In today’s time, there are so many programming languages present and it is confusing for us to choose between them. Also, before picking any language is important to know about the required knowledge for that language in order to understand it easily. Plus we also want the language to be future-proofed.
In this article, we will explore the top 5 programming languages of 2023 that will be in demand for this year and probably in the coming years as well. We will consider each language based on its application popularity, scalability, use cases, features, learning curve, required knowledge, and limitations. Let’s start with Python, the most famous and likeable language.
Python
Python is a general-purpose programming language used for web development, server-side programming, data analysis, scripting, automation, and more.
Python works well with both relational and non-relational databases. It is suitable for both small and large applications. Apart from this, it is also powerful enough to build data science apps that demand analysis and visualization for voice and facial recognition and much more. It can also be used to develop 3D modelling software and games. It is also best for machine learning.
If you are a new programmer then it is recommended that you choose Python as it has a more simple and compact syntax which eases the learning process and improves programming productivity. Also, unlike other programming languages, there are no curly braces that cause so many syntax errors. However, Python indentation and whitespace are case-sensitive meaning if you misplace your indentation or a single bracket, your code will break. In such cases, new developers find it difficult to troubleshoot errors.
Although Python’s syntax is easy to learn and run, it is not as fast as running applications that need to frequently retrieve data from the server, however, Python provides ways to optimize performance by using external libraries written in languages like C/C++.
Also Read: Node.js vs. Python
JavaScript
JavaScript is one of the top programming languages used for creating client-side and server-side applications. One of the key reasons why JavaScript is so popular is its diversity. There are lots and lots of frameworks and runtime environments built using JavaScript to help extend its capabilities for various purposes.
JavaScript works best with NoSQL databases. But, you can also interact with relational databases by using third-party modules to execute query languages like SQL (Structured Query Language). JavaScript when used in environments like Node.js can also interact with the operating system. It also supports functional programming concepts and can manipulate CSS properties for creating dynamic styles and animations.
Talking about the learning curve JavaScript is easy to learn and use for beginners in comparison to Python and other object-oriented programming languages.
Just like any other thing in the world, there are also some problems with JavaScript, first, different browsers interpret JavaScript code differently meaning we need to test it on different platforms, second is its dynamic nature meaning JavaScript code can stop running even if a single small error occurs which makes the whole application crash so developers require to implement many error-handling techniques to be on the safe side. We also have an article on Javascript error handling, click here to read it.
Note: There is another language similar to JavaScript which is TypeScript. It is a superset of Javascript that adds static typing and other features so you can learn it if you don’t want to go with Javascript.
Also Read: Node.js vs Vanilla JavaScript
Java
Java is an object-oriented programming language used to build a variety of applications such as websites, enterprise software, desktop applications, large-scale projects, Android apps, financial applications, and more.
The Java programming language is secure, stable, and flexible. It can also interact with both relational and non-relational databases. It has gained its name and fame and proved to be a perfect fit for the services industry namely, banking, eCommerce, FinTech, and transportation. Source code written in Java is compiled into bytecode. This means the language is able to perform far better and faster than traditional programming languages. It is considered best by software developers.
Learning Java can be considered more lengthy and complex as compared to other programming languages on this list. Its syntax and development process might be confusing, lengthy and hard to understand for a beginner, however, it also depends upon previous experiences, such as if you already know object-oriented programming languages such as C#, C++, Kotlin, and Swift, switching to Java could feel easier.
Taking about its disadvantages, it consumes high memory in comparison in comparison to other programming languages on this list. Java applications and their operations require more memory due to Java Virtual Machine (JVM) and its object-oriented nature. When deploying a Java application on the cloud, such as Amazon Web Services or Microsoft Azure, where you need to pay a fee for resources like CPU, memory consumption and storage, this can be very costly.
Also Read: Node.js vs Java
PHP
PHP is a scripting language used to build a wide variety of projects including servers, APIs, microservices, websites, and applications. It has the ability to run in the browser as well as on the command line allowing its users to test code directly without the hassle of running it on the web browser.
PHP works best with relational databases but you can also interact with non-relational databases by using additional libraries. It can be embedded in HTML to create dynamic web pages and that’s become the reason why it gained popularity all over the world & the tech space in just a few years. PHP has a huge contribution to the development of the modern website era you are seeing today.
Learning PHP is simple as its syntax is similar to other popular programming languages so if you are already familiar with languages like C++, Java, Rust or Perl, it will be very easy for you to learn PHP.
Taking about its disadvantages, PHP uses a traditional request-response architecture where each request is executed sequentially making it synchronous. Hence it has a blocking I/O model, resulting in higher latency.
Also Read: PHP vs. Node.js
Solidity
Solidity is the most popular blockchain programming language that is personalized exclusively for building smart contracts. It is a relatively new language compared to all of the above.
When it comes to building Ethereum dApp and smart contracts, the applications of Solidity are the ones that steal the show and are largely evident. It draws inspiration from other programming languages like JavaScript, Java, and C++ this is why is it popular among developers. Solidity is also a good choice for Solana and Polkadot.
In this list, it is one of the harder languages to master, not only because it implements object-oriented concepts, but it also introduces some advanced blockchain concepts such as transactions, blocks, smart contracts, etc. It is really really hard to understand for someone who just steps into the world of programming.
This can be a major disadvantage as it requires lots and lots of knowledge of blockchain before learning it to make smart contacts. Also since it is still under development it is not that stable, new updates coming out frequently so it requires regular changes in code.
Also Read: Top 5 Programming Languages to Build Smart Contracts
Conclusion
In this article, we have seen the top 5 in-demand programming languages that are worth learning in 2023. The languages we included in this list are Python, JavaScript, Java, PHP, and Solidity, you can choose any one that suits your present knowledge and future goal. Also, all these are open-source programming languages so you can use them for free to develop your own applications just make sure that once you pick a language stick to it and understand each and every basic concept in it to increase your programming skills which will help you to understand different programming language more easily in future. Hope you have found some good languages to learn.
Read More:
- Beginner’s Guide to Using Git and GitHub
- Assert vs. Require in Solidity – Learn the Difference [Best 2021 Guide]
- NodeJS vs. Ruby On Rails
References
- https://nodejs.org/en/docs
- https://www.python.org/doc/
- https://docs.oracle.com/en/java/
- https://www.php.net/docs.php
- https://docs.soliditylang.org/en/v0.8.21/
