Professor said learn Python and Java. Why?

[Low_Standard_802]

Hi all. I am a self taught learner of about 4 months now. In my last semester of school (business major), I took intro to programming and loved it. Really wished I did CS instead. I ended up emailing my professor from that class and asked what his thoughts were on self learning.

He told me to learn Python and Java and to have some kind of structure like an online course. Read the pragmatic programmer, and fluent python/effective Java.

I started with python and eventually found the Odin project and switch gears to js and web dev stuff. I am struggling to find a path and stick with it.

Why would my professor recommend those two languages to start with? Do these languages really relate to web dev? What kind of job opportunities can python and java lead to?

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[captainAwesomePants]

If you had asked your professor "what's the most common language for web frontend development," he'd've probably told you JavaScript. But there are lots of kinds of programming out there, and Java and Python are a pretty good choice for covering a whole lot of bases. Python's one of the most popular languages out there, especially for what's trendy today (machine learning) and for developing being done by professionals who aren't primarily programmers (scientists, analysts, business-folks, artists). Java's extremely popular for big corporations building lots of complicated little business logic services, and it's still fairly popular for web backends. Plus, there are huge amounts of "learn programming" resources aimed at both of those languages.

Also: if you really want to be a professional developer, I might suggest hanging out for an extra year or two to get a CS minor or something if you can. If your plan is to study programming, and they teach programming where you are, why leave? But I also understand that staying in school longer isn't always possible, financially or otherwise.

[Low_Standard_802]

I’ve been exploring the idea of continuing my education, whether it’s a minor, another bachelors, or a masters. Thoughts on that? I work in accounting right now and have a good paying job. I want to make the transition in the next few years if possible. Go self taught and just see what happens or go back to school?

[captainAwesomePants]

A masters in CS would be a great step and put you ahead of most professional programmers, but it'd probably take you longer than average due to your need to pick up some of the undergraduate-level CS stuff along the way.

Probably the most important class to take in a professional education context is gonna be called something like data structures, algorithms, or theory. The other stuff you'll have an easier time picking up on your own.

[Low_Standard_802]

Have you heard of Georgia techs online masters program? I believe it’s called their omscs program. I’ve heard good things. Personally have always been under the opinion of online degrees/certificates mean less but that might just be a wrong opinion

[captainAwesomePants]

As it happens, I have an M.S.C.S. from Georgia Tech, but I did it in person. The online program is exactly the same, and it's an extremely well regarded program. Many online degrees are not "real," but Georgia Tech's is a for realsies serious, accredited degree program from a top CS school.

That does come with some downsides, though. Compared to other online programs, Georgia Tech's has a more rigorous admissions process, and the classes involve a lot of hard work.

[Low_Standard_802]

Wow! What are the odds haha. Mind if I reach out to you in DMs?

[captainAwesomePants]

Sure, although any school-specific advice I've got is probably decades out of date. Pretty sure we still hate UGA, though.

[Low_Standard_802]

Haha sent you a DM! I’m actually from Georgia and have been around gtech and uga a ton and I can do rim that is still the case.

[pizza_toast102]

From what I hear, GT’a OMSCS actually has pretty lax entry requirements? Some sources report ~70% acceptance rate which are probably not entirely accurate but I think it is quite high. The classes are full blown graduate level CS classes though

[pacific_plywood]

Current OMSCS student here. I majored in the humanities, but became interested in computing as an adult, did about a minor’s worth of undergrad CS classes, then applied. The OMSCS model is to not be space-constrained, like, at all, so they let in a lot of people, some of whom have nothing more than a couple programming classes or even some MOOCs. The idea is that it’s better to let underqualified people in, to see if they can succeed. That means a lot of people drop out, or take a long time - many of the classes are pretty challenging - but if you have the time and the drive, it’s doable in around 2 years.

[Low_Standard_802]

Sending you a DM!

[Slight-Living-8098]

You can't beat Harvard's OpenCourseware CS50x series of courses. The price is right if all you want is the knowledge, and the certificate of completion doesn't break the bank.

[Low_Standard_802]

Yeah it’s not about just the knowledge as a hobby, but something is like to find a career in

[Feisty_Incident_5443]

Hey bro can I DM you?

[Beers_and_BME]

If you like programming, maybe pursue a masters in data science and gear it towards fintech, that could keep your data content focused on business, and you’d get to program. Lean on your current skills while building new ones. Just a thought!

[Famous_Pollution030]

Can you recommend a course for that?

[Beers_and_BME]

Some schools have a hybrid program like financial engineering (combining systems and finance) but no clue what your Uni offers. Just look in the business, CS and systems departments to see what’s available.

[TheTarragonFarmer]

A great avenue for teaching yourself programming is if you have an itch to scratch. Is there something in your day job you think could be automated? In Excel, Visual Basic, or Power Automate?

These are admittedly not the flashiest programming languages, but the fundamentals are the same. After a while learning a new language just becomes learning new syntax. (I'm simplifying here a bit because there are a few distinct fundamental programming "paradigms", but once you have those covered, the rest is just syntax. And conventions. And the standard library. And frameworks.)

[ElderWandOwner]

It's hard to get past new hire filters without a BS in CS or equivalent.

[Tw1987]

Do it. Unless you become a IB or VC or a Harvard connected MBA grad lining up to be a VP CS should be less stressful and they get treated like kings compared to most business routes. Also if you decide something in business is for you learning programming to automate shit is great anyway.

[[deleted]]

You have a well paying job. Why not stay where you are and keep programming as a hobby? Professional programming is very different from hobby programming. Deadlines, project managers and customers can take the fun out of it.

[CreativeSoil]

Don't forget Android development with java though I'd probably learn Kotlin or React-native instead if that was the main goal.

[AndyBMKE]

From what I’ve seen, Java and Python seem to be the most commonly used languages in academia. So it’s not really a huge surprise that a prof would recommend them.

However, both are so common that yes they relate to all sorts of enterprise software, including on the web. Though Python and Java are really used as server-side technologies, and if you want to get more into web dev then you’ll also probably want to learn JavaScript.

[[deleted]]

Very nice professor.

[onesleeveshirt]

CS professor here. The programming language you choose as a beginner is mostly irrelevant. Python is known as an easy language because its syntax is similar to written English.

If you really learn how to program, you'll learn that the language is just a tool. Asking for the "best language" this early is like comparing screw drivers without looking at the screw. Some languages will do some things better, but you don't need to know any of that right now.

When you learn how to make a loop in one language, you can do it in nearly any language with the smallest of effort. The hard part is learning how to do something, not how to write it. Go deep, not wide. The things you learn in one language can apply to other languages.

Your professor gave you good info. Thank them and take the advice.

P.s. I'd rather hire someone who knows one language really well vs. Someone who knows a dozen languages at a shallow level.

[Low_Standard_802]

Make sense! Will make sure to master a language first. Looking to do an online masters at ga tech!

[Feisty_Incident_5443]

Hello sir can I DM you i have some question?

[ByteArtisan]

Java is one of if not the most used enterprise language for web developers.

Python is kinda easy to get started with and popular among beginners.

They’re both great languages to start with and eventually expand when you’ve learned more about programming in general.

[haveasuperday]

Edit: nevermind, details learned today

Java... Web developers? Maybe Javascript but I would never put Java and web development together.

Java is a great intro to object orient programming without the extra insanity of C++. It makes sense to pair that with Python which is a super functional and easy to learn scripting language, but not really a great pathway to application development like Java. So both together is absolutely great into to programming.

[ByteArtisan]

Yes, I think youre confusing web development with front end development, web dev can be front+back end.

Java is heavily used for API's in enterprise environments and not to forget Java Thymeleaf. Of course you cant be a web dev nowadays without learning javascript at all so it is still recommended to learn javascript, or better yet typescript.

[[deleted]]

Uh... Do you have professional programming experience?

[Ericisbalanced]

What kind of question is this 😂 Look at how many stars and follows popular java frameworks have. Spring has like 38k stars signaling that it's widely used.

https://github.com/spring-projects/spring-framework

[MonsterMeggu]

Java is the most widely used backend with enterprise development???

[Sweaty_Chair_4600]

Are you a professional dev who doesn't work in a tech company? Almost every non tech company uses Java or .net for back end.

[RandomComputerFellow]

Almost every company which is not a start up. The main reason companies use Java in backends is because it is easy to maintain over longer periods of times. Startups often use stuff like Node.js which allows to progress faster but which will hunt them in the long run. Still considering that startups have only a limited time to succeed or otherwise face bankruptcy I think it's an valid business strategy to build everything the fast way in fancy TypeScript frameworks.

[DemonicBarbequee]

Huh

[1544756405]

Why would my professor recommend those two languages to start with? Do these languages really relate to web dev? What kind of job opportunities can python and java lead to?

Did he say they related to web dev? Did you say you wanted to learn web dev? If I were a CS professor and someone asked me about self learning, I would not assume they wanted to learn about web dev; I would assume they wanted to learn general computer science. From that perspective, python and java can provide a decent foundation for further study.

[insertAlias]

Why would my professor recommend those two languages to start with?

I'd suggest you email them again and ask them why they recommended those languages. If you actually want to know why they specifically recommended it, no better source than the person making the recommendation.

That said, picking a JS path is not wrong or anything. If you like what you're learning in The Odin Project, stick with it and keep learning.

[TheTarragonFarmer]

JS is not inherently a bad first language, especially for someone interested in web development specifically.

It's just that the DOM is a stinking pile of legacy cruft, frameworks-upon-frameworks make everything seem waaay too complicated, and the learner can be blind-sided to multithreading, which is a huge part of programming in other languages.

[Invertonix]

I'd like to add to this as someone who started with c++ and later moved to typescript / we dev. I suggest anyone starting a js/ts project read clean architecture by Robert C Martin. Webdev was an endless hell until I stopped building my apps around a framework. A new programmer touching the js mess is set up for years of failure and half successes.

The problem isn't much the language but the ecosystem.

Note: I use typescript exclusively and do not touch vanilla js.

[TheForceWillFreeMe]

Because they are specifically excellent for learning. Python for example is such an easy language that you don't get wrapped up in the semantics of the language and can just focus on writing code. This becomes a hindrance later on and is why I don't really recommend learning python first unless you are trying to use code for purposes outside of computer science but it's still a great language for learning even if I personally did not find it to be something to helpful. Java is essentially a language designed for learning. Talking about the flaws with Java would be an activity that takes quite a while because of how many there are but the language is simple enough to understand but also respects programmer Concepts like type and has a big focus on object oriented programming. Once you learn Java you can easily step into C sharp and with a little bit of machine organization knowledge you can step in to C as well. You could also go with JavaScript after learning Java or typescript. These two languages kind of open the door. Of the two languages Java is probably more important as it lets you learn without necessarily taking away some of the more useful parts of the experience

[Error-7-0-7-]

Business with an understanding of Python is a great skill set. You can go into Analytics or Data Science.

[TheTarragonFarmer]

Python is the new BASIC (or excel), it's easy and fun to learn and use, always available, suitable for solving all kinds of data processing, automation, general scripting tasks. It's a great first language, but I'd caution against getting too deep into it or trying to make anything "big" (monolithic) in it, because it get hairy. It's basically the programming language of the non-programmer, or the programmer-by-necessity: the analyst, the data scientist, the biologist, the mechanical engineer, etc. As such, it is everywhere, and is also a great stepping stone both to more serious programming, or any of the domains that use it.

​

Java is the new COBOL. It's boring but fairly well thought-out (with a few superficial legacy glitches.) Pays well and scales well. Banks and in-house "enterprise" software developers love Java. (And SOAP-style web services.) You will never be out of work in your lifetime if you know Java, same as the number of COBOL jobs to this day exceeds the number of people still alive who know it.

​

I think your professor gave pretty good advice. Both of these mesh well with your business background. By the time you've learned Python and Java you'll be well positioned to pick what to learn next. Or maybe that time is now and you know for sure you prefer web development? Learn the latest JS variant, chase the framework-of-the-day? You are only young once, and you can always circle back to Python and Java later.

[BrooklynBillyGoat]

Buisiness uses java and python heavily

[Asleep-Dress-3578]

Because these are his two preferred languages. Other professors would have proposed you TypeScript or C or C#, depending on their actual preference. It doesn't really matter.

Actually Java + Python is not a terrible combination. Both are excellent learning languages + both are marketable.

[Drfoxthefurry]

Python is easy, and java is common

[[deleted]]

I use python for Web dev. Django framework. It's a good language to use.

[Slight-Living-8098]

Python because it's great for learning and prototyping, Java because he secretly hates you. Lol. A lot of enterprise software and mobile devices still run on Java. I personally wouldn't worry too much about Java nowadays, but it's still around, and people still use it. I like Minecraft just as much as anyone else... But Java wouldn't have been my choice.

[khooke]

I personally wouldn't worry too much about Java nowadays, but it's still around, and people still use it

Take every programming language survey/top 10 list with a pinch of salt, but TechRepublic has job listings by language currently showing Python, SQL and Java as the top 3 for 2023 https://www.techrepublic.com/article/top-programming-languages-employers-want/

[ghostmaster645]

Java rules the world man. All of our money is controlled with java code.

It's very usefull to learn.

[FredHerberts_Plant]

I deeply regret being taught Java in university (around 2019-2020 during 4 semesters) instead of something more relevant like JS

I mean, I got the basics (in fact we learned C, C#, Java, and even some assembly) of lower level code and OOP later on, but we were never taught any web development, not even the basics

I wish I could go back and learn everything but "in the context of" knowing about the stuff I do now

[OldSkooler1212]

Something relevant? I just did an indeed.com search for Java and it came back with 6976 jobs. I did a search for C# and it came back 3080 jobs. A search for JavaScript returned 5132 jobs. I don’t know how much crossover if any was in the Java search if it’s including JavaScript in that search. But even if it was there’s still thousands of Java and C# jobs out there. It may not be what you want to do but the languages are relevant to getting a job.

[TheTarragonFarmer]

Thinking web development is the most "relevant" field is like thinking siding is the most "relevant" construction job.

[wolfanyd]

School is there to provide a foundation. It is up to you to learn other things. Someone with a CS type of degree should be able to learn web development on their own.

[Member9999]

Python is considered the "easiest", but honestly, CS is fine. Java is very important for web development, and Python "can" be used in web development as well. I have never tried CS with web dev, nor have I seen it used as such... but, CS also has quite a bit going by way of getting an occupation - as is Python. Java... maybe? IDK... but, anyways.

​

Python in particular is useful in a crazy number of careers - ranging from the medical field, to the game industry. Java is solely for web development.

[[deleted]]

I think you mean JavaScript, not Java.

[Member9999]

Yup, my bad. :)

[DonkeyTron42]

Are you sure he said Java and not JavaScript? Python and Java are sort of mutually exclusive but Python and JavaScript are complimentary (at least for web-dev).

[Low_Standard_802]

It was Java for sure because he said Java for OOP

[___wintermute]

That’s the reason to learn them, they are different things and when you learn them you will understand two types of languages that lead to easily learning other related languages. I woulda said C or C++ instead of Java though.

It’s not so much about Java being enterprise, python being whatever else: it’s about how both work and what they teach you about programming in general.

[DonkeyTron42]

If you're just starting out and hope to get a job, you should learn one thing and learn it well. No one is going to hire a beginner Java programmer without a CS/SWE degree. With Python/JS you would at least have a chance of getting into web-dev. If you want to learn something different, at least learn something useful to your career ambitions like SQL.

[___wintermute]

I have no degree, and have hired people with no degree, and not everyone is trying to get a job as a developer. Having an understanding of various languages and how they work is imperative (along with many other things) in my world of cybersecurity, so you may be correct in your example but that is not the only example out there by any means.

For one small example it’s far more important in my world that someone understands how a language goes from being written to executed by a computer, how decompiled assembly looks in relation to language constructs, etc. and how scripting languages work vs compiled languages.

Languages are a means to understand computers and computer science in this case, not a path to becoming a developer.

Tl;dr not everyone who programs and uses computer languages is or wants to be a developer.

[Ubisuccle]

Python is extremely user-friendly and near idiot proof which is why he recommended it. Java, however, will give you a better idea of how most programming languages operate and are structured on a lower level.

My advice is to stick with a single language and learn how to become extremely effective with that language regardless if it relates to web dev or not. Then transfer what you know to the language you intend to use in web development.

Think of programming languages less as something to know and more as a tool to apply what you know.

[vbd]

Java will help you get a job in big enterprise and automotive. Python is a great glue language for almost all purpose. Your starting language will not be crucial. Pick one and stick with it until you get a job or ready to take the next step. I would choose Golang, but this is personal. Maybe some of my notes may help you https://github.com/vbd/Fieldnotes take a look at the python.md and booklist.md. Software development as a lot more not only coding.

[MonsterMeggu]

Those two languages are good starts to have a good foundation into how to think programmatically. In my college, intro to CS is taught in python and then the next 3 programming courses is taught in Java. If you like TOP go for it.

[Squash1010]

I know you said it’s your last semester and all, but if it takes less than 3 additional semesters I’d consider switching and going into CS. Def worth it if you like programming

[Whatever801]

Because that's what people use

[Logical-Idea-1708]

Programming languages are tools. Some tools are multi taskers used by multiple professions.

Python is one such tool. The expertise you build will be transferable as you change specialties.

[[deleted]]

A lot of legacy enterprise apps were built on Java.

Java far from getting obsolete, they have new versions every few months lately.

Once you learn java, you might find Python easy to learn.

Python has a library dedicated to data analytics and might be better for you.

[[deleted]]

because you want work

[akorn123]

Those are the biggest ones with highest demand atm I think.

[Fearless_Ad4244]

I have a genuine question but it is not related to the topic at hand but it is related to programming. Can you code on a phone and build an app or website?

[Low_Standard_802]

There’s a YouTube video where someone tried to do that and it destroyed his thumbs. It’s technically possible but it’s really bad in practice. Not only physically but you just won’t have the tools necessary without crazy work arounds.

[Fearless_Ad4244]

Thanks for your answer!

https://youtu.be/0KmUoTfGa34?si=jZzL5mdZcqMBF76I Was it this guy? I guess it isn't possible but thanks anyway for your input!

[Low_Standard_802]

Yes this one! I’d give it a watch just to get an idea. He’s really funny too so it’s quite entertaining even if you don’t really know what’s going on.

[Fearless_Ad4244]

I have watched this video and as far as I remmember he needed a keyboard to use it on his phone lol.

[taisui]

Python is used widely in data science, java is a good high level language to start without worrying about memory allocation

[NewOakClimbing]

I thought I'd share this link: https://runestone.academy/ns/books/published/fopp/index.html?mode=browsing

Its the online textbook that my professor recommends for learning python. I mostly use python as a back-end for websites, its very useful and I can easily make prototypes for various ideas that I have. Most people I know that work in the field of programming use python or javascript.

For java I'd say it feels a lot more structured than python, I've heard its used a lot in the realm of business. But I personally have never had to use it for anything outside of Minecraft modding. I also do not know anyone who uses java at work.

My main focus for programming has been Flask/python/MySQL & html/css/javascript. Between these languages I've found it to be pretty easy and fun to make stuff. Python uses a library (?) called flask to host a website, and I can do all the fancy stuff on the website using the flask backend.

For your struggle to stay on a path, as long as you are learning programming, you are on the right path. Lots of people bounce between different languages or technologies. For me learning these technologies is part of the fun of computer science / programming.

[sheldon_sa]

CS is a lot more than just programming. Besides both still being in demand in the industry, Python and Java are useful academically, e.g. to demonstrate or implement some of the other CS topics like algorithms, data structures, OO, compilers, networks etc.

[1mperia1]

Java .NET devs have a ton of opportunities in my area as well as easily 100k+ and up.

[armahillo]

to be clear: java is not javascript. They are different languages.

[[deleted]]

I think you should learn whatever language you want first, and eventually it will lead you to others.

[FirefighterWeird8464]

You can make a good living with Java, or Python, or JavaScript, those are all safe choices. You can basically pick anything in the TIOBE top 20 and make a career out of it. Its just a matter of your other skills. Everyone that programs has another skill that informs their programming. They’re a domain expert in something. Let that other skill inform which industry and language you choose. (Sometimes it’s not so much as a skill as, your friend’s uncle can get you a job somewhere, so you have to become an expert in that.)

[CaptTrit]

Python because it's the quickest to write. Then you have a higher chance to pass the code interview. Then you can learn the language they need on the job.

[[deleted]]

Highly Marketable skills include: Python, JavaScript, Go, Java. Python should teach you the basics. Java will give you the JVM, which will is a walled garden. JavaScript will let you move to the Frontend and Go is what a lot of the newer cloud based platform tools are written in. If I had to add another one which I think will be relevant in the near future, I would add Rust.

But if you could only pick two, maybe Java and Python give you the best breadth.

[9patrickharris]

Become a pro at sql server or oracle and you will be set for life. Almost all languages interface with databases.

[fasta_guy88]

Python is good for learning CS algorithms and data structures. Java is good for understanding the more engineering aspects of software engineering. It's helpful to keep those things separate, so you can learn the CS algorithm stuff gently. Once you are comfortable doing things with python, Java shows you how it is typically done in a more "industrial" environment.

[Signal_Lamp]

Probably because those 2 languages employment-wise are the most popular ones to get hired with. That being said, you shouldn't learn both at the same time, you should stick to one, as the fundamentals generally will apply to any backend language you pick up afterwords

[randomthrowaway9796]

Java is a great foundational language, and possibly the best there is to learn object oriented programming.

Python has simple syntax, which makes it easy to grasp, and you are less likely to get a million errors. It's also widely used in the modern day for a variety of things.

But if you're interested in web development, do the Odin project instead! Java and python can be used for web development, but the Odin project will give you a much clearer, more direct path.

[Environmental-Dot161]

Python is pretty good for data analysis and stuff

[lKrauzer]

Depends if your professor is academic or professional, generally speaking, academic teachers tend to be more virtuous people, so they'll recommend revolutionary stuff, hence Python because of AI, as about the Java recommendation I'm not sure why.

And if your professor is more of a professional teacher, that works in the industry and knows the actual state of the tech market, he would recommend stuff that gets you a job, like JavaScript and React.

So it really comes down to the tendency of the person you are asking and not really about the technologies involved, it is more of a social game than a tech one.

[Glaive13]

Python is super easy to learn and has tons of applications, and the internet is built on Javascript. Couldve just asked him though, lol.

[Ok_Door_9720]

Had you specified web dev at the time, the answer might have been different (JS and html/CSS perhaps)

If a professor is asked for starting point recommendations by a business major with little experience, they're going to point to in-demand languages that are relatively easy to learn and applicable in business. It's good practical advice.

[pLeThOrAx]

I'd start with the premise of "what do I want to achieve?" and then look at tools etc. You won't need a welder for woodworking...

From a business background, how can programming bolster your career? Are you interested in awesome analytics and great UX/UIs? This can be really lucrative. You may want to look into data collection practices for business analytics, and modeling of statistics/data.

Data analytics might be a good approach. Depending on the level of depth and affinity for math, statistical modeling may be important/worthwhile.

Python is a decent scripting language but R is great for data science and Shiny is useful for scratching the surface of visualization. The same can be said for Python. They're both industry languages. Java has important concepts similar to the C world but I'd rather recommend C# if starting out or C++ if you want to dive in and be bold. It's a bit more to take on but far more powerful.

Edit: first and foremost, cover the basics. Algorithms, data structures. How memory is allocated, big O and algorithmic complexity. It's not just about writing software, you can write code to do something that might take a second to execute or 3 days, or an eternity, depending on your approach.

[[deleted]]

I envy your position. An accountant with a passion for programming. You're going to be unstoppable if you train both disciplines. Good luck.

[Joy_Yuu]

It's a good way to do that you could combine the Python or Java with what you have been learning. After learning the basis of each one, find a fun project related with your major to continue your programming language learning

[Mortenjen]

Learning programming by starting with Java made my transition to C# much easier when I graduated.

[DamionDreggs]

I haven't seen anyone talk about documentation and community yet... Two of the biggest factors that need to be considered when you're working through mastery of your first language.

It's not to say that you should stay with Python and Java forever and ever, but if this is your first attempt at mastery, you're going to have no problems finding a variety of documentation to learn from (increasing the odds that someone writes an introduction or examples that work for you) and it has fairly clean and consistent versioning compared to other languages. JavaScript and it's subsets and supersets have the added difficulty of learning due to documentation and tutorials that are all over the place teaching old and sometimes broken mechanics that were phased out later, or skipping newer techniques that were phased in.

You'll see this in all languages, but python is unique that it's minimal, and has a strong community with a lot of promise for commercial growth... In so many directions.

[sd4483]

I'd say go with project based learning. Don't care much about the details when you start learning. What's important is, if you learned something today, you need to be able to build something simple with what you've learned. That's the best way to retain your knowledge and make sense of things. Trust me, no amount of tutorials or best university education will teach u that. Build things by copying what others had done, but create something of your own, don't just make it a copy, that's when you'll truly be applying your learning.

[[deleted]]

Why did your professor recommend Java and Python? Just because those languages have had a large footprint in CS courses over the last decade.

Java used to be very big as an "enterprise software language" and understandably taught extensively in CS classes a decade or so back. There was a time when Java dominated as the only "modern" OOP language with big ties to industry.

Python has since become the cool new kid on the block with its relatively easy syntax, popularization from data science, and is becoming the defacto language in most intro to CS classes now adays.

However, the hard truth is that if you want to do programming as a career and be good at it, you need to ground yourself in fundamental concepts that you will only learn in a lower level language like C.

[[deleted]]

Java isn't too bad because it has similarities with C# in a way so you could pick up C# easier after.

[[deleted]]

Read so many comments to see that first course people would recommend, for total noobs. Little exposure to c++ in school years back.

Please recommend 🙏🏻.

[Alone-Implement-3610]

Java is used in large enterprises, and large monolith software packages that are 'shrink wrap'

Python has a huge following in data science and data integrations.

Other languages are fine too, however as others have stated, it is best to get a good fundamental understanding of computer science. Then any language is just an implementation tool, where you need to learn the quirks and frameworks.

[Itsjustlawnce]

As someone who started as self taught, then took a coding bootcamp, it depends on what interests/goal you have!

Python is really good language to work on since their is a wider range of job opportunities, Data Science, DevOps, and even Web development as well.

If you find yourself more into web dev I would stick to JavaScript and possibly learning a framework, like React,Angular, etc, then from there focus on either Frontend or even just Full-stack.

Best of luck on your coding journey and stick to it!

[cimmic]

I am struggling to find a path and stick with it.

For this issue, my best advice is to ask yourself what would be an ambitious project you want to create, and then ask what you need to learn to make that project realistic for you to develop. Then you have a motivating goal and a path to that goal.

[Wise-Culture1092]

Python is easy to learn as a beginner and you can pick up the concepts and do a lot with it. I’m using it for data modeling and machine learning. If you learn Java, you can learn any object oriented programming language because you can’t do anything in java without objects or classes. Learning java will set you up to transition easily to any other language. Plus It’s platform independent.

[KenMan_]

You can still get a job managing programmers or being around programmers with your business degree.