Have a problem starting the process of achieving your goal of becoming a web developer this year because you’re intimidated by all the work it would take to learn all those programming languages? I totally understand! I had the same issues a few years back.
But here’s the good news. I overcame it, and you can too!
What You Need to Know
It is a fact that getting into the world of programming can be quite intimidating. With the hundreds of programming languages in the industry, one could very easily get overwhelmed. Especially when one has no previous experience.
Here’s the trick though. You don’t need to understand every programming language in the web dev space. Hell, there is no one who truly does. Not even the biggest experts in the industry!
What you need is to know a handful of languages enough to be considered a proficient developer, and then you could work your way from there.
There is always that big question though ─ which programming language or languages should I start with? Well, I’ve got you on that as well!
Choosing the Right Programming Language As a Beginner Web Developer
Choosing the right programming language to start with can be a bit tricky. While you want to pick something relatively easy for a start, you want to also make sure it is also something you can make use of.
There are C things to consider when choosing your first programming language:
- Ease of Learning
Here is one of the major things you want to consider, especially if you are a novice. You don’t want to start with something too complex and then end up overwhelmed because you can’t see any progress.
- Usability
Not all programming languages are “useful”. At least, not for what you are interested in. You are a web developer, or at least looking to become one. You want to make sure whatever programming language you would be learning would be useful in this aspect.
Furthermore, you also want to make sure you are not learning a programming language because what’s the use of spending months learning something the world has moved on from?
- Demand
Now, this might be a bit of a controversial one, but I believe it is as important as the other two mentioned above.
You want your first programming language to afford you quite a bit of demand in the market. You don’t want to spend months learning a programming language, get proficient in it, then enter the industry to find there is little to no demand for it; so you have to take that into consideration as well.
Taking all these into consideration, here are the best 3 programming languages for individuals looking to become web developers.
Best 3 Programming Languages for (Beginner) Web Developers
- JavaScript
There is no doubt about it. JavaScript is the Godzilla of the programming languages where web development is concerned ─ the indisputable king. There is practically no web developer, at least not one who’s worth his/her salt, who isn’t proficient in the use of this language, at least to an extent.
From demand to usability to ease of learning, JavaScript ticks all the right boxes wonderfully.
All this is not why it is at the top of this list, though. That is thanks to one interesting fact ─ JavaScript can be used to create both the frontend and backend of websites, web applications, AND mobile apps. So with just this single programming language, you’ve got quite the options!
- Python
JavaScript might take the win when we are considering popularity in the web development space, but when we are talking as a programming language overall, python is definitely king. And this is exactly why it is a great choice for beginner web developers.
While JavaScript might be a great programming language for web development, Python is a great programming language period. Highly versatile and in-demand, this programming language can be used for almost anything. From web and app development to artificial intelligence to hacking, there is almost nothing this programming language can’t be used for. Those are some incredible opportunities you have as a beginner web developer proficient in using Python.
Python tops things up with having a very huge community, and this makes learning the language much easier than it would have been otherwise. Any problem you might encounter while learning this language, chances are, thousands of others have experienced the exact same thing one time or the other in their life. Spend just a couple of minutes online, and you would find a solution.
- PHP
Now, here is a rather controversial opinion, but since I am telling you what I think, I would say it nonetheless ─ PHP is one of the best programming languages for web development ever.
Well, technically that’s not true. Since PHP is more a scripting language than a programming language, it shouldn’t really be on a list like this. But since we are in the 21st century and no one takes technicalities too seriously, I’d say it’d fit in just fine.
There is just a lot to just LOVE about PHP. From how easy it is to create fully functional web apps with this language to how easy it is to learn, PHP is definitely at the top of my list of best programming languages for beginner web developers to learn.
There is also the fact that this programming language is literally powering up half the internet. Even WordPress, the world’s biggest and most popular web application, runs on this language.
And while people would often tell you PHP is not useful for much as a developer, remember you are just starting out and just learning the ropes. What you need right now is to get swinging and know your way around, actually developing. PHP is good for that. You can think of complexity later.
So there you have it. My top three picks for best programming languages for web development. Choose which you think is best suited for you and get cracking. You’d be surprised with where you would be in just a few months if you are diligent.
Good luck!
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