Learning to code is an essential skill in the tech industry. Discover the easiest programming language to learn and why in this simple guide.
Are you interested in starting a career in tech that involves understanding programming languages?
Maybe you’re just interested in adding a new skill to your resume, picking up a new hobby, or change career paths altogether
No matter your reason, programming is an instrumental skill to have. It’s not only great for career opportunities, but it also teaches you more than just how to code.
Learning a programming language enhances critical thinking skills, problem-solving abilities, perseverance and can improve even improve your memory.
Check out these 5 beginner-friendly coding languages you can apply to your newfound learning. But first, let’s define what a programming language is.
What is a Programming Language?
Programming code is a binary computer language that uses symbols, strings, and queries to communicate what it should do to the computer.
There are both low-level and high-level programming languages.
Low-level programming languages are machine-dependant, using binary code (0s and 1s) that can be written very quickly and run fast.
It’s important to know for Machine Learning and allows computers to understand it easily.
High-level programming languages can create user-friendly websites and software programs. While the code is less efficient to write, it allows work to be done more efficiently and is easier to read, write, and maintain. It is also more akin to human language (as compared to computer language).
5 Easiest Programming Languages to Learn and Why
1. Python
Python is a high-level programming language that’s more for general purposes. It’s one of the most popular programming languages globally and can be used to build websites and software, automate tasks, and conduct data analysis.
Why it’s Easy to Learn
This coding language is easy to use for both programmers and non-programmers. It uses a simple syntax which mimics natural language, making it easier to read and understand than other code. It’s also open source and has a large, active community who contribute to its pool of libraries, offering a great resource to new learners.
2. C
One of the longest-standing programming languages, C is a general-purpose language that’s very popular and flexible in its use. It is often used to write applications and Operating Systems, and can offer a great base of knowledge for other coding languages.
Why it’s Easy to Learn
Unlike other code with upwards of 50-60+ keywords, C only uses 32 keywords, making it a simple-syntax language. Since it has been around for so long, any problem you want to solve C will also have a solution online, making it easy to cross-check and compare your work.
3. Ruby
A high-level programming language, Ruby is also general-purpose and is highly portable. It’s great for building desktop apps, static websites, and more. It can even be used for web scraping and crawling, important for SEO and indexing websites.
Why it’s Easy to Learn
Ruby is designed for productivity and fun. Like Python and C, Ruby has a simple syntax, making it one of the easier programming languages to learn. While the language is great for beginners to learn, it can become more complex as you try executing more fanciful commands. It may be easy to learn, but it is difficult to master.
4. Java
Java is another long-standing coding language; it has been around since 1995. One of the first and most famous coding languages in the world, Java uses classes and objects to execute commands, and is based on C. This language has many uses such as apps, servers, and games.
Why it’s Easy to Learn
Java is well-structured and object-oriented, providing a solid framework that makes it an easy-to-learn coding language for beginners. As such a wide-spread programming language, Java has lots of resources for new learners.
5. JavaScript
JavaScript is a text-based scripting language that can be used to create dynamic, interactive website content such as search bars, image carousels, zoom abilities, and the ability to use hamburger menus, on-site animations, and on-page audio/video. Alongside HTML and CSS, JavaScript is one of the core technologies of the internet.
Why it’s Easy to Learn
JavaScript is a high-level interpreted language that can be easily picked up and tested directly in your web browser using the Inspect Element. You can change small pieces of code at a time in Inspect and see how it changes the elements of the page you are on.
5 Hardest Programming Languages to Learn
1. C++
An extension of the general programming language ‘C’, C++ is a cross-platform language that is often used to develop advanced and high-performance applications. It’s more complicated than its counterpart because it has a more complex system. C++ is not a good programming language to start off with because of this.
2. Prolog
A high-level computer language, Prolog was first created for AI apps and is often used for logic programming. It is a very powerful (and high-level) coding language which can be difficult to grasp for newer learners, particularly because it requires near-perfect logic (as compared to other programming languages which allow for errors).
3. LISP
LISP is actually a family of programming languages that originated all the way back in 1958 and is short for ‘list processing’. It’s the second-oldest high-level coding language and is popular for AI research. LISP uses a lot of parentheses, making it a frustrating language to learn, but uses a shared structure of syntax and data that makes it popular.
4. Haskell
This advanced programming language is typed statically, general-purpose, and is purely functional. Functional programming languages use pure functions and do not modify variables; they focus on results and don’t use loops.
5. Malbolge
Developed in 1998, Malbolge is an esoteric programming language, meaning it was designed to be difficult, to test the boundaries of computer code design.
How to Decide Which Programming Language to Learn
It’s important to consider what you want to learn programming for. Certain jobs and fields use different programming languages, so understand what you’ll need for your career goals.
If you’re simply looking to learn coding on the side as a hobby, look for something that’s pretty universal, has a lot of resources for beginners, and can help you do things that you’re interested in.
For example, if you’re a web designer or are interested in getting into that field, CSS is a good programming language to learn because it can help you style and lay out web pages.
Alternatively, if you’re looking to become a software developer for a tech company, Javascript and React are important languages to learn.
The Easiest Programming Language to Learn First
If you’re new to the world of programming, Python is the best coding language to start with. It’s a beginner-friendly code with a simplified syntax, using fewer lines than other coding languages, making it easy to read, understand, and use.
Python is a general purpose language that’s good for a variety of uses, including:
- Building websites
- Developing software
- Automating tasks
- Data analysis
- AI and machine learning
- Programming applications
- Game development
- 2D design
Not only is Python easy to pick up (compared to other coding languages), it’s an open-source language which means that there’s a large and thriving community where everybody can work on and contribute to projects and libraries.
In fact, there are an estimated 8 million Python developers, giving you a worldwide network when learning this language.
Once you’re ready to put your skills to the test, why not start by creating a Mad Libs game or web scraper? These are both great beginner Python projects to tackle.
Learn Programming at Coding Dojo
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If you’re ready to break into the industry and gain programming fundamentals, Coding Dojo is prepared to teach you. We offer Software Development Online Part-Time Accelerated.
Our coding bootcamps at Coding Dojo will teach you the fundamentals of programming, give you the skills to code, and challenge you with real-world assignments while also helping you prepare your portfolio for a future career in programming.