No doubt, 2020 was one of the most challenging years in history, in view of the COVID-19 global pandemic. Whole economies collapsed. Entire businesses closed down, laying off millions of employees.
However, one industry still stands. The tech industry has been on an upward trend since pre-COVID-19 days.
This is not hard to understand why. Technology has been on an upward trend for at last 3 decades, and has even escalated in 2020 in view of the high demand for technical skills like software engineers, software developers, coders, web developers, mobile app developers, and computer programmers, occasioned by the "Stay-At-Home" work model brutally wrought by the global pandemic.
Comes as no surprise since commuting and brick-and-mortar type work is being replaced by "Work-At-Home" type work.
This accords an unprecedented boon for developers, software engineers, and computer programmers.
Here are top programming languages for 2021:
1. Python
As if this was surprise. Python continues to dominate as the top programming languages for several years. Python is widely considered easy to learn, due to its simple syntax, a large library of standards and toolkits, and integration with other popular programming languages such as C and C++.
In fact, it’s the first language that students learn at top universities taking Computer Science or some other related course.
“You can cover a lot of computer science concepts quickly, and it’s relatively easy to build on.”
It is a popular programming language, especially among startups, and therefore Python skills are in high demand worldwide.
The language is easy-to-learn and offers a clean and
well-structured code, making it powerful enough to build a decent web
application.
Python can
be used for web and desktop applications, GUI-based desktop applications,
machine learning, data science, artificial intelligence, and network servers. Python enjoys immense community support and offers several open-source libraries,
frameworks, and modules that make application development a walk in the park.
For
instance, Python offers Django and Flask, popular libraries for web development
and TensorFlow, Keras, and SciPy for data science applications.
Though Python has been around for a while (1991 precisely), it makes sense to learn the language in 2021, as it can help you get a job or a freelance project quickly, thereby accelerating your career growth.
2. Java
Java is celebrating its 25th birthday this year and has been one of the most popular programming languages used for developing server-side applications. Java is a popular choice for developing Android apps as it can be used to create highly functional programs and platforms. It's also popular in the FinTech world where security, safety and scalability are paramount.
This object-oriented programming language does not require a specific hardware infrastructure, is easily manageable, and has a good level of security. Moreover, it is easier to learn Java in comparison to languages such as C and C++. No wonder, nearly 90 percent of Fortune 500 firms rely on Java for their desktop applications and backend development projects according to InfoWorld.com.
3. Kotlin
The documentation says that Kotlin is a cross-platform, statically typed, general-purpose programming language with type inference. Kotlin is designed to interoperate fully with Java, and the JVM version of Kotlin's standard library depends on the Java Class Library, but type inference allows its syntax to be more concise. Kotlin mainly targets the JVM, but also compiles to JavaScript (e.g., for frontend web applications using React) or native code (via LLVM).
The effortless interoperation between Java and Kotlin makes Android development faster and enjoyable. Since Kotlin addresses the major issues surfaced in Java, several Java apps are rewritten in Kotlin. For instance, brands like Coursera and Pinterest have already moved to Kotlin due to strong tooling support.
As most businesses move
to Kotlin, Google is expected to promote the language more than Java. Hence,
Kotlin has a strong future in the Android app development ecosystem.
Kotlin is an easy-to-learn, open-source, and swift language for Android app development that removes any adoption-related barriers. You can use it for Android development, web development, desktop development, and server-side development. Therefore, it’s a must-learn language for programmers and Android app developers in 2021.
4. JavaScript/NodeJS
JavaScript is the most popular programming language for building interactive websites. When combined with Node.js, programmers can use JavaScript to produce server-side code as well as client-side apps that run on the browser. JavaScript/NodeJS can be used to build games and communication applications that run directly in the browser.
JavaScript/NodeJS is compatible with several other programming languages, and allows you to create animations, set up buttons, and manage multimedia.
Due to its high speed and regular annual updates, NodeJS is the ultimate choice in the IT world for applications that need to run on the server as well as in the browser.
Big Tech firms like Netflix, Uber, PayPal, and several startups use avaScript/NodeJS to create dynamic web pages that are secure and fast.
The 2018 Developer Skills Report by HackerRank indicates that JavaScript is
the top programming skill required by companies today.
5. C#
Microsoft developed C# in 2000, as a faster and more secure variant of C and also the answer to Java. The two languages are similar, although C# engineers have since extended the language in a different directions and added many features not found in Java.
C# is fully integrated with Microsoft’s .NET software framework, which supports the development of applications for Windows, browser plug-ins, and mobile devices. C# offers shared codebases, a large code library, and a variety of data types.
The learning curve for C# is not as steep as learning C++ or even C.
Common uses: C# is the go-to language for Microsoft ad Windows application development. It can also be used for mobile devices and video game consoles using an extension of the .NET Framework called Mono.
6. C
Along with Python, Kotlin and Java, C forms a “good foundation” for learning how to program. As one of the first programming languages ever developed, C has served as the foundation for writing a host of more modern languages such as AWK, csh, C++, C--, C#, Objective-C, D, Go, Java, JavaScript, Julia, Limbo, LPC, Perl, PHP, Pike, Processing, Python, Rust, to name a few. It is also an easy language to debug, test, and maintain.
Being an older programming language, C is not suitable for more modern use cases such as
websites or mobile applications. C has a steep learning curve, and also has a complex syntax as compared to
more modern languages.
Common
uses: Because it can run on any type of device, C is often used to
program hardware, such as embedded devices in automobiles and medical devices
used in healthcare.
7. C++
Otherwise known as "C with Classes", C++ is a general-purpose programming language created by Bjarne Stroustrup as an extension of the C programming language. The language has expanded significantly over time, and modern C++ now supports object-oriented, generic, and functional features in addition to facilities for low-level memory manipulation.
C++ also works well for multi-device and multi-platform systems. Over time, programmers have written a large set of libraries and compilers for C++. Being able to use these utilities effectively is just as important to understanding a programming language as writing code, Gorton says.
Like C, C++ is often blamed for having a complex syntax and an abundance of features that can make it complicated for
new programmers to learn. C++ also does not support run-time checking, which is a disadvantage since runtime error detection while software is running is an important feature for debugging.
Common
uses: C++ has many uses and is the language of choice for everything from computer
games to mathematical simulations.
8. Go
Also referred to as Golang, Go is a programming language developed by Google to be an efficient, readable, and secure language for system-level programming. It works well for distributed systems, in which systems are located on different networks and need to communicate by sending messages to each other. While it is a relatively new language, Go has a large standards library and extensive documentation.
Go has not gained
widespread use outside of Silicon Valley. One drawback is that Go does not include a library for
graphical user interfaces, which are the most common ways that end-users
interact with any device that has a screen.
Common uses: Go is used primarily for applications that need to process a lot of data. In addition to Google, companies using Go for certain applications include Netflix, Twitch, and Uber. For this reason, Go is used alongside other languages like C++ where advanced features like graphical libraries are required.
9. TypeScript
TypeScript offers a complete description of each component of the code and can be used for developing large applications with a strict syntax and fewer errors.
Further, it is
well-structured and easy to learn. Its extended toolbox makes application
development quick. Owing to the benefits it offers, TypeScript is expected to
supercede JavaScript in 2020 and beyond, making it one of the most sought-after programming
languages in the future.
10. R
R is a programming language primarily developed for statisticians and data miners for developing statistical software and data analysis.
The language is extensible and runs on many operating platforms, including Windows, Linux, and a dozen other operating systems. Many large companies have adopted R in order to analyze their massive data sets, therefore programmers who know R are in great demand.
Drawbacks: R does not have the
strict programming guidelines of older and more established languages.
Common
uses: R is primarily used in statistical software products.
11. Swift
Swift is a general-purpose, multi-paradigm, compiled programming language developed by Apple Inc. designed for macOS, iOS, watchOS, tvOS and beyond. It i used for developing applications for Mac computers and Apple’s mobile devices, including the iPhone, iPad, and Apple Watch.
Since Swift has all the features of a modern programming language, it has a highly readable syntax, runs code quickly, and can be used for both client-side and server-side development.
However, Swift can only be
used on newer versions of iOS 7 and will not work with older applications. As a
newer programming language, the code can be unstable sometimes, and there are
fewer third-party resources available to programmers.
Common
uses: Swift
is used for iOS and macOS applications.
12. PHP
This list cannot be complete without a mention of PHP.
PHP is a general-purpose scripting language especially suited for web development. It was originally created by Danish-Canadian programmer Rasmus Lerdorf in 1994.
As an older web development language, PHP has a large ecosystem of users who have produced frameworks, libraries, and automation tools to make the programming language easier to use. PHP code is also easy to debug.
Over the years, PHP has suffered a gradual decline in certain areas of web development, as the demand for Python and JavaScript programmers increases. PHP is also known for its security vulnerabilities.
However, PHP developers are still in high demand, especially developers who have experience with popular development flameworks like CakePHP, Symfony, CodeIgniter, Laravel, Yii Framework, Phalcon, Zend Frameworknd, and WordPress.
According to Indeed, most PHP programmers take
short-term roles that last less than one year.
Common
uses: PHP
is the code running content-oriented websites such as Facebook, WordPress, and
Wikipedia.
Now in its version 8, PHP isn't expected to go away any time soon. Not with PHP still powering nearly 61.8% of the web.
