12 answers
Ryan
Student
El Monte, California
7
Questions
Asked
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What 2 or 3 coding languages should i study?
I have heard many coding languages but what are the 2 or 3 most used so I can study those in particular once i start studying them. If I'm not mistaken, JavaScript and python are commonly used.
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12 answers
Jaime Wallitschek
IT Project Manager
3
Answers
Phoenix, Arizona
Updated
Jaime’s Answer
Software languages can change every few years. If you want to ensure you are learning a programming language that will get you a job - I recommend looking up what are the best selling / most used software for big corporations. There are universally used languages like HTML, PHP, Javascript, C#, C++. Something I only learned when I entered corporate Americas is that most of the high paying developers are specialists in a language that is unique to popular applications. Many software sites like to advertise that their application is used by large Corporate 100 companies. If you know you want to work in a specific industry like real estate, supply chain, production & distribution - you can also look up what are the most commonly used applications by industry.
Salesforce software uses Apex language.
SAP software uses ABAP language.
Example: Hundreds of thousands of companies use SAP for their enterprise platform. The SAP software is built using a special language called ABAP. Being able to say you have ABAP development experience on your resume will immediately grab attention. People who are hiring will see that you know the language they want!
Decide what kind of company or industry you want to work for.
Look up the most commonly purchased software for that industry.
Look up open job reqs for a specific company and search for keywords like SAP, ABAP, C#, SQL
Pick a language that you see is commonly used or that has many hiring positions
Go out to the website for that specific software and complete their certification exam. Some company's hire based on certifications more than prior history.
Salesforce software uses Apex language.
SAP software uses ABAP language.
Example: Hundreds of thousands of companies use SAP for their enterprise platform. The SAP software is built using a special language called ABAP. Being able to say you have ABAP development experience on your resume will immediately grab attention. People who are hiring will see that you know the language they want!
Jaime recommends the following next steps:
Fred Rosenberger
Data Analyst
462
Answers
St. Louis, MO
Updated
Fred’s Answer
Don't focus on languages. They will come and go over the course of your career.
Focus on fundamental programming skills, such as:
1) clean, neat code
2) code that is easy to understand
3) code that is well though out
4) code that has good naming conventions. For example, unless it's a counter, use actual, useful words to name variables. Coming across a variable named "myVariable" or "nbrple" drives me insane. Now not only do I have to figure out what you're doing with the variable, but what the variable refers to. a name like "numberOfPeople" instantly tells me what it is used for.
Having said that...it depends on what you are trying to do. JavaScript and Python are both used a lot. But so is Java. So is C++. Some places still use COBOL. If you have the fundamentals down, picking up a new language is relatively easy.
Focus on fundamental programming skills, such as:
1) clean, neat code
2) code that is easy to understand
3) code that is well though out
4) code that has good naming conventions. For example, unless it's a counter, use actual, useful words to name variables. Coming across a variable named "myVariable" or "nbrple" drives me insane. Now not only do I have to figure out what you're doing with the variable, but what the variable refers to. a name like "numberOfPeople" instantly tells me what it is used for.
Having said that...it depends on what you are trying to do. JavaScript and Python are both used a lot. But so is Java. So is C++. Some places still use COBOL. If you have the fundamentals down, picking up a new language is relatively easy.
Austin Ewing
Data Analytics
2
Answers
Saint Charles, Missouri
Updated
Austin’s Answer
I agree with Fred. Fundamentals are where to start, and they'll all translate to different languages. If I could add a few fundamental skills, I'd add:
1.) Make a habit of commenting within your scripts. This will help both you, and future users of your code to understand your thought process. This could be especially helpful if someone not as skilled as you happens to be looking through your past scripts for information.
2.) JOINS. For me, at least, these have been at the core of most querying languages I've used. An understanding of how joins work and when each type of join is useful will be helpful in almost all querying languages.
The languages you choose to learn will likely depend on which specific role you're wanting. Fred named some great ones. I'd add SQL. If you are at all interested in database querying, SQL is at the core of most companies.
One last note, pick a language that interests you. Find some online courses (I love Data Camp), and see what peaks your interest or speaks to you. Many languages are useful, and if you find one you love, you'll be more motivated to master it.
1.) Make a habit of commenting within your scripts. This will help both you, and future users of your code to understand your thought process. This could be especially helpful if someone not as skilled as you happens to be looking through your past scripts for information.
2.) JOINS. For me, at least, these have been at the core of most querying languages I've used. An understanding of how joins work and when each type of join is useful will be helpful in almost all querying languages.
The languages you choose to learn will likely depend on which specific role you're wanting. Fred named some great ones. I'd add SQL. If you are at all interested in database querying, SQL is at the core of most companies.
One last note, pick a language that interests you. Find some online courses (I love Data Camp), and see what peaks your interest or speaks to you. Many languages are useful, and if you find one you love, you'll be more motivated to master it.
Rihem Ben Khaled
software engineering student
25
Answers
Sousse, Tunisia
Updated
Rihem’s Answer
Hello Ryan !
The coding languages you should study depend on your interests and career goals. Here are two to three languages that cover a broad range of opportunities:
Python: Python is an excellent choice for beginners due to its readability and versatility. It's widely used in web development, data analysis, artificial intelligence, and automation. Whether you want to build websites with Django or Flask, analyze data with pandas and numpy, or dive into machine learning with TensorFlow or PyTorch, Python is a versatile language that can serve you well in various domains.
JavaScript: JavaScript is essential for web development. It's the language of the web, powering front-end frameworks like React, Angular, and Vue.js, as well as back-end frameworks like Node.js. Learning JavaScript opens doors to a wide range of web-based opportunities, from creating interactive websites to developing server-side applications.
SQL (Structured Query Language): SQL is crucial for database management. It's not a general-purpose programming language like Python or JavaScript but is specific to managing and querying relational databases. Understanding SQL is essential if you're interested in database administration, data analysis, or backend development, as most web applications rely on databases for data storage.
These languages provide a well-rounded foundation, covering web development, data analysis, and backend systems. You can then specialize further based on your career aspirations, such as diving deeper into front-end development, machine learning, or database management.
The coding languages you should study depend on your interests and career goals. Here are two to three languages that cover a broad range of opportunities:
Python: Python is an excellent choice for beginners due to its readability and versatility. It's widely used in web development, data analysis, artificial intelligence, and automation. Whether you want to build websites with Django or Flask, analyze data with pandas and numpy, or dive into machine learning with TensorFlow or PyTorch, Python is a versatile language that can serve you well in various domains.
JavaScript: JavaScript is essential for web development. It's the language of the web, powering front-end frameworks like React, Angular, and Vue.js, as well as back-end frameworks like Node.js. Learning JavaScript opens doors to a wide range of web-based opportunities, from creating interactive websites to developing server-side applications.
SQL (Structured Query Language): SQL is crucial for database management. It's not a general-purpose programming language like Python or JavaScript but is specific to managing and querying relational databases. Understanding SQL is essential if you're interested in database administration, data analysis, or backend development, as most web applications rely on databases for data storage.
These languages provide a well-rounded foundation, covering web development, data analysis, and backend systems. You can then specialize further based on your career aspirations, such as diving deeper into front-end development, machine learning, or database management.
Anabel Villalobos
1
Answer
Hesperia, California
Updated
Anabel’s Answer
Hi Ryan,
In my experience it really depends on what you want to do for a living. Of course HTML and CSS are must haves but if you want to go into game development I would highly suggest learning C++ and C# as those are the highest used languages in gaming companies. If you go that route, make sure you also are familiar with Unity and Unreal Engine. If you do not want to go into game development and want more of an e-commerce, business development position I would highly recommend Python, JavaScript, Java, and React. You will also want to be familiar with some sort of database language such as SQL. You can find lots of really cool courses on Udemy and I would wait for the days they have sales because prices will go from 90$ a course to 11$ overnight! Good luck and happy learning!
In my experience it really depends on what you want to do for a living. Of course HTML and CSS are must haves but if you want to go into game development I would highly suggest learning C++ and C# as those are the highest used languages in gaming companies. If you go that route, make sure you also are familiar with Unity and Unreal Engine. If you do not want to go into game development and want more of an e-commerce, business development position I would highly recommend Python, JavaScript, Java, and React. You will also want to be familiar with some sort of database language such as SQL. You can find lots of really cool courses on Udemy and I would wait for the days they have sales because prices will go from 90$ a course to 11$ overnight! Good luck and happy learning!
Shweta V A
Software Engineer
24
Answers
Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India
Updated
Shweta’s Answer
I will suggest Java, java script and python.
Hope this helps!
Hope this helps!
Alok Goel
Machine Learning Engineer
4
Answers
Redwood City, California
Updated
Alok’s Answer
If you are interested in learning programming, data structures, design patterns and practice algorithms, then Java and Python are great languages to start with. They have a lot of practice problems available online and they are widely used in the industry. If you have more interest in frontend/web development then Javascript, HTML, PHP would be more suitable. It is useful to develop deep familiarity in any one language, after that learning other languages becomes much easier.
Himanshu Nigam
1
Answer
Frisco, Texas
Updated
Himanshu’s Answer
Hi Ryan,
Since you are yet to start learning programming languages. I would recommend you to learn a general programming language which can be either Java, C# or Python.
Pick one and master it. Write simple programs, then complex one, then applications, then run applications on mobile devices or on application for robots. There are no limits. Once you learn one language you will understand that same principles apply in most of the languages.
So please don't hesitate and pick one and practice it. Sometime lots of options can be confusing. Since you mentioned Python in your pick list use that and start learning it. And Practice Practice Practice :)
Good luck!
Start learning Python programming language
Since you are yet to start learning programming languages. I would recommend you to learn a general programming language which can be either Java, C# or Python.
Pick one and master it. Write simple programs, then complex one, then applications, then run applications on mobile devices or on application for robots. There are no limits. Once you learn one language you will understand that same principles apply in most of the languages.
So please don't hesitate and pick one and practice it. Sometime lots of options can be confusing. Since you mentioned Python in your pick list use that and start learning it. And Practice Practice Practice :)
Good luck!
Himanshu recommends the following next steps:
Brett Padalecki
1
Answer
San Francisco, California
Updated
Brett’s Answer
Ryan,
It also depends on if you want to specialize in a area too. Such as Front-End, Back-End or Full-Stack. If its Front-End, I would recommend core JavaScript fundamentals with React. If Back-End, strength in Python, Go & Java are core languages. Hope that helps :-)
It also depends on if you want to specialize in a area too. Such as Front-End, Back-End or Full-Stack. If its Front-End, I would recommend core JavaScript fundamentals with React. If Back-End, strength in Python, Go & Java are core languages. Hope that helps :-)
Jordi Adoumie
Consulting and Product Management
5
Answers
New York, New York
Updated
Jordi’s Answer
Choose whatever language seems the least daunting to pick up at first. Python seems to be popular because it is more intuitive to learn and you can do some pretty neat stuff fairly quickly. I started by using Python in a statistics/data science course and loved it! I felt like it allowed me to understand the basics of programming without having to work too hard (if at all) to know how computers work. Since then learning other languages (Java, C, C++, etc.) was definitely a lot easier.
The trade-off is that Python hides a lot of the lower level implementation of CS languages, so I think eventually it is a good idea to learn a lower level language like C. Java is somewhere in between C and Python in terms of simplicity to understand and CS knowledge required to start learning and building cool stuff :). When people say things like,"low-level language", what they mean is that you as a programmer will actually have to understand a bit more about how the hardware of a computer works. For example, you'll need to develop an understanding of how computer memory works (static data section, stack, heap, etc.) to be an effective C programmer and be able to use all that the language has to offer (pointers, dereferencing, etc.) effectively. Don't worry if this stuff doesn't makes sense for now (it should not) - it's just important to know that languages like Python and even Java have done a great job at abstracting away a lot of the nitty gritty details of how software interacts with and utilizes various computer resources (i.e. computer hardware).
Overall: I'd recommend starting with Python, Java, or javascript. If you are really interested in web applications, maybe javascript would be a good way to go. If you're more interested in back-end systems programming, maybe Python or Java. At the end of the day, you can't go wrong! Once you learn one, the others will be much easier to understand!
The trade-off is that Python hides a lot of the lower level implementation of CS languages, so I think eventually it is a good idea to learn a lower level language like C. Java is somewhere in between C and Python in terms of simplicity to understand and CS knowledge required to start learning and building cool stuff :). When people say things like,"low-level language", what they mean is that you as a programmer will actually have to understand a bit more about how the hardware of a computer works. For example, you'll need to develop an understanding of how computer memory works (static data section, stack, heap, etc.) to be an effective C programmer and be able to use all that the language has to offer (pointers, dereferencing, etc.) effectively. Don't worry if this stuff doesn't makes sense for now (it should not) - it's just important to know that languages like Python and even Java have done a great job at abstracting away a lot of the nitty gritty details of how software interacts with and utilizes various computer resources (i.e. computer hardware).
Overall: I'd recommend starting with Python, Java, or javascript. If you are really interested in web applications, maybe javascript would be a good way to go. If you're more interested in back-end systems programming, maybe Python or Java. At the end of the day, you can't go wrong! Once you learn one, the others will be much easier to understand!
Thank You So Much for the Advice
Alison Chang
Software Engineer
8
Answers
Sunnyvale, California
Updated
Alison’s Answer
Python, Java, and C++ are the languages I've seen commonly used for interviews and at many tech companies. I personally enjoy Python because the syntax is often more similar to English, which cuts out some of the boilerplate text and lets you focus on what the code is really doing. When I applied for full time SWE positions, I used Python for my tech interviews because that was the language where I was most familiar and confident.
Once you've learned a few languages, it also becomes less crucial which particular ones you know, since you'll have a sense of common concepts (variable types, data structures) across languages. You'll often then pick up new languages during a particular project or job, so don't worry too much about knowing specific ones.
Once you've learned a few languages, it also becomes less crucial which particular ones you know, since you'll have a sense of common concepts (variable types, data structures) across languages. You'll often then pick up new languages during a particular project or job, so don't worry too much about knowing specific ones.
Atul Bhankharia
Sales
476
Answers
Mount Laurel, New Jersey
Updated
Atul’s Answer
My son works in the high tech industry.
He uses Python and Javascript which is widely popular today.
He is in the industry for 5 years and also has the knowledge of other languages.
Dont limit yourself - more you know better it is for you to land multiple offers.
Be aware that you have to pass test of big companies like Amazon, Google and others before they consider you for a job at these places.
Many years ago, I wrote in C and Assembly language which is not used too often today.
He uses Python and Javascript which is widely popular today.
He is in the industry for 5 years and also has the knowledge of other languages.
Dont limit yourself - more you know better it is for you to land multiple offers.
Be aware that you have to pass test of big companies like Amazon, Google and others before they consider you for a job at these places.
Many years ago, I wrote in C and Assembly language which is not used too often today.