The Most Important Programming Languages to Learn in 2022

Learning to code can be a daunting task, but knowing which programming languages to focus on can make all the difference. Python is a versatile language that's widely used in various industries, including data science, machine learning, and web development.

Python's simplicity and readability make it an ideal language for beginners, and it's also in high demand by employers. With Python, you can work on projects like data analysis, automation, and even build your own games.

JavaScript is another essential language to learn, especially if you're interested in web development. It's used by over 90% of websites for client-side scripting, making it a must-know for any web developer. JavaScript is also used in mobile and desktop app development, as well as server-side programming with technologies like Node.js.

JavaScript's versatility and widespread use make it a valuable skill to have in your toolkit.

Programming languages are sets of specific rules that allow us to instruct computers to perform tasks. It's impossible to master every programming language out there, so it's essential to be familiar with your options and choose the right coding language for your needs.

Knowing what languages perform best in what circumstances makes choosing the right language much simpler. For example, Go has been growing in popularity due to its ease of use and powerful functionalities in cloud development, scripting spaces, and interoperability.

If you're new to coding, consider starting with languages like HTML and CSS, which are fundamental to web development. JavaScript, Python, and C# are also great choices for beginners, as they're in high demand and have a wide range of applications.

Here's a brief overview of some popular programming languages to consider:

Python is a top choice among developers, thanks to its ease of use and powerful functionalities in cloud development, scripting spaces, and interoperability. It's often compared to Python for some good reasons, after all.

Python has been around since 1991, created by Guido van Rossum, with a main focus on code readability. Its syntax is easy to read, making it a great language to learn.

The average salary for Python developers ranges from $99,000 for entry-level to $140,000 for senior-level. Experienced developers like to use Python because it's ideal for quickly iterating and prototyping products.

Python is versatile and can be used for anything from automation and data analysis to software development. It's even becoming the de facto language for many introductory computer science university classes.

Some of the most popular online Python communities include free, open-source community tools and dedicated Slack and Discord communities. Joining one can help you network with other developers and grow your knowledge.

Here are some of the most in-demand roles that use Python:

C++ is a powerful programming language that takes the advantages of C and adds classes, making it a popular choice in applications, gaming, and animation software development. It supports procedural, generic, and object-oriented programming, along with data abstraction, and is extremely fast.

C++ is an extension of C, designed to work efficiently on games, graphics, and enterprise applications. It's a general-purpose, compiled, and statistically-typed language used for games, web development, and many other things.

The high performance of C++ has made it the top language for use cases requiring fast rendering, including browsers, banking applications, and motion design software. Demand for C++ is also growing, and C++ skills are vital for maintaining existing applications and infrastructure.

C++ is used to build operating systems, browsers, and more. It's the primary language used by Adobe for their products, including Photoshop, and is also used by Figma.

C++ is one of the hardest programming languages to learn, due to its verbose syntax and the need to focus on CPU memory and resource management. However, it gives programmers a high level of control over system resources and memory.

Here are some popular job titles that require C++ skills:

Around 7% of jobs include C++ skills in their job descriptions, and the average salary for well-versed C++ developers in the United States is $132,500.

JavaScript is the most popular programming language to learn, especially for beginners, due to its versatility and widespread use in the industry. It's a great language to start with, and many companies expect developers to have JavaScript experience.

According to the top languages used in 2022, JavaScript reigns supreme, and Python is a close second. TypeScript also held its fourth place position year-over-year.

The best programming languages to learn depend on your specific interests and career goals. For most aspiring coders, JavaScript is a great place to start, and you can always specialize in other languages later.

Here are the top 3 programming languages to learn, based on the list of best programming languages:

Go is a faster language popular for scripting and cloud-based work, and it's gained popularity in recent years due to its ease of use and powerful functionalities. It's often compared to Python for its versatility.

Go has been a top language choice among developers of projects like Docker and Kubernetes for over a decade.

Its ease of use and powerful functionalities in cloud development, scripting spaces, and interoperability have made it a popular choice.

Go saw a sharp increase in use among developers last year, likely due to its ease of use and powerful functionalities in cloud development, scripting spaces, and interoperability.

Ruby/Ruby on Rails is an excellent choice for beginners and experienced developers alike. It's an open-source programming language that's free to use.

Ruby has a friendly and readable syntax, making it feel almost like writing plain English. This is one of the reasons why Rails Girls, a non-profit community, has had global success teaching programming with Ruby.

Ruby on Rails has a mature ecosystem, with a thriving catalog of tools and services that make it easier to build with Ruby, even if you're inexperienced. This is a major advantage for developers who want to build websites and web applications.

The average salary for Ruby Developers is impressive, ranging from $90,000 for entry-level positions to $140,000 for senior-level positions.

Here are some common job titles for Ruby Developers:

Ruby shines when it comes to building web applications, but it can also be used for automation tools, data processing, and desktop apps.

SQL is a language of unparalleled success, becoming an essential skill for all programmers. It's used by companies like NTT DATA, Microsoft, and Accenture.

SQL extracts and organizes data, making it the programming language for data analysis and data science. This language is easy to learn, as you type what you want to be done versus how to do it.

The average salary for a Database Developer or Data Engineer, who specializes in SQL, is quite high. Entry-level salaries start at $75,000, while mid-level and senior-level salaries reach $118,000 and $128,000, respectively.

SQL is typically paired with other skills like data science or data engineering. Only about 2% of Developer job postings include SQL skills. This suggests that SQL is a specialized skill, but one that's in high demand.

If you're interested in learning SQL, you can join online communities like the SQL Community or MySQL Community. These platforms connect developers and provide a wealth of resources and knowledge.

Some of the best roles for SQL include Data Engineer, Database Developer, and Data Scientist. These roles involve managing data, working with databases, and analyzing data to gain insights.

Go has been a top language choice among developers for over a decade, particularly for projects like Docker and Kubernetes.

It's no surprise that Go has seen a sharp increase in use among developers, thanks to its ease of use and powerful functionalities in cloud development, scripting spaces, and interoperability.

Go is a low-level language developed by Google that's extremely beneficial for software engineers who work with system-level programming, rivaling high-performance languages like Java and C++.

Its applications extend beyond DevOps, cloud computing, server-side scripting, and pipeline building to also include machine-learning packages.

Go provides users with a super fast runtime, making it an excellent choice for all kinds of projects.

According to JetBrains, Go is among the top 10 primary languages of professional developers, with a share of 7%.

In 2022, Go was the second fastest-growing language, with its popularity increasing at a rate of 190%.

Developers looking to acquire a new general-purpose language may be wise to turn towards Go instead of less sought-after alternatives like Ruby.

Google, Uber, Twitch, and Dropbox have all adopted Go, making it a language worth considering.

Here's a rough idea of the salary ranges for Go developers:

Go shines at developing APIs, web servers, and web app frameworks, and powers several cloud computing tools, including the popular cloud platform Kubernetes.

The Go community is still relatively small, with two million active developers, but it's growing fast in popularity.

Mobile development continues to dominate, with programming languages like Kotlin and Android, or Dart and Flutter, making it simpler to create mobile applications.

Developers are increasingly using these languages, and it's a trend that's not slowing down, especially with Android mobile applications now running on Windows 11.

Mobile development is a huge field, and learning the right languages can open up a lot of opportunities.

Learning HTML and CSS is a great starting point for web development, and it's essential for creating websites and applications. HTML is the standard language for creating basic web pages, while CSS adds style and layout.

Learning HTML and CSS can also be a valuable skill for non-web developers, as it allows them to communicate better with web developers and appreciate the development process.

HTML and CSS are the building blocks of the web, and learning them can be a game-changer for aspiring coders. HTML is the standard language used to create basic web pages, and CSS is a language used to add style to those pages.

Charlotte O'Hara, a web developer, recommends an HTML/CSS combo as a worthy "best programming language to learn" for aspiring coders. This combo makes up the base of all websites and applications, and thinking of them as building blocks makes them easier to learn.

You can create a lot of value with HTML and CSS skills alone, and charge for it, according to Mazdak Mohammadi, a web developer at BlueberryCloud. He learned HTML as a hobby in 2003 and it eventually grew into a professional career.

HTML and CSS complement each other, giving you a foundation in website structure and design at the same time. This combination is essential for web development, and learning them can open up a lot of career opportunities.

Even if you're not interested in becoming a web developer, HTML and CSS can still be vital skills to add to your tech toolkit. Ulysis Cababan, an SEO Specialist, learned HTML and CSS to communicate better with web developers at his job.

Learning HTML and CSS can give you a greater appreciation of the development process, and the more you learn, the more motivated you'll be to keep learning.

JavaScript is a programming language that controls a site's interactive elements, such as pop-up ads, slideshows, and search field autocompletes. It's a versatile language that's easy to learn and offers incremental levels of depth as your needs and experience increase.

According to James McCarthy, CEO and Lead Developer at Boldtask, JavaScript is an ideal "best programming language to learn" because of its sliding scale of complexity. McCarthy says it's great for beginners and offers advanced features as your skills grow.

JavaScript is a core technology that powers the World Wide Web, and it's used by the vast majority of the web's most popular sites, including Facebook, Twitter, Netflix, and YouTube. These sites use JavaScript to create interactive web pages and dynamically display content.

JavaScript is a must-know language for any web developer, with an increasing demand for dynamic, single-page web applications. In fact, according to Stack Overflow's 2022 Developer's Survey, JavaScript is the most popular language among developers for the tenth year in a row.

Here are some key statistics about JavaScript:

JavaScript is also used in a variety of roles, including Front End Developer, Mobile/Native App Developer, Back-End/API Developer, Artificial Intelligence Engineer, and Data Analyst.

Application development continues to be a thriving field, with many languages and tools at our disposal. Swift, developed by Apple, is a popular choice for building apps for iOS, watchOS, and macOS.

With 57.65 percent of the market share, iOS leads the mobile operating system market in the US, making Swift a language of choice for Apple products. This is evident from the numbers, and it's clear why Swift is expected to reach the top level of programming languages soon.

Companies like Slack, Instagram, Uber, and Robin Hood use Swift, and developers can earn around $100,000 per year in the United States. Apple has a learning resource hub for Swift Developers, making it easier to get started.

Mobile development continues to dominate, with languages like Kotlin and Dart gaining popularity. Kotlin, in particular, is an open-source language that simplifies Android development compared to Java. It's used by 60% of professional Android developers and is estimated to be used in 80% of the top 1,000 Android apps.

Here are some key features of Kotlin:

Kotlin is used by companies like Pinterest, Uber, Trello, and Amazon, and developers can earn around $140,000 per year in the United States.

C# is a versatile language designed for developing apps on the Microsoft platform. It's part of the .Net framework on Windows and is a general-purpose language that is flexible, powerful, and easy to learn.

C# was developed by Anders Hejlsberg in 2000, specifically to be scalable and easy to maintain. You can create web and mobile apps with C#, making it a popular choice for many developers.

The average salary for a C# Developer ranges from $96,000 for an entry-level position to $144,000 for a senior-level position. This is a significant amount, but it's worth noting that it can take three to four months to learn C#, and longer if you're entirely new to programming.

C# is commonly used for web applications, Windows applications, and game development. It's excellent for enterprise web applications that require scalable and reliable web services. You can also use it for creating Windows programs, as it was built by Microsoft.

Some of the most popular online C# communities include the C# Forums and the .NET Developer Community. These resources can be a great starting point for learning C# and connecting with other developers.

Here are some common C# Developer job titles:

Over 11% of Developer job postings look for C# experience, making it one of the top five most in-demand software development skills.