The most useful programming languages to learn in 2022

There are tons of programming languages around, old and new. Commonly used or rarely used, multi-purpose or ones with very specific uses. All of them have their pros and cons, and traits that make them unique. Not all programming languages are useful for certain programming tasks, so understanding multiple languages is a must for a developer. But there are so many, and on top of that all these programming languages are constantly evolving. Updates and new versions are released on a regular basis, for all languages that are still in use. Due to this constant change and adaptation older programming languages, like Python and Java, are still very much relevant in the IT sector. Besides the constant development of older programming languages, new ones are created all the time. Especially the increasing use of smartphones has given birth to many new programming languages specifically designed for this platform. With so many programming languages to choose from, it can be hard for (new) programmers to choose which one to learn. In this blog we will discuss a couple of relevant programming languages which will be useful for any programmer interested in learning a new language. This does not mean that these are the best or only options, but fun suggestions to perhaps trigger your interest in any of them.

The first programming language on our list is Java. Java is a relatively old language, which was created in the early 90’s and is mostly based on C++. At first Java was mostly used for developing web applications. But recently it has become very popular among mobile-developers, because most mobile phones are able to run Java applications. But the biggest pro Java has to offer is the fact that it is the programming language most commonly used in server-side applications for big tech companies. For instance: Google, Amazon and Twitter, just to name a few. All of this amounts to Java being one of the most commonly used programming languages around the world. Which in turn leads to a high demand for Java developers. So for those of you who have not yet mastered Java, it is certainly worth your while to do so. Around the same time that Java was created, there was another programming language in development: Python. Python is, just like Java, an object-oriented programming language and is also one of the most used programming languages globally. One of the major differences between Java and Python is that Python, in contrast to Java, is not very compatible with mobile applications. Therefore mobile developers tend to use other programming languages. This however does not mean that Python is outdated and not useful anymore. Python is, after all, one of the most common programming languages out there. Three of the main aspects that make Python appealing are as follows. Firstly, Python is a free to use, open source programming language. Because of this it is available to everyone, and programmers can learn from each other’s work or even use parts of their code for their own purposes, making programming a lot easier and faster. Secondly, Python is a highly-readable programming language and thus easy to learn and understand. This also makes exchanging information between programmers a lot easier, which is crucial for a well operating open source platform. Third and finally, Python is the most used programming language in the areas of data science and machine learning. Both of these are rapidly expanding areas of expertise with an incredibly high demand for developers, which will only continue to grow. So even though Python does not benefit from the mobile revolution in terms of usefulness, it certainly is still very much relevant and sought after. According to the Stack Overflow survey of 2021, Python is the programming language that the most number of programmers would like to add to their repertoire. So if you don’t want to miss out on the awesome data science and machine learning revolution, learning Python is a no brainer.

Whereas Python and Java are like old giants among programming languages, our next up on the list is neither old nor very big in terms of active users. Kotlin was only released in 2016, and could be viewed as the younger brother of Java. The long term idea behind Kotlin is to someday be better, faster and more efficient than Java, but this is not yet the case. Because Java has been around for far longer than Kotlin, there are some key functions that Java does have but are not yet implemented in Kotlin. However Kotlin is far from irrelevant. For instance, it is used in the development of a lot of Android software, and it is already being used by around 10% of the programmers according to the Stack Overflow survey of 2021. This may not seem like a lot, but considering Kotlin has only been available for 5 or so years, it is actually one of the fastest growing new programming languages of the past decade. Kotlin can be a little tough to learn for beginning programmers, but for Java developers it is an excellent tool to have access to. And considering the growth and the potential computing power of this programming language it might be smart to get a head start and start learning it now!

Last but not least, Golang or GO. In 2007 Google started developing this programming language. The developers working on GO have based the structure of this programming language on the basic principles of programming, and its application in today’s IT-sector. The result is GO, a lightning fast programming language which is compatible with pretty much any form of coding. Because of this it can be used to accomplish a wide variety of tasks. You could for instance use it for creating a webapp or a data sorting algorithm. Because GO is new and specially designed to match the wishes of current programmers, it is simple and effective. There aren’t as many unnecessary functions or cumbersome commands as in other older programming languages, and thus it is very easy to use. The biggest advantage GO has to offer is its speed. During a speed test (the regex-redux) GO solved the problem in 3,55 seconds whereas Java did it in 5,58 seconds. However, the solution that GO produced contained more lines of code than the one Java came up with, the difference in speed is astonishing. The reason behind this incredible speed is a unique way of running multiple lines of code simultaneously, this process is called a Goroutine. Goroutines enable the code to temporarily ‘cut out’ certain lines of code while running them, this way the program does not have to wait on every line of code to start its next task. This genius solution to a fundamental programming problem makes GO very useful and extremely sought after, despite being a relatively young programming language.

Of course these four programming languages are not the only ones. There is plenty to choose from, and every language has its own unique ways of solving problems, and thus its own pros and cons. As a developer it is obviously better to be able to use a wide variety of programming languages. A Java developer with knowledge of Kotlin is a way more valuable asset than someone who only understands Java. Just like it could be useful for Python-developers to be able to optimise your coding with Goroutines. Every programming language has something to offer, and for each task certain languages might be better suited than others. So whether you are new to programming or are looking to expand your skill set, learning a new programming language is a fun and useful thing to do. And if you think you are ready to take on some serious programming tasks and would like to earn some money while expanding your knowledge, we at Kojac might just have the right job for you!

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