There are several types of coding languages used for programming, and all of them have different strengths and uses. Every program, app, and machine that has a computer in it runs on code, so it makes sense that there are hundreds of coding languages to choose from.
This guide breaks down the different types of coding languages, their uses, and what info can be achieved by using them. You’ll learn about programming paradigms and how to choose the best language for your needs. We also cover some of the easiest computer programming languages for beginners hoping to master tech skills.
The Main Types of Coding Languages
C++ and Python are in-demand programming languages in the field of robotics and artificial intelligence.
There are many types of coding languages. This is because the base language that computers speak, which is just ones and zeros, is far too difficult to use alone. We need some kind of in-between language that humans can use to give effective orders to computers in a reasonable amount of time.
Because all computer programming languages are just in-betweens, the different types of coding languages provide different levels of functionality. The first factor to consider when organizing these coding languages is whether it is high-level or low-level.
High-Level Programming Languages
High-level coding languages have a higher level of abstraction. This means they are closer to human language and farther from machine code. High-level languages are easier to learn and use, but they usually offer less functionality and direct control over the computer. The first high-level languages were algorithmic languages like ALGOL and C, designed to handle complex equations.
High-level languages tend to be more automated, where a single programming command actually does many pre-programmed things to make programming easier and more efficient. Because programs written in a high-level language work across multiple systems, algorithmic and other high-level languages quickly caught on and became popular.
Low-Level Programming Languages
Low-level coding languages have a lower level of abstraction, and as you might expect, are the opposite of high-level languages. They are closer to binary and farther from human language. A low-level language is harder to learn and use, but offers more functionality and direct control over the computer.
Assembly languages are low-level languages that exist one rung above machine language. An assembly language allows professional programmers to create shorthand names for memory blocks, thus speeding up the development process.
Programming Paradigms
Beyond high-level or low-level there are different styles of programming called paradigms. Programming paradigms are groups of languages classified by various characteristics. Below are some of the major types of programming paradigms in use today.
Object-Oriented Programming (OOP)
In OOP, code and data are referred to as objects. The instructions given by the coder manipulate the objects through predefined methods. This is the most common programming paradigm. Examples include C++, Java, and Python.
Functional Programming
Functional programming has a logical approach to software construction. It uses pure functions and focuses more on the “what” than the “how.” It is widely used in both academia and industry, with languages like Haskell, Elixir, Scala, and even functional extensions in Python and JavaScript.
Procedural Programming
In procedural programming, programs consist of sequences of instructions to be followed. It offers a very linear approach to coding. Languages within this paradigm include C and early implementations of Python.
Logical Programming
In logical programming, coders tell a model what they want to accomplish instead of how to accomplish it. Logic is used to infer and interpret knowledge and data. Prolog remains a well-known example.
Database Programming
Database programming is used to store and update data for applications and other software. It can draw relationships between different data sets and ensure data is not duplicated. SQL is the most popular database language.
Multi-Paradigm Programming
Modern programming languages often allow developers to use more than one paradigm at once. For example, Python, JavaScript, and Rust support both object-oriented and functional programming. This flexibility makes them ideal for complex projects where different parts of the system require different approaches. A developer could build the main application using OOP, while leveraging functional programming for data processing tasks. This adaptability is one reason why multi-paradigm languages dominate the most popular language rankings today²³.
Data-Driven Programming
Data-driven programming organizes code around the input and transformation of data. Instead of writing explicit control flow, developers define how data should be manipulated and let the framework handle execution. Tools like AWK, sed, and XSLT follow this approach, and modern event-driven frameworks in JavaScript and Python often use similar patterns. This paradigm is increasingly important in areas like machine learning and big data, where the logic flows directly from the structure of the data itself²³.
How to Choose a Programming Language
As we learn about the different types of coding languages throughout this article, you might be wondering how to choose a programming language to start learning. To answer this question, you’ll need to decide what you want to accomplish with your new coding knowledge.
Generally, high-level programming languages are more accessible for beginners, but the language you choose within this category depends on your individual goals.
Types of Coding Languages By Use
The most commonly used coding languages, such as Python, JavaScript, and C++, are used all over the globe.
The most used programming language in the world is currently JavaScript, according to TIOBE², RedMonk³, and Stack Overflow⁴ developer surveys. Below, we categorize some of the most used coding languages by development stage.
Front End Web Development Coding Languages
A front end web developer works on the user side of applications. This means that you’ll be coding webpages, games, and any software or application that people can see. For example, a front end web developer most likely coded the webpage that you’re reading right now.
It’s important for front end web developers to stay up to date on the latest innovations in programming and front end technology. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, overall software development employment is projected to grow 17% from 2022 to 2032, much faster than average¹. Some of the most commonly used coding languages in this field include the following.
HTML
HTML code formats the text, images, and other media that make up a webpage. The language communicates with the computer using a series of attributes and elements. HTML now enables web pages to host videos, sound, and more. It’s important to understand the scope of HTML. Without this coding language, web pages wouldn’t work.
HTML couldn’t make a very functional webpage by itself. It relies heavily on CSS and JavaScript. To make it as simple as possible, think of HTML as the structure of a website while CSS is the style and JavaScript is the functionality. HTML is a highly important coding language that has continued to help shape the Internet and web browsing as we know it.
CSS
CSS or Cascading Style Sheets goes hand in hand with HTML. CSS takes the text-based website that you’ve made and applies things like color, images, videos, and other media. CSS is all about the look and design and makes websites look more appealing to viewers.
JavaScript
JavaScript is all about functionality. It is currently the most used programming language by developers worldwide. JavaScript is a highly diverse language that can be used to code anything from video games to websites. It can also be used for both mobile and desktop apps. Potential jobs that use this popular programming language could include web development, front end development, or JavaScript engineering.
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Backend Web Development Coding Languages
Backend developers manage server‑side programming that powers log‑ins, payment processing, content feeds, and APIs. Today’s backends are typically built as services that connect to databases and cloud infrastructure, prioritizing reliability and scalability while integrating with front‑end code and mobile apps. The languages below remain common choices because they balance performance, ecosystem strength, and hiring demand.
Python
Python remains a favorite for backend services thanks to approachable syntax and mature frameworks such as Django and FastAPI. Large platforms continue to rely on Python at scale—Instagram publicly notes Python/Django in its frontend server stack, and Dropbox has documented multi‑million‑line Python codebases and its incremental migration to Python 3 to keep performance and maintainability high.¹ ²
Java
Java’s portability and performance, plus its rich ecosystem, make it a mainstay for enterprise systems, ad‑tech, payments, and Android‑adjacent server workloads. Spring Boot remains the leading framework for cloud‑native Java, with recent community surveys showing Spring/Spring Boot at the forefront while Jakarta EE and MicroProfile continue to grow.³
Go (Golang)
Go is increasingly chosen for cloud services, container platforms, and high‑throughput APIs because of its simplicity, built‑in concurrency, and fast binaries. Flagship cloud‑native projects—including Kubernetes—are written in Go, and YouTube’s Vitess (the sharding system behind its MySQL infrastructure) originated at Google/YouTube in Go, underscoring the language’s fit for large‑scale backends.⁴ ⁵
Ruby
Ruby is known for having one of the most friendly and widespread coding communities. While learning this coding language, you’ll never be short of helpful mentors to lend a guiding hand during your journey. Ruby is unique because it runs on the Ruby on Rails framework.
The syntax of the language is very straightforward and easy to comprehend. Companies such as Twitter, Airbnb, Shopify, and thousands of other startups have built their platforms using Ruby. Ruby is continuously growing in popularity amongst educational outlets too, as many different coding educational platforms now specialize on both Ruby and Ruby on Rails framework.
Best Coding Languages for App Development
For Android, Kotlin is now the recommended language by Google, interoperating seamlessly with existing Java code and increasingly used for modern Android apps; Java and C++ remain important for legacy components and performance‑critical modules.⁷
For iOS and macOS, Swift is the dominant choice for new development thanks to its safety and performance features, while Objective‑C (and occasionally C) persists in legacy codebases and certain frameworks.⁸
Best Coding Languages for Web Development
For web apps, JavaScript paired with HTML5 and CSS continues to be the foundational trio for building interactive, accessible user experiences. As applications have grown larger and more collaborative, TypeScript—a typed superset of JavaScript—has become a standard in many teams because it improves tooling and maintainability at scale; developer surveys in 2024 show TypeScript among the most‑used languages alongside JavaScript.⁹
Best Coding Languages for Tech Careers
The “best” language depends on the role and employer, so scan current job postings for target companies and titles to calibrate your learning plan. Microsoft role listings, for example, frequently cite proficiency in C, C++, C#, Java, JavaScript, or Python, reflecting the breadth of their stack.¹⁰
Across the broader market, occupational resources and developer surveys consistently show strong demand for JavaScript/TypeScript on the web, Python across data/AI and backends, Java in enterprise systems, and SQL nearly everywhere data is stored or queried.¹¹ ¹²
How to Start Learning to Code
There are many different coding languages to choose from when embarking on a coding journey.
Learning to code can be a daunting yet enjoyable task. The job prospects are promising and coding is effectively the language of the future. Regardless of whichever educational path you choose, the power to code is currently at your fingertips. The Internet is a powerful tool that coding newbies can use to their advantage.
One of the best ways to get started with your coding education is by enrolling in a programming bootcamp. Programming or coding bootcamps are career-forward, immersive programs that teach everything you need to know to get a career in tech in as little time as possible. So, within a few months, you could find yourself sitting at a desk working for your dream company.
Best Coding Bootcamps to Learn Computer Coding
General Assembly
General Assembly continues to be one of the most recognized coding bootcamps. It offers both full-time immersive software engineering programs and part-time front end development courses. Students can study in-person across global campuses or online. Its wide alumni network makes it a strong option for career changers.⁶
If you want a structured and affordable way to learn coding, a bootcamp is one of your best options. Tuition for General Assembly’s part-time courses is significantly lower than competitors with the online front end development course under $4,000.
CareerFoundry
CareerFoundry specializes in fully online programs for web development, UX design, and data analytics. Its flexible curriculum is designed for people working part-time jobs or balancing other commitments. The bootcamp offers a job guarantee, promising a refund if graduates do not find work within 180 days.⁶
Thinkful
Thinkful offers software engineering, data science, and UX/UI design bootcamps. It provides one-on-one mentorship, flexible schedules, and multiple payment options including income share agreements. Its job placement support includes mock interviews, networking events, and employer partnerships.⁷
Flatiron School
Flatiron School is a well-established bootcamp offering immersive programs in software engineering, cybersecurity, and data science. It has in-person campuses in cities like New York and online options. Known for strong student outcomes, Flatiron also offers career coaching and technical interview prep.⁵
Hack Reactor
Hack Reactor, now part of Galvanize, is best known for its JavaScript and full-stack curriculum. It offers immersive online and in-person programs and has a strong reputation among employers for producing job-ready engineers. Its admissions process is more selective compared to some competitors.⁹
Le Wagon
Le Wagon is a global coding bootcamp with campuses in more than 40 cities. It focuses on web development and data science and is known for its project-based approach, where students build fully functional apps by graduation. Its international network is especially helpful for students who want global career mobility.⁸
Fullstack Academy
Fullstack Academy is a long-standing bootcamp that specializes in JavaScript-driven full-stack development. It also offers cybersecurity and data analytics tracks. Based in New York but also online, it is recognized for its rigorous technical curriculum and strong partnerships with employers.¹⁰
Understanding the Different Types of Computer Programming Languages
Understanding different coding languages and their uses is an important first step if you want to start a career in the tech industry, or simply broaden your skill set. Once you have some programming experience, you’ll naturally get better at selecting the best coding languages for your project goals.
With a bit of knowledge and help from our guide, you’ll know which language will make your website sparkle and which will make your equations shine. A good programmer has an arsenal of different kinds of coding languages at their disposal for use on any occasion.
Types of Coding Languages FAQ
Some of the easiest coding languages to learn include HTML, Python, JavaScript, PHP, and Java. Generally, high-level programming languages are best for beginners because their syntax more closely matches the English language.
Some types of coding that use lower-level code include machine and assembly programming. While high-level code needs to be translated to be understandable to a computer, low-level code does not.
There are at least 700 coding languages in the world, though some people claim that number should be in the thousands. However, the number of commonly used programming languages is far lower.
There is no “right” way to learn to code! You can learn programming through self-study, a traditional four-year degree, or through a coding bootcamp.
Sources
- https://engineering.fb.com/2023/08/15/developer-tools/immortal-objects-for-python-instagram-meta/
- https://stackshare.io/dropbox/posts/incrementally-migrating-over-one-million-lines-of-code-from-python-2-to-python-3
- https://newsroom.eclipse.org/news/announcements/eclipse-foundation-releases-2024-jakarta-ee-developer-survey-report
- https://kubernetes.io/blog/2018/01/introducing-client-go-version-6/
- https://www.usenix.org/conference/lisa12/vitess-scaling-mysql-youtube-using-go
- https://shopify.engineering/shopify-made-patterns-in-our-rails-apps
- https://developer.android.com/kotlin/faq
- https://developer.apple.com/swift/
- https://survey.stackoverflow.co/2024/technology
- https://jobs.careers.microsoft.com/global/en/job/1666327/Software-Engineer (see also: /job/1801599 and related listings)
- https://www.careeronestop.org/Toolkit/Careers/Occupations/occupation-profile.aspx?keyword=Software+Developers&location=United+States&onetcode=15125200
- https://survey.stackoverflow.co/2024/technology
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