Programming News and Resources

OVERVIEW

Programming languages are the tools or building blocks of the software that powers the world, from simple websites and applications to complex systems that drive entire industries. Their usage cuts across many sectors, including healthcare, finance, education and entertainment, which makes it possible to create solutions that enhance efficiency, automate processes and drive innovation.

In this comprehensive overview, you’ll explore the world of programming languages — including their types, some popular languages and how they are used. You’ll also learn how programming languages are developed, how they can be combined and discover resources to help you get started.

What Is the Difference Between Coding and Programming?

Before exploring programming languages in-depth, it’s important to address two common terms you’ll frequently encounter, which are often used interchangeably but have distinct meanings: Coding and Programming.

Coding refers to writing code — the act of writing instructions in a specific programming language. It involves creating human-readable instructions in a format that computers can understand and execute. This process encompasses the use of programming language syntax, grammar and logic to create functional software.

On the other hand, programming is a broader term that captures the entire process of creating software applications. It goes beyond just writing code to encompass planning, designing, testing and debugging the software. Programming requires creativity, problem-solving skills and a deep understanding of the underlying principles.

In short, coding is one part of the programming process. While coding is essential for creating software, programming covers a wider range of the software development process.

What Are Programming Languages?

Programming languages are sets of rules and syntax used to communicate with computers. They provide a set of instructions that computers can understand and execute to perform given tasks. You can think of them as languages with structure and vocabulary that humans use to interact with machines.

Each programming language has its own conventions, unique syntax and rules. They are suited for tasks like web development, game development, system programming and more.

History of Programming Languages

The journey of programming languages can be traced back to the early days of computing in the 1940s, beginning with languages like Assembly, a low level language that directly communicates with hardware. Over time (1950s-1960s), more powerful languages such as FORTRAN, COBOL and Lisp were developed, offering higher levels of abstraction, increased efficiency and reduced error-proneness.

Since then, programming languages have evolved from structured programming (1960s-1970s) with languages like Pascal and C, to object oriented programming (1970s-1980s) with C++ and Java, all the way to modern languages and paradigms (2000s-present) like Rust and Kotlin.

Evolution of programming languages

Over the years, the evolution of programming languages has been largely influenced by:

The need for greater efficiency and enhanced problem-solving capabilities.
The emergence of advanced technologies.

At the center of it all, the design, patterns and paradigms of languages like C and C++ continue to influence the design of modern languages such as Python, JavaScript and Kotlin.

Why Were Programming Languages Created?

Programming languages were created to bridge the gap between humans and computers. Before they were created, computers could only understand instructions in machine code, a series of 1s and 0s that is time-consuming, error-prone and difficult to read and write. So high-level languages were developed to help humans write instructions that are more readable, logical and also communicate effectively to computers. Below are the key reasons why programming languages were developed:

Abstraction: They hide the details of how hardware works, so programmers can focus on higher-level tasks.
Human-readable instructions: Programming languages make it simpler for humans to write instructions for computers, which helps when building complex software.
More efficient: Programming languages can be optimized for specific tasks, making them faster than writing directly in machine code.
Reuse code: They let programmers reuse code, saving time and effort.
Easier to update: Well-written code is easier to maintain and change over time.

How Programming Languages Work

Programming languages operate through either interpretation or compilation. In interpreted languages, an interpreter reads the code line-by-line and executes the instruction directly without creating a machine code, while compiled languages use a compiler to translate the code into machine code that the computer understands.

When a computer generates an output, it follows a series of steps based on the programming language:

A programmer writes code in a specific logic programming language called source code.
Depending on whether the language is interpreted or compiled, the source code is either interpreted directly or compiled into machine code.
The computer’s processor executes the compiled machine code or the interpreted source code, following the instructions.
The computer then produces an output based on those instructions.

How computer generates output: compiled vs interpreted languages

If you’d like to learn more about language development, see How Are Programming Languages Developed? below.

Types of Programming Languages

There are many types of programming languages, each designed for specific or sometimes multiple purposes. Most of these languages can be broadly categorized based on the following characteristics:

Level of abstraction: This refers to how close the language is to the machine code. For example, high-level languages are more abstracted for humans and easier to read and write, while low-level languages are closer to computers.
Compilation or interpretation: This is based on how the code is executed (uses a compiler or an interpreter).
Domain usage: Some languages are designed for specific tasks or domains (for example, R is designed for statistical computing and data visualization), while others are tailored for general use.
Typing: This refers to how the language handles data types. Some programming languages (statically typed) require types to be declared explicitly, while others (dynamically typed) determine types at runtime.
Programming paradigm: This refers to a language’s fundamental style or approach to solving problems.

Based on these characteristics, here is a breakdown of the top programming languages types:

Low-Level Languages
These languages are closer to machine code and provide little to no abstraction from a computer. They are fast and efficient but harder to read and write for humans. Examples include:

Machine language
Assembly language

High-Level Languages

High-level languages are more abstract, easier to use and more readable. They can either be compiled or interpreted when executed by the computer. Examples include:

Compiled languages like C, C++ and Go
Interpreted languages like Python, JavaScript and Ruby

Scripting Languages

Scripting languages are a subset of high-level programming languages that are typically designed to automate tasks like configuration management and write short programs. Examples include:

Hypertext Preprocessor (PHP)
Perl
Shell script

Domain-Specific Languages

They offer specialized syntax tailored for specific tasks or industries like data management and numeric computation. Examples include:

Structured Query Language (SQL)
Matrix Laboratory (MATLAB)

Object Oriented Programming Languages

Object-oriented programming (OOP) languages are designed around the concept of objects and classes. Classes are templates for creating an object, and an object is an instance of a class. Examples include:

Java
C#
Python

Functional Programming Languages

These languages focus on writing code using mathematics functions and avoiding state changes. Examples include:

Haskell
Scala
Erlang

Markup and Style Languages

Rather than programming languages, markup and styling languages are used to format and style content. Examples include:

Hypertext Markup Language (HTML)
Extensible Markup Language (XML)
Cascading Style Sheets (CSS)

Most programming languages have a unique purpose and a specific approach. Understanding the different types will help you choose the right tool for developing software applications.

Most Popular and Most Used Programming Languages

Technological advancement, community preferences and industry trends mostly determine the popularity and usage of programming languages. These factors also influence community support for libraries and frameworks and demand in the job market.

Stack Overflow 2024 Developer Survey

Below are some of the most popular programming languages and their usage:

Python

Python is a high-level, interpreted, general-purpose programming language known for its simplicity and readability. It is a scripting language that is executed directly by an interpreter, making it ideal for tasks like web scraping, system administration and file operations. Python’s clear and straightforward syntax makes it easy to learn. It is dynamically typed, has an extensive standard library and runs on multiple operating systems.

Python Basic Concepts: Variables, Data Types and Operators

Variables: In Python, variables are used to store data values and are created when you first assign a value to them.
```
variable_name = "Hello World"
```

Data types: Python has primitive types like Float, Integer, String and Boolean, as well as non-primitive types like Arrays, Lists, Turples, Dictionary, Sets and Files.
```
height = 5.8 # float

age = 25 # integer

name = "Maxwell Pan" # string

is_active = True # boolean
```

Operators: Python supports operators in performing calculations and logic. These include mathematical operators like +, -, *, % and / and comparison operators like ==, !=, >, >=, < and <=.

What is Python Used For?

Python is widely used in web and software development, with popular Python-based frameworks like Django and FastAPI making it easy to build robust and scalable web applications.

It is also widely used in the data ecosystem. Python has libraries and frameworks for machine learning (ML), artificial intelligence (AI), data science and analytics.

JavaScript

Similar to Python, JavaScript is also a high-level, interpreted programming language primarily used for web development. It gives web developers the flexibility to create dynamic and interactive content on the web. JavaScript is constantly updated with new features and security patches that improve the application’s overall functionality, readability and performance.

JavaScript Basic Concepts: Variables, Data Types and Operators

Variables: In JavaScript, variables are used to store data values. The ECMAScript (ES6), a major revision of the language, introduced let and const in addition to var for variable declarations.
```
var x = 10;
let y = 8
const name = "John Doe"
```

Data types: JavaScript has primitive types like String, Number, BigInt, Boolean, Undefined, Null and Symbol, as well as non-primitive types like Object, Array, Function, Map, Set, WeakMap and WeakSet.
```
var height = 5.8; // number

let age = 25 // number

const name = "Maxwell Pan" // string

const is_active = true // boolean
```

Operators: JavaScript supports the use of operators for performing calculations and logic.

What is JavaScript Used For?

JavaScript is the de facto language for web development. It has a huge ecosystem and support for frontend development (React, Vue.js and Angular), backend development (Node.js) and mobile app development (React Native).

Java

Java is a high-level, object oriented programming language widely used for building cross-platform applications due to its “write once, run anywhere” capability. Its flexibility and vast ecosystem make it a go-to language for building applications across multiple domains.

Java Basic Concepts: Variables, Data Types and Operators

Variables: In Java, variables are used to store data values. When you create a variable in Java, you can specify or infer type and assign it a value.
```
String name = "John";
```
Data types: Java has primitive types like byte, short, int, long, float, double, boolean and char, as well as non-primitive types like String, Arrays and Classes.
int myNum = 5; // Integer (whole number)

float myFloatNum = 5.99f; // Floating point number

char myLetter = 'A'; // Character

boolean myBool = true; // Boolean

String myText = "Hello World"; // String
Operators: Java supports the use of operators for performing calculations and logic.

What is Java Used For?

Java frameworks like Spring, Struts and JavaServer Faces simplify the development of large-scale, high-performance and secure web applications.

It is still widely used in Android app development, with the Android SDK relying on it as the primary language for building native Android applications. Java is also gaining popularity in cloud-native and big data technologies, playing a key role in the development of data-intensive frameworks like Apache Hadoop.

C++

C++ is a high-performance, general-purpose programming language that adds the OOP principle to the procedural foundation of C that lets you organize, reuse and scale your code. C++ is known for its control over system resources, which makes it suitable for system-level programming and other high-performance applications.

C++ Basic Concepts: Variables, Data Types and Operators

Variables: Similar to Java, you can either infer or specify the type and then assign it a value.
```
int myNum = 15;
```
Data types: C++ has types like int, float, double, boolean and char.
int myNum = 5; // Integer (whole number)

float myFloatNum = 5.99f; // Floating point number

char myLetter = 'A'; // Character

bool myBool = true; // Boolean

String myText = "Hello World"; // String
Operators: C++ supports the use of operators for performing calculations and logic.

What is C++ Used For?

C++ is widely used in developing operating systems, device drivers and embedded systems due to its low-level capabilities and performance efficiency.

Web browsers like Chrome also use C++ to power their backend due to its ability to efficiently manage system resources and fast rendering.

C#

C#, pronounced “C-sharp,” is an OOP language developed by Microsoft as part of the .Net framework. It incorporates features from C, C++ and Java, making it both powerful and flexible. This makes it ideal for developing a wide variety of applications within the Microsoft ecosystem.

C# Basic Concepts: Variables, Data Types and Operators

Variables: Similar to other typed programming languages like Java and C++, you can either infer or specify the type and then assign it a value.
```
string name = "John";
```

Data types: C# has types like int, long, float, double, bool, char and string.

int myNum = 5;               

double myDoubleNum = 5.99D;  

char myLetter = 'D';        

bool myBool = true;         

string myText = "Hello";

Operators: C# supports the use of operators for performing calculations and logic.

What is C# Used For?

C# is widely used for building dynamic web applications using the ASP.NET framework, a framework for developing robust, scalable and secure web pages, web services and APIs.

Additionally, C# is also gaining popularity in mobile app development (Xamarin), game development (Unity) and the Internet of Things (IoT) with Windows IoT Core.

TypeScript

TypeScript is a widely used language developed by Microsoft. It extends and enhances JavaScript development by improving error detection, adding optional types and supporting better tooling. Because it compiles down to plain JavaScript, it can run anywhere JavaScript runs.

TypeScript Basic Concepts: Variables, Data Types and Operators

Variables: Similar to other typed programming languages like Java and C++, you can either infer or specify the type and then assign it a value.
```
var name:string = "John";
```

Data types: TypeScript has the same type as JavaScript.

var myNum: number = 5;             

var myBool: boolean = true;        

var myText: string = "Hello";

Operators: TypeScript supports the use of operators to perform calculations and logic.

What is TypeScript Used For?

TypeScript is widely used for building large and complex web applications. It provides strong typing and OOP features, making it easier to manage codebases as they scale. TypeScript extends beyond web development, supporting server-side, cross-platform and full-stack development.

Rust

Rust is a modern, systems-level programming language designed for performance, safety and concurrency. It is also known for its ability to prevent common programming errors, such as memory leaks and data races, through a unique ownership model. It blends the low-level control and performance of C and C++ with modern features that help ensure memory safety without a garbage collector.

While many other languages require garbage collectors, Rust uses an ownership system to manage memory.

Rust is gaining adoption for its emphasis on memory safety without sacrificing performance.

Rust Basic Concepts: Variables, Data Types and Operators

Variables: In Rust, variables are immutable by default, meaning that once a value is bound to a name, it cannot be changed unless explicitly marked as mutable. This feature makes it safe from memory errors.
```
let y: f32 = 3.0;
```

Data types: Rust has types like integers, floating-points, Booleans and characters.

let number: i32 = 200;        // Integer (signed)

let x: u32 = 300;             // Integer (unsigned)

let x: f32 = 3.1;            // Floating-point

let flag1: bool = true;      // Boolean

let character: char = 'z';   // Character

Operators: Rust supports the use of operators for performing calculations and logic.

What is Rust Used For?

Rust excels in system-level programming, such as operating systems, drivers and embedded systems, because it provides control over system resources. It also supports compiling to WebAssembly (WASM), enabling code to run in web browsers with near-native speed.

Rust is also gaining adoption in blockchain development (Solana and Polkadot), command-line tooling and game development.

PHP

PHP stands for Hypertext Preprocessor. It’s an open source, server-side scripting language widely used for web development due to its ability to be embedded within HTML. PHP is probably the most popular programming language on the web and a go-to language for full-stack development because it is simple, easy to use and integrates with most databases.

PHP Basic Concepts: Variables, Data Types, and Operators

Variables: In PHP, variables are declared using $ sign, followed by the variable’s name.
```
$name = "John";
```

Data types: PHP has types like strings, integers, floats, Booleans, arrays, objects, NULL and resources.

$y = 200;                    // Integer

$name = "John Doe";          // String

$commision = 3.12;            // Floats

$flag1 = true;                // Boolean

Operators: PHP supports the use of operators for performing calculations and logic.

What is PHP Used For?

PHP powers 76.5% of websites worldwide, largely due to PHP-based content management systems (CMSes) like WordPress, Joomla and Drupal. It’s also an excellent language for building server-side applications, web services and command-line scripts.

Swift

Swift is a modern and popular language developed by Apple in 2014; since its release, it has gained massive adoption, replacing Objective-C for iOS, macOS, watchOS and tvOS development. It incorporates features from languages like Python, Ruby and C++, which makes it a high-performing and easy-to-learn language.

Swift Basic Concepts: Variables, Data Types and Operators

Variables: In Swift, variables are declared using var keyword and are declared before use. Swift is a typed language and you can either specify or infer the type when declaring variables.
```
let number = 42
```

Data types: Swift has types like strings, integers, floats, Booleans, doubles, characters and optional.

var index : Int = 10

var str   : String = "Learn Swift!"

var char  : Character = "S"

var num   : Float = 23.45

var nums  : Double = 32.233434

var value : Bool = true

Operators: Swift supports the use of operators for performing calculations and logic.

What is Swift Used For?

Swift is the primary language used to build native applications for Apple’s platform. It can also be used for server-side development, game development and system programming.

Kotlin

Kotlin is a modern, statically typed programming language that runs on the Java Virtual Machine (JVM). Since its release, Kotlin has become one of the most popular languages for developing Android applications due to its support for both OOP and functional programming paradigms.

Kotlin Basic Concepts: Variables, Data Types and Operators

Variables: In Kotlin, variables are declared using var or val keyword and are declared before use. With Kotlin, you can either specify or infer the type when declaring variables.
```
let number = 42
```

Data types: Kotlin has types like strings, integers, floats, Booleans, doubles, characters and arrays.

val myNum: Int = 5              

val myDoubleNum: Double = 5.99    

val myLetter: Char = 'D' 
         
val myBoolean: Boolean = true    
 
val myText: String = "Hello"

Operators: Supports the use of operators for performing calculations and logic.

What is Kotlin Used For?

Kotlin is the primary language for building native applications for the Android platform. In 2017, Google announced Kotlin as an official language for Android development; since then, it has been widely adopted by Android developers. Kotlin is also gaining massive adoption in cross-platform and server-side development.

SQL

SQL stands for Structured Query Language. It’s a specialized programming language used to manage and manipulate relational databases like MySQL, PostgreSQL and Microsoft SQL Server. It lets you perform tasks such as querying, updating, inserting and deleting data.

SQL Basic Concepts: Variables, Data Types and Operators

Variables: SQL doesn’t have variables like traditional programming languages, but in extended environments such as PL/SQL or T-SQL, you can declare and use variables within stored procedures, functions, or scripts.
```
DECLARE
   total_sales NUMBER;
BEGIN
   total_sales := 0;
END;
```

Data types: SQL has numeric, character, date/time, Boolean and other types.
Operators: Supports the use of operators for performing calculations and logic.

What is SQL Used For?

SQL is the primary language for managing and interacting with relational databases. It also supports advanced operations like controlling access to data and joining data from multiple tables.

Which Programming Languages Are Most Popular?

The most popular programming languages today are those that address a broad range of development needs, like:

High-performance system software (C/C++, Rust)
Data science (Python, R)
Mobile development (Swift, Kotlin)
Cross-platform development (JavaScript, Dart)
Enterprise applications (Java, C#)
Web applications (JavaScript, PHP)

Project requirements, community support, and specific industry trends highly influence the choice of programming language.

Can Different Programming Languages Work Together?

Programming languages can work together, and it’s a common practice in software engineering. When multiple languages are used, software developers have flexibility to leverage the strength of each programming language for different parts of the system. Below are some examples of how programming languages can work together:

A web application can use Python for data processing and machine learning services, C# for real-time server-side applications and Rust for performance-critical services that communicate with each other via REST API or gRPC.
Java and Kotlin can work together by calling each other’s functions directly because they both use the JVM.
The .Net Core runtime supports multiple languages like C#, F# and Visual Basic, allowing them to work together seamlessly within the Microsoft ecosystem.
React, a JavaScript library for building frontend applications, can be used alongside Java (Spring framework) to build full-stack applications.
Flutter, a Dart-based framework, allows developers to write mobile apps that run natively on both iOS (Objective-C/Swift) and Android (Java/Kotlin).

Where to Learn Programming Languages

There are many excellent resources you can use to learn programming languages, from beginner-friendly to advanced courses and platforms that offer hands-on experience. Below are some excellent resources for learning programming languages:

1. Online Learning Platforms

Online learning platforms are websites where you can access and interact with educational content. Below are some platforms you should consider:

Coursera is a massive open online course provider founded by Stanford University computer science professors Andrew Ng and Daphne Koller. It offers in-demand programming languages like Python, Java, C++ and JavaScript, among others, and includes popular programs like Python for Everybody (University of Michigan) and Java Programming and Software Engineering Fundamentals (Duke University). Enrolling in any Coursera course gives you access to quizzes to assess your skills, peer-graded assignments for hands-on experience, and certificates to validate your program completion.
edX is an online education platform co-owned by the administrations of MIT and Harvard that offers thousands of job-relevant online courses, programs, and degrees you can use to ramp up or start your career. It offers courses in languages like C, C++, Python, Java and many more, including popular courses like CS50’s Introduction to Computer Science (Harvard University) and Introduction to Python (Microsoft). All courses on edX are free, with a paid option for obtaining certifications.
Udemy is an online learning and teaching marketplace founded in May 2010 by Eren Bali, Gagan Biyani and Oktay Caglar. It offers over 250,000 affordable courses across popular programming languages like JavaScript, Python, PHP, Ruby, Kotlin and more. Popular courses on Udemy include The Complete JavaScript Course 2024 by Jonas Schmedtmann and Python Bootcamp by Jose Portilla. Udemy gives regular discounts for courses, lifetime access to purchased courses and certification of completion.
Pluralsight is an online education company that offers a variety of video training courses on programming languages, software engineering, cloud technologies and much more. The platform uses a subscription-based approach and offers data-driven insights you can leverage to improve your skills. Popular courses on Pluralsight include C# Fundamentals and Java Fundamentals: The Java Language. Pluralsight offers hands-on labs, assessments and skill paths to fuel skill development.
LinkedIn Learning is an online learning platform that provides video courses on AI, machine learning, programming languages, software engineering and much more, taught by industry experts. Popular courses on LinkedIn Learning include Learning Python and Learning Java. LinkedIn Learning offers certificates that you can link to your LinkedIn profile.

2. Coding Bootcamps

Coding bootcamps are concentrated programs that teach essential skills and provide real-world training to help people enter the tech industry. Below are some platforms you should consider:

Codecademy is an online learning bootcamp that offers coding classes on programming languages like Python, Java, Go, JavaScript, Ruby, SQL, C++, C# and Swift. Popular courses on Codecademy include Learn Python 3 and Learn JavaScript. Codecademy is best for hands-on coding experience because it offers interactive exercises with real-time feedback.
Le Wagon is an immersive bootcamp that focuses on data science and web development. It is one of the highest ranked bootcamp, enabling thousands of individuals to change their careers and acquire new skills. Le Wagon offers flexible scheduling, with both part-time and full-time bootcamp options.
General Assembly is an online learning platform that offers part-time and full-time learning courses on web development, design and data science. It offers courses in languages like JavaScript, Python, SQL and many more, including popular courses like Software Engineering Immersive and Python Programming. When you join the General Assembly boot camp, you can access job placement services, financial aid and other career-related services.
Flatiron School is a coding bootcamp with both on-campus and online options that teaches software engineering, computer programming, data science and product design. It gives you flexible learning options and career coaching to support students.

3. Free Coding Resources

Platforms like freeCodeCamp, The Odin Project, Khan Academy and MIT OpenCourseWare provide interactive learning web platforms, online publications, and community forums for free, allowing you to explore various programming languages and build projects to gain real-world experience.

4. Interactive Platforms and Challenges

Platforms like HackerRank, LeetCode, Exercism and Codewars provide coding challenges and technical assessments in various programming languages that you can leverage to learn new skills or improve existing ones.

5. Blogs and Newsletters

Follow developer blogs like JavaScript in Plain English, CSS-Tricks and Better Programming to level up your programming skills. Additionally, subscribe to newsletters like ByteByteGo and The Pragmatic Engineer to receive curated content directly in your inbox.

6. YouTube Channels

Channels like Traversy Media, The Net Ninja and CS50 by Harvard University are great YouTube resources to follow to level up your programming skills.

7. Developer Communities

Online communities like StackOverflow, GitHub and Reddit are excellent platforms for seeking help, sharing knowledge, learning from other developers and networking with peers.

How Are Programming Languages Developed?

Programming languages evolve over time, with software engineers and organizations creating new ones to solve specific problems. The process of developing a language is complex and involves both practical software engineering and theoretical computer science. If you are interested in developing a programming language, here are the steps you’ll need to follow:

Identify the purpose of the language you want to develop. Answer questions on whether it is meant for general-purpose use, web development, system-level programming or data science, as the goal and objective of the language will shape its design and features.
Define syntax rules, semantics, grammar and human readability. These entities define how the language looks and how it is written.
Follow a paradigm. Select from OOP, imperative programming, functional programming or procedural programming, as they dictate the style and structure of the code.
Create a compiler or interpreter to execute the programming language.
Develop standard libraries and frameworks that extend the core functionality and make working with the language easy.
Test the developed language and associated libraries and frameworks to ensure syntax and semantics work as expected, error mechanisms are robust and informative, and the compiler or interpreter is efficient and error-free.
Collect feedback and iterate on the bug fixes, developing new features and removing deprecated features.
Perform formal verification, a process to prove mathematically that the language performs correctly. Additionally, create documentation to provide users with guidance on how to use the language.
Ensure consistency and uniformity by inviting an official body like the International Organization for Standardization (ISO).
Ensure language’s success and longevity by encouraging open source contribution, conferences and forums.

Final Thoughts

Programming languages are the backbone of software development. They will continue to evolve and newer languages will be created based on technology and industry demands.

When choosing a programming language, consider how it aligns with your current goals. For example, if you want to build web applications, JavaScript is the go-to language. For mobile apps, choose Kotlin or Swift depending on your target platform. Additionally, if your goal is to secure a job, research the job market, location and technologies most commonly used by companies in your area before making a decision.

ESSENTIAL READING