Deirdre O'Brien • Friday, May 20, 2022
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Deirdre O'Brien, SEO & Marketing
Deirdre is an experienced marketer and SEO expert who is passionate about creating content for everyone except herself! She previously worked as Head of Content & Publishers for a Marketing Tech Startup where she led paid and organic content strategy for a large portfolio of DTC brands.
When deciding to become a software engineer, there is a lot to consider. But by far, the biggest challenge you’ll be faced with right off the bat is learning the ropes of a programming language. It is no easy task, and the last thing you want to do if you’re going to put aside precious time and energy that is needed to acquire a technical new skill, you should be sure that the language you choose to focus your efforts on is one the most in-demand programming languages on the market.
But how do you know what language to start with? Well firstly, there’s a more programming language in the world than you probably guessed. It is reported that there are close to 9,000 programming languages out there.
Ok, so that might be hard to believe, and we agree. But just like verbal languages(there are over 7,000 of those on earth, also very hard to conceive) may have been created and iterated over the years but are sparsely used by today's modern standards.
So, with so many options out there, which coding language should you spend your time perfecting? Firstly, knowing the type of role you want to end up in, and what languages are most in demand for the industry, is absolutely crucial.
Here, we’ll give you a rundown of the top 5 most popular programming languages in terms of use, the demand for talent, and annual income.
1. Javascript
The foundation of this widely-used programming language was created in 1995 and was initially known as LiveScript. However, Java was a very popular coding language in the 90s, so JavaScript became known as the“younger brother” of Java. However, through the years it has shredded its little brother status among developers and evolved to be a fully independent language in its own right.
In a nutshell, JavaScript is a scripting language that is most commonly used to make web pages interactive. It’s text-based, written in HTML, and run through a web browser. JavaScript is also used to manage the behavior of web pages. With it, coders can create web components such as animated graphics, interactive maps, and clickable buttons, to name a few.
JavaScript is by far the most popular programming language in the world and has been consistently in high demand. It’s estimated that 97% of all websites use JavaScript in some way, so you can be sure that there will always be jobs on offer for JavaScript developers. JavaScript is also widely recognized as one of the easiest programming languages to learn, add the good news is that it requires almost no prior coding knowledge to get started!
What this language is mostly used for:
- Front-end Web development
- Game development
- Mobile apps
The average JavaScript developer earns around $112,152 each year.
2. Python
Just after Javascript, Python is the second most commonly used programming language in the world. Its popularity has soared in the last 5 years particularly(18-19% to be exact).
On widely used platforms like Github and Stack Overflow, Python ranks as the most popular coding language. Like JavaScript, it is renowned as one of the easier programming languages to grasp thanks to its use of common words and expressions. Furthermore, Python is a great choice for beginners as the language comes with a robust library that supports common commands and tasks. The language is most notably used for web development, software development, Machine Learning, Artificial Intelligence, and Data Science.
It is used by NASA and Reddit, and some of the largest platforms in the world were developed using Python, including Youtube and Google Search.
While it’s hard to pinpoint the exact ebbs and flows of the job market, you can bet that knowing Python will open up a lot of career doors for you, depending on your area of interest, of course. Companies seeking Full-stack developers almost always list Python as a required language.
What Python is used for:
- Back end development
- Data science
- App development
Python is without a doubt a coding novice’s dream, however, more experienced developers with a little more tenure can also benefit greatly from mastering this coding language. Over 50% of hiring managers seeking candidates voiced that being fluent in Python is essential for the role, making it one of the most marketable and in-demand programming languages of 2022.
Python developers earn average annual salaries of about $109,092.
3. Java
Not to be mistaken for its once similar namesake, as mentioned before, JavaScript and Java are 2 separate languages entirely.
Owned by Oracle Corporation, it has become a standard for applications that can be used regardless of platform ( Mac, Windows, Android, iOS, etc.) because of its Write Once, Run Anywhere (WORA) capabilities. Java is used for its portability across platforms, and today, there are more than 3 billion devices running applications built with Java.
Out of the 3 we discussed in this article, Java is probably the trickiest to learn. However, it is so commonly used in web and app development and also on the back end of several heavy-hitter sites like Amazon, Twitter, and YouTube, making it by far the most trending programming language and therefore making anyone who knows it well a hot commodity in the job market.
What this language is used for:
- E-commerce
- Finance
- App development
Java is also known for having top-notch security and a welcoming online community that's always on hand to offer support and help with any queries.
The average Java developer earns around $109,225 each year.
How Codiga Can Help
At Codiga, we have designed a number of helpful tools that are all designed to support both junior and senior engineers in their day-to-day working life, as well as with their own professional development.
Most notably, our Coding Assistant tool contains innovative new features, Smart Code Snippets, that make finding, sharing, and storing code snippets a breeze.
Coding Assistant and Smart Code Snippets support 10 plus languages, listed here, and couldn’t be easier to use. Once you have installed one of our easy plugins for your respective IDE, you can source coding patterns that can be used as the foundation, or building blocks, of any task or project. On the Codiga Hub, you can find Smart Code Snippets that will then populate directly in your IDE, mitigating the need for you to navigate around multiple environments. You can also create, store and share your own Smart Code Snippets, either privately, publicly, or with your specified teams.
Learning the ropes of a new language can be intimidating, but finding the right tools to aid you on your education journey can help relieve some of the stress. Read more about Smart Code Snippets here, or if you’re interested in learning about anything we do at Codiga, hit us up on Discord!