Coding languages are ever-evolving just like any other professional area. Some technologies become top-rated, some loose their prime positions and it’s no longer wise to spend time learning them. For a tech newbie striving to learn programming, it might be a bit complicated to figure out which technology to choose. Let me help you out.

Top 5 programming languages to learn

Platform: Web, Mobile, Desktop

What‘s the technology about

This is one of the top programming languages in the world. Java was created back in 1995 and now it’s owned by the global tech giant Oracle. It’s an object-oriented language that is widely used virtually everywhere. What makes it stand out is that this is the technology for large server-side enterprise-level applications. It is very secure and portable as well as highly structured. Java is widely used by huge IT corporations, including Google, Amazon, and Twitter, just to mention a few. Java coding skills have been in high demand for several years running and still are.

Where to learn

1) https://codegym.cc/
2) https://www.pluralsight.com/courses/java-fundamentals-language

Platform: Web, Desktop

There are three core things that make Python a rock star technology to learn. First, it’s free and open-source. Second, it’s readable which makes it one of the easiest programming languages to learn. And third, this is the technology behind the high-demanded areas of Data Science and Machine Learning. The shortage of skills and professionals here is very high. Moreover, Python has powerful modules for GUI-based apps which is quite handy for visually loaded projects.

Where to learn

1) https://www.learnpython.org/
2) https://learnpythonthehardway.org/book/


Platform: Web, Mobile, Desktop, Server

Kotlin is a relatively new programming language. It was first officially released in 2016 and it’s much like a junior brother of Java. It was actually aimed at outperforming the elder one. But I would say there’s still a way to go. Kotlin is widely used for Android development. And it is highly supported by Google. But it’s quite a recent story so some tools that Java already has are still to be re-created for Kotlin. Nevertheless, some major companies like Coursera or Pinterest prefer Kotlin over anything else. A newbie might find Kotlin a little complicated. But if you learn Java first and then polish your skills with Kotlin you’ll be much higher than the average developer.

Where to learn

1) https://www.udemy.com/course/kotlin-for-java-developers/
2) https://kotlinlang.org/docs/koans.html


Platform: Mobile (iOS and macOS apps, specifically)

This programming language is a successor to the well-known Objective-C, the technology behind the Apple world. The company released Swift in 2014, just like Kotlin it’s a relatively new code language but it is already very much in demand. Tech giants like WordPress, SoundCloud, or Mozilla FireFox use Swift for their iOS apps. With the decay of Objective-C, Swift became the official language for iOS and macOS development.

Where to learn

1) https://www.udemy.com/course/coreml-course-for-everyone/
2) https://www.codecademy.com/learn/learn-swift


Platform: Cross-platform, including mobile and enterprise software applications

This is a programming language with a history and reputation. It’s a to-go option for Windows development and anything based on the .NET platform. It was created by Microsoft and it is still one of the best ever technologies for enterprise-level development. But not only that! C# is also used in the Unity game engine which in its turn is a top development environment for the gaming industry.

Where to learn

1) https://teamtreehouse.com/library/c-basics-2
2) https://www.udemy.com/course/csharp-tutorial-for-beginners/

There are many options for a newbie to learn programming. As well as there are hundreds of code languages to start with. But the ones reviewed here are the world’s top-rated technologies and they remain this way for years.

For a person who considers starting a career as a software developer, any of the five is a great option. They are in high demand globally and will obviously remain so in the future. If you already have coding skills you can refresh the knowledge or start learning new adjacent technology. Whatever you choose, the important thing is actually to devote regular time to learning. And ask for help when you need it. At a certain moment, you will find yourself coding easily and effortlessly. It might not seem so now at the beginning of the way. But I used to be just like you. So believe me, it is quite achievable to become a great software developer.