports Python as being the most popular programming language in the world, that means there is a reasonably high demand for professionals with Python programming skills.
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You should learn Python. Although both are good options, Python edges out Java as the most popular and in-demand programming language. Learning Python will increase your chances of finding a job, but you should learn both to increase your marketability.
No, it is not enough. C is a powerful programming language, but learning C will not be enough to land you a job. Experienced developers recommend working knowledge of a scripting language or other popular languages such as Python, Java, JavaScript, and C++.
Yes, you can. Python is a modern language with many different applications. You can have a successful career as a Python developer if you only know this language.
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