Fredrick DooleyEverything in the IT industry is changing very fast. Technologies and tools become obsolete, new ones replace them. Trends replace each other, the market fluctuates. So how do you choose a programming language?
To understand which direction to take next, and which programming language to choose, you need to consider a large number of factors, including:
- current trends in the industry;
- The situation on the job market;
- Your personal skills and aptitudes;
- The requirements of the projects you are planning to work on;
- The availability of training materials;
Define your goals
Before you take any important step, you need to define your goals. What is the end result you want to achieve? Why do you need to learn a new language? How do you plan to expand your knowledge: vertically or horizontally?
Entering another area is an expansion of skills horizontally. As, for example, if a frontend developer wants to become a Full Stack specialist. Or if you decide to switch from Java to Python. In such cases, the learning path will have to start at the most basic level.
But if you need to gain additional knowledge in your field, this process is called vertical. Example: a Python developer starts out mastering machine learning. He doesn’t have to start with the basics in this case. Often even a new language is not needed: programmers only learn new methods, frameworks, libraries and other tools, already having a good knowledge base.
Analyze your current skill set
Having set the goal, you need to figure out how to achieve it. Since there are now a huge number of different PLs and technologies, often one and the same learning curve can be achieved in different ways.
For example, to work as a Full Stack developer, you can choose any server language: PHP, Python, NodeJS, etc. But if you already know a C-based language, mastering any other one will be easier for you. And it will be easier and faster for a JavaScript expert to learn Node JS than to learn an entirely new language like Java or PHP.
The best way to realistically assess your current knowledge is to write down all the technologies you know well in one list. If a new programming language is needed for a job search, then this list will also be a great basis for a resume.
If you are having a hard time deciding on a specific goal and the knowledge you already have is not enough, then proceed to the next action, market research.
Do some market research.
Understanding your goals, knowledge and skills is one thing. But what about the market? After all, it can happen that you choose a programming language that perfectly suits your purpose and abilities, but that has no real demand.
To avoid getting into this situation and not to waste time and effort, be sure to monitor the market. We advise you to pay attention to these essential resources first:
- TIOBE Index
The index of this programming community is considered as an industry standard, based on which the demand for programming languages is judged. It is calculated and published monthly. The TIOBE index shows by how much the popularity of a language has increased or decreased in comparison to the same period of the previous year.
- GitHub Octoverse.
This annual report summarizes the most important trends of the GitHub portal. It provides a lot of useful information:
the popularity of the JNs;
the ranking of the fastest growing languages;
the highest quality and most interesting open-source programs;
the most active organizations;
most used tags;
fastest growing topics;
others.
Be sure to explore this resource before you build your training plan. In addition to the Octovers report, check out the Explore page. On it, GitHub publishes the most trending frameworks, repositories, applications, and other tools.
- Stack Overflow
Not to forget about Stack Overflow Insights, where you can find a lot of cool tips on what programming language to choose to learn. The first thing you should do is look at the Annual Developers Survey. It contains practically everything you need to know about the industry.
- Google Trends.
The tool can help you choose a language in three ways. Thanks to it you can:
Study historical data since 2004.
Compare the popularity of several languages, for example make a request to analyze C# and Java.
Get information on the demand for related technologies like JavaScript libraries and WordPress frameworks.
Look for tutorials.
In the final step, once you’ve assessed your skills, set your goals, and researched the market, there’s only one thing left to do: check the availability, accessibility, and quality of training materials. The more popular the programming language, the more you can find good training resources on the web. Therefore, it is easier to learn Java and JavaScript online than any new technology or little-known framework.
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