Today, we will step a bit out of the comfort zone. While on a typical day we concern ourselves with everything web design (read HTML & CSS), we will take a much broader stance with this post. Since web design is part of programming, we will burst out of the cocoon, and look at the ten (10) programming languages you should learn in 2015 to add a little flavor to your resume.
Without a doubt, learning additional programming languages will also improve your skill-set, in turn making you invincible in the job market. But is it possible to learn ten (10) programming languages in a single year?
Well, that depends on your abilities, but instead of freaking out and consecutively slacking off, you should endeavor to take one step at a time – learn one programming language at a time before moving on to the next.
Feel free to mix things up depending on how your learning faculties are set up, just don’t push it. Best is to exert yourself the right way, and learn one language after the other. That out of the way, which ten (10) programming languages should you look to learn in 2015 going forward?
Aside: This post assumes you have some background in basic web development. We are assuming you know your way around HTML (or HTML5) and CSS (or CSS3). We are also assuming you’re an astute web developer who loves building stuff at all times.
Java
Developed in the ’90s by Sun Microsystems, Java is a highly popular programming language that has been widely adopted in web development. It’s usage is predominantly seen in the making of mobile applications, games and even the now-popular Android OS.
Java works on multiple platforms since it’s quite versatile, which should explain the every-growing popularity. You can start your Java lessons over at Oracle.com, Udemy and LearnJavaOnline.
PHP
PHP simply means Hypertext Preprocessor, an opensource scripting language that’s widely used on Linux web servers. It is a server-sided programming language, which means applications made using PHP need server resources to run.
PHP is extensively used to run dynamic websites such e-commerce sites, social networking sites such as Facebook and so much more. It’s also the programming language behind great CMS applications such as WordPress. Learn more about PHP at PHP.net, Treehouse and Zend Developer Zone.
JavaScript
You’ve probably heard a thing or two about JavaScript. Perhaps you’ve even used it to create animations on websites and stuff like that. Developed by Netscape, JavaScript is a derivative of another programming language known as C (more about this later). Designers just like you use JavaScript to build interactive web applications among other things. You can learn all about JavaScript at Learn-JS.org, Codecademy and Code School.
Python
Don’t let the name intimidate you, Python is a user-friendly and fairly easy to learn language making it a favorite for many a beginner. It uses compact yet easily readable syntax, making it a darling to both beginner and experienced developers who need to create powerful applications without writing many lines of code.
For this very reason, Python is in high demand in 2015 and beyond. It powers web applications such as Pinterest, Instagram, Google search engine, NASA and Yahoo! just to mention a few. Learn more about Python at Python.org, LearnPython.org and Lynda.com.
C
This is the mother of programming languages such as JAVA, C#, C++, Python and JavaScript. Programmers mainly use the C language to build embedded applications as well as operating systems.
Some experts recommend learning the C language first as a foundation for the other languages. Check out Learn-C, Learn C The Hard Way and TutorialsPoint for great tutorials on C.
C++
When the guys behind C decided to improve on the language, they had no idea it would lead to the birth of a totally new programming language. So C++ was born and today, it powers video games, servers, systems and application software such as Adobe programs, the Firefox browser as well as the Winamp media player. You can learn more about C++ at CPlusPlus.com (I started here), CProgramming.com and LearnCPP.com.
Ruby
I have a little experience with Ruby, but I can confidently tell you that – just like Python – it’s very user friendly and versatile to say the least. The developers behind the Ruby project had one thing and only one thing in mind – to build a simple and powerful programming language that would lather well with beginners and pros alike.
It’s the force behind powerful projects such as Github, Shopify, Scribd and the Ruby on Rails framework. You will find awesome Ruby tutorials at RubyMonk, Code School an TryRuby.org among others.
SQL
SQL (or Structured Query Language in full) has been around since the ’80s. The language is mainly used in conjunction with other languages mainly for its querying power.
Thanks to SQL’s query function, applications can search and retrieve information from relational databases. Would you like to learn more about SQL? Who wouldn’t? Check out SQLzoo.net, SQLcourse.com and TutorialsPoint.com.
Objective-C
Apple had to set themselves apart in the market, and for that, they needed a programming language that wasn’t in use all over the place. Therefore, they adopted a rather out-moded programming language known as Objective-C and built their famous operating system around it.
Objective-C is an object-oriented and general purpose scripting language that powers iOS, OS X and iPhone apps. You can learn about Objective-C at Mac Developer Library, Mobile Tuts+ and Cocoa Dev Central.
C#
Microsoft had to do their thing as well, so they developed C# (pronounced C-sharp) to power the .NET platform. This programming language borrows heavily from C and C++, and is the underlying framework that supports a wide range of Windows and Microsoft programs. You can learn all about C# at Microsoft Virtual Academy, Udemy.com and TutorialsPoint.com among others.
And here we are…
Ten (10) programming languages in but we have to stop there today. All these languages are in high demand in 2015 going forward. Where will you start? Just pick one that piques your interest the most and move on from there. One at a time 🙂 Have something to add to the discussion? Share with us in the comments!
