10 Most In-Demand Programming Languages Your Team Should Master

Walid Abou-Halloun

Posted by Walid Abou-Halloun Date: Mar 5, 2019 2:00:15 AM

It’s no secret that programming is the future. The number of programming jobs available is set to grow to 119,000 in 2022

In the race to find the candidate with the perfect skills, you might be wondering what programming languages will really set your team apart.

If you want to know the most in-demand programming languages for your team to master keep reading. 

How Do  We Determine the Most In-Demand Programming Languages?

You’re probably wondering what criteria we use to determine the most useful programming language. What makes on language in-demand compared to others?

The answer, as you may have guessed, is complicated. There are a number of factors that determine what the most used programming languages are.

These factors include how much support there is for the language, how accessible the language is, how distinct its features compared to other programming languages and how flexible is it.

1. HTML

This language is an oldie but a goodie. HTML aka Hypertext Markup Language is one of the most popular coding languages. It was created in 1990 and is primarily used to make web pages. 

This language works by using text markups to display information to site visitors. It’s a front-end language that controls anything that the users will work with.

HTML is so popular because it’s easy to learn. In fact, it’s the language most web developers use when they first begin programming. It’s also common as it’s used by every web browser. 

2. R

R is a software development platform and programming language that’s used for computing statistics and developing graphics. It is an open source developed by the R Foundation for Statistical Computing and it’s primarily used by making programs that analyse data. 

Its main feature is its versatility. It can run on MacOS, Windows, and UNIX and can manage a diverse amount of graphical and statistical techniques.

This software became popular because of the increase in data analysis jobs which require skills computing statistics. 

3. Javascript and Typescript

Javascript is a household name among computer programmers. In 2018 survey by Stackoverflow, almost 69% of users used Javascript that year.

And it’s no wonder why as it has the capacity to do anything from building applications to making websites. This flexibility is because it has both front and back-end development capability. This means that it controls what the user sees and the connection between the database and the browser.

Although there are a lot of upsides to using Javascript, it has a major disadvantage: It’s nearly impossible to troubleshoot as its a dynamic language.

In simple terms, a dynamic language doesn’t check the accuracy of the code until the program is running it. This language is especially difficult for beginners who are prone to making errors. 

The good news is you have the option of using Typescript which is a static edition of Javascript.

This version is kind of like an extension of the language that allows you to use the exact same syntax as regular Javascript. Except with Typescript, you can easily troubleshoot before you run it. It’s especially helpful for programmers who are just beginning or who are already familiar with Javascript.

4. C#

This language is an object-oriented programming language. This means that the language focuses on data and not specific actions. Microsoft designed it to develop apps for its net framework but it can be used to make apps for other operating systems by using the Xamarin platform.

The Xamarin platform allows programmers to create applications for iOS and Android. The language is so widely used because it is simpler than other C based languages like C++. This combination of versatility and simplicity makes it one of the most in-demand programming languages.

Demand for C# programmers is predicted to rise because of the increased need for video game and virtual reality programmers. For example, it is the most used language for game development tool Unity.  

5. SQL

As we discussed earlier, a lot of new programming jobs are based on data analysis. Understanding how to interpret, organise, and communicate data can mean the difference between getting the job and being unemployed. The ability to work with data is one of the top skills employers are looking for. 

This makes learning a language like SQL a great idea. SQL or Structured Query Language was created to help you communicate with databases. This language lets you gather and analyse data quickly and easily.

This language is especially important for people working as front-end programmers. As it gives these programmers some back-end knowledge which can give them a competitive advantage.

Though it’s much more limited than other languages on this list in that it can’t be used to build websites or apps, it’s slowly becoming one of the most in-demand programming languages.

6. GoLang

Part of what makes a language in-demand is how versatile it is. And if you’re looking for a language that lets you do a lot of different things, look no further than GoLang or Go.

Google developed Go in 2009 to take the place of languages like C++ and C. Its syntax is easy to understand and assess.

The primary benefit of Go is its speed. It’s perfect for things that require a quick reaction time including web development. 

One of the greatest things about Go is all the resources to learn this language, making it perfect for beginners and experienced programmers alike.  

7. Swift

Swift is a major up and comers on our list. Apple unveiled it in 2014 and it’s become one of the top programming languages of 2018. It was created to take the place of C-based languages like Objective-C and C++.

There are a lot of reasons why Swift has become so successful but its popularity can be boiled down to three factors: its quickness, security, and it’s straightforward. 

Having Swift programmers is important for companies working with iOS and macOS.  

8. Kotlin

If you work with Google and Android, Kotlin is one of the best languages to learn. Both companies provide continued support for this language.

Kotlin is often seen as a new and improved version of Java. You can compile this language on Javascript source code or run it on the Java virtual machine. Kotlin fixes many of the problems people had with Java.

It also has many other attractive features. It gets rid of a lot of error classes making it much safer than traditional Java. It’s also very accessible and simple to learn, especially for people with knowledge of Javascript.

As time goes on, Kotlin is predicted to become more popular and demand will grow – especially among Android app developers. 

9. Elxir

When it comes to app and web development, scalability is key. When you build any program, you need to be prepared for growth. Elxir is the perfect language to do that.

Elxir is the only language on this list that’s designed to create apps that can be maintained easily and scaled. For example, the popular app Discord uses this language and has a great track record of performing well, despite how much it’s grown.

It’s easy to learn and can handle many users at once. It’s also fast and fault tolerant. This means that it’s created to handle mistakes in code very well. If you’ve made mistakes, this code will cope with it rather than crash. 

This language is less popular than many other languages on this list, but it’s a good idea for experienced programmers to learn. Although for programmers, just starting out it may not be the best language because there isn’t really a community which means tutorials and learning materials are scarce.

Over time, many apps will need to be more scalable so demand for a language like Elxir is predicted to increase.

10. PHP

PHP is the language of the internet. No, really it is! Nearly 80% of sites use PHP in some capacity.

Given these facts, learning this language is a necessity if you’re in web development. Part of what makes PHP so widespread is its flexibility. PHP is one of the few languages that can be used for both back-end and front-end design. 

PHP is the rare language that’s easy for beginners to learn but is also more advanced for serious programmers. This makes it one of the top coding languages to learn.

Part of what makes PHP so special is that it can be embedded in HTML. As a result, you’re able to use a simple command to enter into PHP mode. This language also lets you develop anything from software to websites and applications, so there’s no limit to what you can build.

We Can Help You Recruit the Best IT Talent

Knowing the most in-demand programming languages is just one step towards improving the skills of your IT team. The next step is attracting and choosing the right talent.

This may seem like a difficult at first but we’re here to simplify it for you. If you want help building the perfect team contact us today!

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