Programming is a great skill for any child to learn and develop. Programming basics are something that anyone who will one day work with computers should have a handle on.
Computer programming language is one of the most valuable skills you can learn in 2021. The topic of choosing the best programming language is highly discussed among developers nowadays. But what exactly is this programming language for? What are some of the best programming languages to learn?
Are you looking to teach your kids how to program? Which programming language is the best base for beginners? The easiest programming language to understand? The best programming language to learn in 2021?
Programming is a great skill for any child to learn and develop. You should make sure your students master the basics of programming in order to be prepared for anything.
Here is an overview of various programming languages for people who are interested in learning to code:
JavaScript
JavaScript is the most used programming language in the world. Even famous social media platforms such as Facebook, Google, or YouTube, use JavaScript in their infrastructure. JavaScript is famous for its various frameworks, such as Node.js, and you get a language capable of server-side scripting too. Not only this, with the use of JavaScript, one can also build full-scale games in an external game engine or the browser using JavaScript. JavaScript is mainly used for Front-end and back-end web development, mobile apps, and developing games.
Python
Python is always recommended if you’re looking for an easy and even fun programming language to learn first. Rather than having to jump into strict syntax rules, Python reads like English and is simple to understand for someone who’s new to programming. This allows you to obtain a basic knowledge of coding practices without having to obsess over smaller details that are often important in other languages.
Python also is ideal for web development, graphic user interfaces (GUIs), and software development. In fact, it was used to build Instagram, YouTube, and Spotify, so it’s clearly in demand among employers in addition to having a faster onboarding.
Though it has its advantages, Python is often thought of as a slow language that requires more testing and is not as practical for developing mobile apps as other languages.
Swift
If you’re interested in Apple products and mobile app development, Swift is a good place to start. First announced by Apple in 2014, Swift is a relatively new programming language used to develop iOS and macOS applications.
Swift has been optimized for performance and built from the ground up to match the realities of modern iOS development. Not only does iOS run on every iPhone and iPad, but it’s also the basis for other operating systems such as watchOS (for Apple Watches) and tvOS (for Apple TVs). In addition, Apple isn’t going anywhere as a tech industry leader, and iOS apps continue to be the most profitable in the mobile app marketplace.
Objective C (For iOS Development)
Objective-C is the primary programming language used by Apple for writing software in OS X and iOS and their respective APIs, Cocoa and Cocoa Touch. It is a general-purpose, OOPs programming language(Object-oriented programming) that adds Smalltalk style messaging to the C language.
Objective-C is a superset of C and inherits syntax, primitive types, and flow control statements of C programming language. It adds syntax for defining classes and methods and provides dynamic runtime capabilities.
Also, it adds language-level support for object graph management and objects literals while providing dynamic typing and binding, deferring many responsibilities until runtime.
Future Prospect of Objective-C
Since most open-source projects of iOS development are written in Objective-C, its relevance and usability are unquestioned. As long as we have iOS development, Objective-C is here to stay and it is highly recommended for beginners in coding.
Both Swift and Objective-C are used for iOS development and both are very easy to learn programming languages. Learning Objective-C is a double bonanza, as it is very easy and quick to pick up Swift if you know Objective-C and vice-versa.
Ruby
Ruby is a dynamic, object-oriented scripting language that is used in the development of websites and mobile apps. It is similar to Python in that it is simple and readable. It is usually focused on web-based applications. It is the language that powers their framework, Ruby on Rails, which is behind websites such as Twitter, Groupon, and GitHub.
It is easy to learn with a helpful 20-minute quick start guide on the official Ruby website. It is straightforward and easy to read with a large community behind it of programmers willing to answer questions. There is a lot of documentation available as well as great resources which will help you to grasp Ruby from the very beginning.
Go
Go is a short form of Golang, and the tech giant Google developed it in 2007 as an alternative to languages like Java, C, and C++. Projects like Kubernetes, Docker, and Blockchain use Go to support multi-threading and concurrent running of processes effortlessly. For beginners, Go is one of the best programming languages to learn in 2021 because of its features such as simplicity, speed, dynamism, and rising popularity. Also, Go is lightweight and excellent for writing network applications. Go is mainly used for graphics, machine learning, mobile applications, network, and system programming.
C#
While C is one of the more difficult languages to learn, it’s still an excellent first language pick-up because almost all programming languages are implemented in it. This means that once you learn C, it’ll be simple to learn more languages like C++ and C#.
Because C is more “machine-level”, learning is great for teaching you how a computer functions. Software Developer Joel Spolsky compares it to understanding basic anatomy before becoming a medical doctor, making it the best way to code efficiently.
In this way, C is an exceptional choice to become a master coder and a talented developer from the get-go if you’re willing to take on the challenge.
Scala
If you’re familiar with Java—a classic programming language in its own right—it’s worth checking out its modern cousin, Scala. Scala combines the best features of Java (such as its Object-Oriented Structure and its lightning-fast JVM runtime environment) with a modern twist.
As a functional programming language, Scala allows engineers to elevate the quality of their code to resemble pure math. Scala allows for concurrent programming, allowing complex procedures to be executed in parallel. Furthermore, it is a strongly typed language. Engineers can create and customize their own data types, allowing them to have peace of mind knowing entire swaths of bugs are impossible at runtime.
C & C++
As a beginner at coding, if you learn C programming, you can learn other programming languages very easily. C programming language is considered the mother of all programming languages. This affects all other high-level programming languages in terms of functionality and execution.
C is often used to program system software and is the lingua franca of Operating Systems. It was mainly used for the development of the UNIX operating system. C is the first programming language with an efficient and flexible memory management system where we can build system-level programs that can directly access system resources like memory and processors.
It is a procedural programming language which follows the pattern of instructions in each program.
Often, it gives the impression of a very difficult language but it is quite easy to learn after you have clarity with its basic concepts like structures, functions, and loops, etc. If you are serious about making a career in programming, start with C and it will sail you through all other languages concepts. C influenced almost every programming language, especially Objective-C and C++.
So, if you master C completely, it would be easier for a beginner in coding to pick up other programming languages.
Furthermore, if you know the basics of C programming, learning C++ is quite easy for you to understand. C++ follows an object-oriented approach and is the latest version of the C programming language. C++ was designed for system programming and is very popular for game development these days.
Future Prospect Of C & C++ Programming Language
C is quite low-level compared to other programming languages, but since it’s the OS lingua franca and many development tools are written in C, including Linux, it will be sticking around.
Hence, it is highly recommended for new coders to learn C & C++!
Blockly
Blockly is a free program that is a basic, visual language. It can be used by everyone, old or young. The user learns to write programs by putting blocks together to create simple functions. Each visual object is also a code object.
The aim of Blockly is to use the blocks to generate readable code which could be in JavaScript or Python etc. This means that once beginners have mastered it they can then move on to more complicated programs. Its straightforward drag and drop function can help you to very easily build apps. You can then export what you make and apply it to actual programming languages.
Its simple setup means that you don’t have to worry about things like syntax errors which can make deciding to learn to code a little less daunting. Blockly is definitely a useful program for anyone who is a bit intimidated by the other languages mentioned.
Conclusion:
Programming is a useful skill for virtually anyone. It teaches you to think about how a process works. It teaches you to think about the steps that are needed to make a process happen and how to solve problems
Transferring your skills from one platform to another is really hard. No matter how good you are at it, it never feels right. Sometimes you have to do it if certain jobs are paying less, or there are just no good candidates available in the area. However, if you have a job that’s giving you an excellent wage, then you should think of switching positions or moving to another field of expertise
The important thing is that your students learn the concepts behind the programming, such as the logic behind writing code, how to use constructs, and tricks of the trade.