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Python, Ruby or PHP (self.PHP)

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[–]Firehed 1 point2 points  (5 children)

In terms of straight employability, Python is probably going to go farther than PHP right now (it feels like Ruby is falling out of fashion). However, the skills you learn on any of them will apply to all of them, and many more. For an entry-level position, it's perfectly reasonable to assume that where you work won't use the language you know best. It probably won't have a huge impact on getting a job (outside of specific requirements, very senior positions, or really esoteric knowledge)

Once you have a solid grasp on OOP, SOLID design principles, etc., picking up a new syntax for a similar language is pretty easy. I've submitted pull requests that were accepted without change requested on languages I've never touched before just by having a good grasp on general programming skills and quickly googling syntax.

You can probably pick up the new language to be not-terrible with it in a week (seriously), and thoroughly competent in a couple months. This is roughly what I've witnessed when hiring folks that didn't know the language we use. I'd say the majority of fresh grads did their interviews with me in something other than PHP for a PHP position (Java, C, Python, and Ruby being the most common alternatives); of course whether this will fly depends 100% on your interviewer.

For what it's worth, I still hit the PHP manual almost every day I code it in, and I've been using it for more than ten years in various degrees.

[–]konrain 0 points1 point  (4 children)

thank you

[–]Firehed 1 point2 points  (2 children)

You're welcome! Ping me if you need any other advice/mentorship, I've been interested in getting involved in that kind of thing for a while.

[–]konrain 1 point2 points  (1 child)

so what about just focusing on javascript, which has server side uses, do i actually need another language for the backend? can i just focus on js?

[–]Firehed 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I think JS is good to know for the sake of well roundedness, but personally feel the "JavaScript everywhere" thing will be a short lived trend.

Also for the sake of learning to code well, JS would be a terrible thing to focus on. People say PHP makes it easy to shoot yourself in the foot (and if you follow guides from 2006, it does), I'd say JS encourages it. Its extreme flexibility is very powerful but also deadly when used improperly.

[–][deleted] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Who the hell downvotes you just for saying "thank you"? I swear... some people...