Education & Career Trends: The best programming languages to learn in 2021

Edition: October 7th, 2021
Curated by the Knowledge Team of ICS Career GPS

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• Excerpts from article by Zadhid A. Powell, published on makeuseof.com

Computer Science is an ever-expanding field. With every aspect of our lives becoming digital, the demand for computer experts is skyrocketing each day.

Programming languages sit at the epicentre of Computer Science. However, it can be daunting and confusing for you to decide which language you should learn from among the hundreds available out there.

Here are some of the most recommended programming languages to learn in 2021:

1. JavaScript

• JavaScript is by far the most used programming language in the world. 
• Nearly any website you visit, be it Facebook, Google, or YouTube, uses JavaScript in its infrastructure.
• To add dynamism and interactivity to your website’s front end, JavaScript is a must.
• Add to that its various frameworks, such as Node.js, and you get a language capable of server-side scripting too.
• You can also build full-scale games in an external game engine or the browser using JavaScript.
• All in all, learning this multi-platform intermediate programming language will be invaluable whether you are just starting or diving deep into the field of Computer Science.

Mainly used for:

1. Front-end and back-end web development
2. Mobile apps
3. Game development

2. Python

• The ever-growing importance of data in business and almost all other sectors has resulted in a meteoric rise in popularity and demand for Python.
• Python’s vast collection of libraries, tools, and frameworks make it a must in the field of Data Science and Machine Learning.
• Along with being exceptional at handling Data, it’s also incredibly versatile.
• From server-side development, web and mobile app development to building machine learning software, there’s nothing Python can’t do.
• Moreover, it’s intuitive and elementary to learn, even for beginners.
• If there’s one language to learn based on its potential and demand in 2021, it is Python.

Mainly used for:

1. Data Science
2. Artificial Intelligence
3. Machine Learning
4. Back-end development
5. Web and mobile app development
6. IOT

3. Go

• Go is short for Golang, and the tech giant Google developed it in 2007 as an alternative to languages like Java, C, and C++.
• Consequently, it has an amazingly short compile-time along with cleaner, smaller syntax, unlike C++ or Java.
• Projects like Kubernetes, Docker, and Blockchain use Go to support multi-threading and concurrent running of processes effortlessly.
• Go is lightweight and excellent for writing network applications.
• Go is one of the best programming languages to learn in 2021 because of its simplicity, speed, dynamism, and rising popularity.

Mainly used for:

1. Graphics
2. Machine Learning
3. Mobile Applications
4. Network and System Programming

4. Java

• Despite being one of the oldest object-oriented programming languages, Java is still one of the most popular and highly sought-after.
• Java is omnipresent in web, Android apps, banking and finance software, desktop, and so on.
• You get scalability, robust memory allocation, numerous libraries, APIs, and high security with Java.
• Java is also wonderfully efficient in handling vast amounts of data and can run on any operating system.
• Java is and will remain relevant and in high demand because of its multitude of efficient features.

Mainly used for:

1. Android App Development
2. Web Development
3. Software
4. Finance and e-commerce

5. Kotlin

• Android is the highest-selling and most used operating system globally, and Google has declared Kotlin as the primary language for Android development.
• It’s a cross-platform general-purpose coding language that gives you full interoperability with Java.
• Kotlin use is increasing in fields such as server-side development, web and cloud development, data science, etc.
• That’s because it has adopted the best practices of other object-oriented languages and remains easy to learn.
• Having Kotlin in your arsenal would go a long way in furthering your career as a developer in 2021.

Mainly used for:

1. Android App Development
2. Software and web development
3. Data Science
4. Server-side development

6. PHP

• A towering server-side application builder in its merit, almost 80% of all websites use PHP. (Tech giants such as Yahoo, Wikipedia, and Facebook value PHP highly.)
• Its syntax is very clear and easy to learn.
• It also offers you many powerful frameworks such as Laravel, making your life even easier.
• PHP is compatible with all prominent databases.
• PHP also packs a punch with loads of automation tools for deploying and testing your applications.
• The PHP developers are working day and night to establish its status to general-purpose programming from a server-side scripting language.

Mainly used for:

1. Backend web development
2. Server-side scripting

7. C#

• C# (pronounced as “C sharp”) is a programming language built by Microsoft and inspired by the C programming language.
• C# is more advanced, dynamic, and fully integrated with the .NET framework.
• Most developers love C# for making 2D and 3D games using the Unity gaming engine.
• It’s pretty prevalent for desktop and mobile app development, too.
• Furthermore, C# is even handy in web development. (You can find noteworthy examples of C# web development on the server-side of Bing and Visual Studio.)
• The demand and growth of C# as a programming language is certainly going to scale with time.

Mainly used for:

1. 2D and 3D game development
2. Web development
3. Desktop and mobile apps
4. VR

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(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in the article mentioned above are those of the author(s). They do not purport to reflect the opinions or views of ICS Career GPS or its staff.)

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