What programming language to select in 2021?

A programming language is a set of lexical, syntactic, and semantic rules that people come up with to create programs. You can learn a language and reach the beginner level in 6-10 months, but if you make a mistake with the choice, the language can become outdated, and you will waste time and money.

Is it possible to predict it?

Predicting the world’s most popular languages ​​for the next few years is a daunting task. Often, bold predictions about the dominance of a programming language fail; there are also languages ​​that seem to come out of nowhere to fill a sizable niche (often with little support from a large tech company) fail or become successful all of a sudden.

It is not surprising that in such a situation, the profession of programmers has become one of the leaders of the demanded and highly paid positions. And programming languages ​​have become the first step in mastering this interesting and promising profession.

To an ordinary person, the IT world seems mysterious, incomprehensible, and, of course, full of big money. It can be difficult for a novice developer to choose a certain direction among the many different programming languages since each of them has its own tasks and scope. Some of the most popular modern programming languages ​​are Java, JavaScript, Python, and others. They are worth paying attention to for beginners. 

The most demanded languages ​​in 2021

 Despite the fact that there are about 300 programming languages ​​in the world, for a successful career as a programmer in 2021, it is enough to learn a couple of the most common. Let’s have a look at them.

Python

Python is the most popular, simplest, and most accessible development language. Thanks to its versatility, almost everything can be programmed – both ordinary programs and neural networks. The world market contains millions of such vacancies.

JavaScript

It is also quite an accessible language for web development, but it has its own peculiarities. It is suitable for building cross-platform applications, Android, iOS, and other desktop systems. It has many libraries and tutorials and a huge community.

PHP

PHP is a powerful yet lightweight back-end development language. After 2-3 weeks of training, you can create your blog. It is even more in demand than Python. Moreover, it boasts large teaching libraries.

Java

Java has a rich history, as it was one of the first programming languages. This cross-platform language makes it possible for you to create both desktop applications and server-side programs for websites. But note that it is quite difficult to master. Professional Java programmers receive impressive salaries.

C#

C# is quite popular nowadays as well. It is ideal for working with Windows applications, with products from Microsoft in general, for developing computer games, including on the Unity 3D engine. The salary of developers who know how to work with it is even higher than that of those who know JavaScript.

Kotlin

Kotlin is a great, fast, and easy language for mobile development on Android. Some say it is even better than Java. Compared to other languages, there are not as many vacancies for those who use this language, but salaries are great.

Swift

Swift is a relatively new language from Apple, which has already become quite popular thanks to the development of applications for Apple products. 

How to learn it?

The 2021 newbie has a decent selection of languages ​​to learn. Python and JavaScript are considered the best, but Java is more popular and the salaries are higher here. Where to start and where to learn programming languages? There are 5 steps to learn a language:

• The choice of the field of work, on which the language depends (websites, desktop applications, databases, games, etc.).
• Independent work (it takes about 80% of the training). It’s better to start with the simplest languages. You can learn the syntax, read the guidelines using articles, textbooks, lectures, and video tutorials. Some online or offline courses will do as well.
• Practice. Recollection of what was learned from the materials, writing your own code and understanding someone else’s code, understanding algorithms.
• Specific task. You can get a job as a beginner, an intern, or take any freelance position or task.
• Communication. Be sure to keep in touch with the communities of professionals in your chosen field. There you can ask for help, deepen your skills, and get practical information.

Specialized domestic and foreign universities, offline and online courses for every taste offer to master an interesting and highly paid developer profession. 

Where to find first orders?

You can find the first job for a beginner in IT on job sites, as well as on freelance platforms. At first, you will have to work on your reputation by performing simple and cheap tasks to replenish your portfolio and get positive reviews. The chance to get an expensive and serious project depends on the quality of the portfolio and the rating. Also, do not forget about personal acquaintances at meetups, specialized conferences, and promoting yourself on social networks.