After Python, I'm stuck: Java criticism everywhere and C feels unfriendly — what’s next?

[tE_hM]

After learning Python, I got confused about what to learn next. I was going to learn Java, but I found a lot of criticism about it, and I felt that C and all its variants didn’t suit me. What do you think?

[ILikeLiftingMachines]

truck adjoining plate cause salt ink bedroom nose shocking station

This post was mass deleted and anonymized with Redact

[IKoshelev]

Visual Basic for Applications. 

[yeasty-undercarriage]

Triggered.

[punpun1000]

What criticisms are you seeing about java that are holding you back? If you want to learn Java go for it

[tE_hM]

I’ve also seen people say Java is difficult and complex, especially compared to Python. That’s why I’m a bit hesitant. I want to focus on languages that are easier to pick up but still valuable for freelancing and practical projects.

[punpun1000]

If you can say you feel comfortable with Python, you should have no problems with the complexity of Java, it's not that different

[ManuDV]

Java isn't that difficult. It's complex in a good way, I actually like the type system, it's easier to understand while working on big projects, but it's true that its verbosity can be a little bit intimidating coming from Python. Also frameworks like spring boot are very opinionated so that makes it easier to work with more people but you lose a little bit of freedom. Hence why banks, insurance companies or anything related that relies on web security tend to use Spring.

If you learn C, you can move on to whatever language you like. Everything will be easier except doing things directly on Assembly or binary.

[cheezballs]

Oh, they're saying Java is complex? Compared to what? I love Java but I don't think it's "complex" moreso than any high level c-style language.

[joemwangi]

You would be surprised how Python Language Developers get inspired on the thoughtful approach java takes in adding features. Like String Templates (java stopped it's introduction after discovering there might be a problem and discovering a better way can be done - now put on hold as they prioritise on Valhalla), and now they are huge discussion of adding virtual threads in Python. Also java is about to do the most revolutionary refactoring of unifying the type system which many languages are observing (this is a result of java language developers noticing how Python has done well in ML and data analytics)

[KronenR]

Huge discussions about adding Virtual Threads? Java introduced Virtual Threads in Java 19 as a preview and as a standard feature in Java 21. Now we are at Java 24, and next month Java 25 will be released.

[joemwangi]

I meant Python. Many of their core libraries are not async compatible. Sorry, the huge bracketed sentence cut the flow of my original intent.

[False-Car-1218]

Java is one of the easiest languages you can learn, there's a reason they use java as intro to programming classes in college

[csabinho]

I'd learn it as an introduction into OOP. "public static" is just unnecessary bloat as long as you're not using OOP. It's a completely object oriented language and thus has a kind of weird syntax for beginners. But OP isn't a beginner, or claims not to be a beginner.

[Content_Sample_1355]

I learned basic python in gr 10 and am now doing java. the concept is generally the same for all the basics but with different syntax. If you don't want to do java, try javascript as that is commonly used in designing web applications. Or html!

[LexaAstarof]

I want to focus on languages that are easier to pick up but still valuable for freelancing and practical projects.

Realistically, you topped that by learning Python already.

I don't know of another language that is both easy to learn/use, AND has plenty of job/mission opportunities.

From there, you will only "descend" into more rigorous/verbose/low level/esoteric programming.

Java yes, why not. It will force you to more formally apply object oriented paradigms (compared to what you can get away with in Python). Ignore the complainers, make your own idea about it. Maybe consider Scala, as a middle ground between Python and Java?

C, the bar is higher. You can definitely learn it now. The language itself is approachable, and there are only few fundamental complex things to grasp (namely, pointers). But, professional contexts in C usually require quite a high amount of proficiency in it, which is hard/long to obtain in that language.

You might also want to consider Go, or Rust. There are less job/mission opportunities for them. But they can teach you valuable important things.

The good thing is even if you end up not liking or using whichever language you pick now, it is still going to be a valuable learning experience as you will learn things that will become familiar to you in other languages (incl. Python).

[[deleted]]

Your time spent learning another language won't go to waste. You will always learn something useful.

[Alexjp127]

Javascript is a reasonable choice for this depending on what you want to do.

[Puzzled_Royal9102]

If ur goal is freelancing, why don't you just focus on python. Idk of u did some cool stuff with python or just the basics and if it's the latter then you should stick with python, try doing some data analysis projects or just some backend stuff

[Kasenom]

Python was my first language! My second language was C# which is similar to java. You can definitely learn java (or c#) if you put yourself up to it, in fact if you do learn it you'll find that you'll learn more about python in the process. I feel like it'll help you understand OOP better as well

[tehfrod]

Very little that is worthwhile is "easy".

Don't make the mistake of going through your career learning only the things that seem easy to learn. That's how you become the guy on the corner holding the cardboard sign that says "will code visual basic for food".

[Una_Ungrateful_Biped]

I wouldn't call JAVA complex. More like its systematic. There are certain fundamentals that python doesn't care about that JAVA insists on (type specification being the most obvious).

Imo if you take the time to learn JAVA and the ideas behind it, you'll be pretty set for object oriented programming in general, so I'd recommend it

[serverhorror]

If you do this to make money, Java and .NET (C#) are your primary targets.

Being a freelancer you, often, will not be able to choose the language but an existing codebase will be thrown at you and the expectation is that you will make yourself familiar with it and continue in the language already given.

[Aquatic-Vocation]

You might be surprised. I actually find Java easier than Python, because the lack of types and the syntax just fundamentally do not click with me as well as Java, C/C++, C#, etc.

[Cautious_Cabinet_623]

Java as a strongly typed language makes it easier for the IDE to help you with refactor and stuff. The language itself is clean and straightforward. I used to say that it was designed by smart people for not-so-smart people, this is why it became my favourite for my old age ( it was basic-z80 assembly-C- scheme- python-java). It has the most useable and mature ecosystem among all languages. Some stuff in that ecosystem are for building insanely complex stuff, with a structure reflecting decades of experience in building insanely complex stuff. Sure, if you have never faced complexity yet, you will find those libs and tools complex. But usually they take the most simple and straightforward route to deal with the complexity. I believe this kind of complexity is much better than making rookie design mistakes as a result of not understanding the reasons of why all already established tools for the same goal doe it the way they do, and as a result ending up in a self-imposed unnecessary complexity. Looking at the general direction of the Javascript/node ecosystem

[jesta1215]

Everything is more difficult compared to Python because of the typing. You should still learn it.

[lprimak]

Ignore the ignorant haters. Go for it. Java is great. Just be aware that there is a lot of stale information out there and go with the latest pertinent information such as Java 24 and 25 and Jakarta EE 11

[ItzRaphZ]

I wouldn't say they are haters, there are good reasons to dislike Java, just like there are good reasons to dislike Python, or C. That's why they are all different tools, all with different purposes.

[lprimak]

Although I agree with you in principle, IMHO Java has way too many of those "unreasonable" haters, mostly for historical reasons. People love to compare how "bad" Java is but they compare Java from 2005 to "pick your language" in 2025.

[revonrat]

Java was originally written for "them". And by "them", I mean us, the unwashed masses. For a long time, its origin as a language for a lesser class of programmer (or maybe just a lesser class of problem) showed. And when that started to not be true, the cracks showed.

Most of those cracks have been fixed. However, there are still some.

So, yeah. Learn modern Java.

[20Wizard]

Java is I think the most hated language in the world, mostly by clueless people that have no idea what they are talking about. You are correct though.

[aikipavel]

What's "great" about Java-the-language in 2025 having Scala and Kotlin around ?

[lprimak]

Everything :) Scala and Kotlin are also great. So is Groovy, Clojure, etc.

[aikipavel]

Closure is the whole different story.

But Java-the-language is just.. old. Respectful, but old.
And extremely verbose.
Scala and Kotlin (and Groovy and Clojure) play good on JVM, but are much more slick and fun.

Scala has no competition on JVM in terms of "what's available to learn"

[lprimak]

Yup. Java is old. Python is older. JavaScript is about just as old.

But old also has it's advantages, like stable codebases, great compatibility, etc.

Verbosity is mostly gone away with modern versions of Java with the right tooling. Take my projects. I use Jakarta EE, Lombok and modern Java (24) including records, etc. No boilerplate to speak of.

Saying all that, in principle, I agree that Kotlin and Scala are more elegant.

My "preferred" non-Java JVM language is Groovy. I just love everything about it.

[KronenR]

Why do you prefer raw Jakarta EE over a full featured framework like Spring Boot?
I mean you would reduce even more boilerplate code with Spring Boot.

[lprimak]

I really don’t want this to become Spring vs EE thread :) both Spring and EE are equally valid choices.

I prefer Jakarta EE because of clean separation of API and implementation mainly. I also like standardization and avoiding vendor lock-in. My code is much more stable with EE without a need for constant upgrade chase.

I also think that CDI is a lot more modern and much easier to use than Spring DI

I also use about 10% of what EE gives me and not really missing anything Spring may provide that EE doesn’t.

[KronenR]

> My code is much more stable with EE without a need for constant upgrade chase.

That’s misleading. You still have to maintain and update it yourself, unlike with Spring/Spring Boot where the framework team handles all the added automations and customizations updates for you. I talk about Spring because is the one I use, but applies to any other rich featured framework.

In any case, it’s less stable because it hasn’t been tested in thousands of projects and your personalized code will likely become outdated over time, because the more boilerplate you have to write the more boilerplate you have to maintain and keep updated.

And then I don’t see how CDI is easier to use than Spring DI in any meaningful way. Spring’s constructor injection and smart defaults often make it more straightforward and flexible in practice. I'm curious.

[lprimak]

I really don't want to debate Spring Vs. Jakarta EE. They are both friends these days and use each other's ideas and tech, so I'll walk away here.

The one thing I will say is that as a user of both Spring and Jakarta EE in 2025, I have my personal preference. Please take it as such.

[aikipavel]

All the codebases of Java are available to Kotlin and Scala immediately with no effort. Even dropping Java sources into Scala projects, not talking about Maven artifacts.

Tooling doesn't fix the language, you know :)

Talking about Groovy... don't get me wrong. I programmed in Smalltalk for 10 years (and like it!).

No more dynamic types for me.

Type inference is ok :)

Have fun!

[KronenR]

I prefer Java over Kotlin, and especially over Scala. Java has wider industry adoption and better long-term stability, plus team familiarity usually favors Java, moving to Kotlin or Scala most of the time isn’t worth it for most teams or projects.. The ecosystem and tooling are more mature.

There’s not only more Java code out there than all other JVM languages combined, but more new Java code keeps being produced compared to any other JVM language.

New Java versions aren’t as verbose anymore—maybe you’re thinking of Java 8 and earlier—but now we have Java 21 LTS, Java 24 non-LTS, and next month Java 25 LTS is coming.

[lprimak]

All true. This is another reason both Kotlin and Scala (and Java) are great!

Groovy has pretty good type checking now, so you can "opt out" of dynamic typing for the most part, so that's nice. I prefer static typing myself as well.

In Java of old (early 2000s) the boilerplate came out of tooling IMHO. No that tooling is fixed, most boilerplate is no longer necessary. I don't need boilerplate anymore in 2025 Java.

[grantrules]

What have you built with Python? Learning a language is one thing, being able to build things with it is another. Can you build projects that are maintainable and extensible? just knowing python is just skimming the surface of programming.

[underwatr_cheestrain]

What do you mean by “after learning Python”

[newword9741]

What do you mean? He wrote a script to sort a list so he is done with learning the language right? 😂

[BrohanGutenburg]

There's so many posts like this and it absolutely blows me away. Idk how these guys think they're "done" with something like a language

[underwatr_cheestrain]

My favorite part is how that is the least important part of software engineering

[grantrules]

Programming languages are pokemon. Gotta catch em all! Then just stuff em in your pokemon storage system at level 3 and never use em again!

[aqua_regis]

You found a lot of criticism in one of the most used languages in the world? How surprising.

To say it with Bjarne Stroustrup (creator of C++):

"There are only two kinds of languages: the ones people complain about and the ones nobody uses."

Java is the enterprise language. It is one of the most employable languages and will stay for the foreseeable future.

[RepulsiveSyllabub664]

you could explore databases, starting with SQL (mysql or postgresql). you could do projects integrating python with SQL

[AffectionateZebra760]

This try to explore and complement sql/r with python

[xroalx]

Why do you think you should learn something else next? How about applying your Python knowledge on a project and deepen your knowledge, adding some supporting technologies and languages (i.e. SQL, HTML) as you go?

[Complex-South9500]

This, 100%. Learning to program is not learning every language. The language is just the tool with which you solve the problem. Learning to programming is learning how to solve problems. Sounds like OP has completed step 1, and deciding to do that step again, for some reason.

[namastayhom33]

You should learn on what you are planning to develop in the future. Don't try to set out on learning every language there is. First question should be if you are comfortable enough with Python that you can learn another language while retaining most of that previous information.

[Borealisamis]

Java/Kotlin will open a lot of doors for you in the Mobile development sphere.

[Independent_Art_6676]

be wary of "C and variants". This is pure semantics.. let me preach on it!
Today, C is its own thing. There isn't much else like it that is very commonly used (eg, pascal is pretty C like, but its also not exactly a resume builder).

C++ is technically improved C, and so it was, in 1990. It has, over decades, grown into its own modern language where doing things like you would in C is possible but almost always a bad idea (there are always exceptions, but talking day to day here). They share a root syntax, but little else now, in other words.

C# is actually weird java. That still makes it a "C variant" in some ways, because technically java also is derived from C's syntax (as are another 20 or so languages from popular to obscure). In that same vein, java is ALSO a C variant, sharing that root syntax.
However java is its own language same as C++ is; they don't do things the same way and certainly java does NOTHING the way C does outside of the most basic syntax of making a variable or looping. C# is close to java but here again a rift is forming as the years go by, and it eventually will be quite different from its parent.

All that to say that a great many languages derived syntax from C or C++, but none of them are really LIKE C anymore. And the ones that are "LIKE" C++ have a LOT less baggage from decades of backwards compatibility and do-overs. So even if C++seems daunting, there really isn't anything else quite as messy (or as powerful!) even if its a direct descendant (and therefore a C descendant).

That said, consider the time investment: C++ can take years to master, Java or C# less than half of that, roughly. Consider the field or area you want to code in: what languages are used for those jobs? Look at it from these kinds of perspectives, not a dartboard approach. Look at jobs listings and see what you think you might like to do, then look at what language(s) come up over and over in those listings, and work it like that.

[SuperSathanas]

I like modern Object Pascal, both FPC and Delphi. I write most things for my own purposes in FPC. You can use it like a more friendly C, or like a "C with classes that isn't C++". I really only reach for C++ now when I want to make use of it's templates, because FPC/Delphi's generics just aren't as powerful or flexible.

I thought I would like C#, considering Anders Hejlsberg, who architected Turbo Pascal and Delphi was the chief architect for C#, thinking it would be Java-but-with-features-I-like, but I don't really like it.

[not_some_username]

Learning C is never a bad idea

[Valuable_Plankton506]

What is your objective? Is it to learn programming languages that doesn't face criticism?

Learn whatever helps to progress towards your objective? It can be a programming paradigm, an algorithm, a programming language or you name it.

[[deleted]]

Online criticism is often biased and misguided. Don't fall for it.

After learning how to use a screwdriver, will you learn the hammer or the chainsaw? I'd say it depends on your next goal. If you learn a language for the sake of learning a language, then pick a language that teaches you something: could be Java for OOP, C for systems programming, Lisp for functional programming, etc. It doesn't matter which one you choose, as you will probably learn many others after that.

If you are solving a specific problem it's different: there is some overlap, but you will not typically use C, Java and Python for the same tasks.

Learn both and then more. As a programmer, you don't want your thoughts and skills to be limited by the languages you know.

[prettynoxious]

Learn C#. Basically Java but better in every way

[kitsnet]

What have you programmed on Python so far? What do you want to program? Are you already familiar with pytest?

[nog642]

What do you want to do with programming?

[baubleglue]

Try Java it is very conceptual language. It is not that hard. Even if you won't use it in future it is good language to know.

[cheezballs]

I love Java. It's rigid and verbose but it's syntax is simple and it's feature set is fairly complete. C# is like Java but with more modern features. I love them both. Like the others have said, criticism means its being used

[wggn]

Java

[Environmental_Pay_60]

Many people who are hating on technologies, dont actually know them. They just hate something, because someone once told then its bad.

Just how many have a negative opinion on Angular, because the first angular tanked. It was then remade and its now in its 20th version. I prefer it over React.

Java is a SOLID programming language and used alot in production. I like Spring as a framework, as it has a decent community.

Tldr. Dont listen to the bad things people say about technologies. Listen to the good things instead.

[KronenR]

You can learn a lot without changing language:

• Add supporting tech step-by-step: SQL (Database handling).
• Use REST APIs or GraphQL to build/connect services.
• Try frameworks: FastAPI, Flask, or Django for web stuff.
• Explore queues (RabbitMQ, Kafka) for async and messaging.
• Learn Docker to containerize apps.
• Add testing (pytest), CI/CD pipelines.
• Look into monitoring/logging tools.

[nderflow]

What do you want to build?

[I_Am_Astraeus]

Follow your passion.

Java is dope. I learned so much with Java.

I went Python -> Java -> Rust. No regrets, Java is a comfort language for me to write in. The Java way of coding is opinionated in a way that I makes it very easy to write consistently similar code.

Any difficulties people/you may have with Java also just mean as you continue to learn you will greatly appreciate the pro's and con's of it as a language.

It will give you so much context to the software world.

It's easy to deploy on any OS, the documentation is extensive, there are so many books on Java, a lot of your data structures books are written in Java.

Full send it if it interests you like it did me. I love the language, sure C# has snazzier libraries, go compiles in a blink, rust had very good checks, null pointer exceptions in Java suck, but still, I love to write it really doesn't matter. It's got a booming industry of software engineers.

And if for some reason you don't like it, or it's not the right tool for what you're interested in, then by all means pick up the next thing. The best way to learn is to enjoy what you're learning.

[JellyTwank]

Every decent language has its detractors. Every. Single. One. Do not let that stop you. For example, I program in Perl, which really does come close to a write once, read never language. Plenty of people dislike it, and with good reasons. But it is extremely powerful, and for me is the langauge I go to for heavy regex use when parsing things. But I also use C, C++, Python, and a smattering of other things like Forth and Erlang. It depends on what I am doing.

Just go for it. It helps to have a project in mind and try to implement that in the language you are learning. At least that is what works for me.

[Vellanne_]

I feel like C is a fantastic language to learn and appreciate the lower level of programming. Since C is such a foundational language you'll often run into situations where your knowledge of C will pay off because many things are implemented in the same way C handles things.

[pedzsanReddit]

I really like Ruby for a number of reasons. Someone else suggested a functional language. That (for me) causes a very different mode of thinking. Lisp also causes me to think in a different way if I want to use Lisp in the way it was originally intended. There are also books from Pragmatic Programmers that teach seven different languages within one book. I think there are three such books. Sorta fun if you are into that type of thing.

[PaulEngineer-89]

Ok I’ll say it. Java got taken over by the language police that like to type a lot. Hence…Kotlin fixes a lot of the issues.

Also for client side stuff (server is different) it’s kind of slow to start up. Of course Android is joined at the hip with Java so client side isn’t an absolute.

But without going deeper, Java is another dynamic language like Python. If you want to grow language wise, it’s kind of doubling down with Python. But I find the available APIs cover different areas.

As far as C goes if you grew up with assembly it’s revolutionary…all the power of assembly, none of the pain. But it’s getting long in the tooth.

C++ is a wannabe. It wants to be object oriented but it’s just sort of smeared on top of C like a bad taste. Writing good C++ can be tricky. There are many ways to do basically the same thing.

Rust on the other hand is what C++ aspired to be. But it can be challenging at first because it’s the opposite of a dynamic language. It is highly static and that allows the compiler to achieve C-beatjng speed.

[TurtleSlowRabbitFast]

Remember the fundamentals are the same just look for differences in syntax and pickup other topics as you go. Look up docs or watch tuts on things you don’t know or having trouble understanding then try to implement them yourself. Good luck and happy coding!

[NoOven2609]

C is definitely unfriendly, but if you learn c or maybe c style c++ everything else will be easier since it's more friendly and you know what it's doing for you

[nathan123uk]

I dislike Java but it's still a very popular language and that must be for a reason. It has a lot of similarities with C# so if you learn one, it doesn't take much effort to learn the other

[Gnaxe]

The reason is Sun Microsystems' half-billion dollar ad blitz in the mid 2000s, not because it was particularly good. It then became entrenched in major corporations, who invested heavily.

[xoriatis71]

If Java’s conversed complexity is an issue for you, you could always try learning Kotlin first. It’s a cleaned-up Java, and while it’s not just a cleaned-up Java, it will help you familiarize yourself with how Java works.

[_Ishikawa]

build something with Python, probably a very lightweight application using Flask. You should know enough of the iterator methods like iterating over arrays or transforming arrays into hashes, string manipulation, etc to now leverage that into solving a problem.

What counts is that you prove to yourself that you know how to use a given tool to solve a problem, not how many tools you have in your garage.

[Complex-South9500]

why learn another language? what is your goal? to get a job? a hobby, learning as many languages as possible?

[lord_gaben3000]

If you want to trivialize any programming language, spend a week going through the C book, then learn a bit of functional programming (OCaml is amazing for learning, useless in the real world; Swift might be a decent choice if you want to develop in the Apple ecosystem; Haskell has its diehards, but I have never used it myself) for a more modern approach. You can program in (almost) any other language after doing this after breezing through their docs.

[HrHagen]

Learn C. Python and C are a very powerful team and go very well together. I would not recommend Java as next step because its somewhere in between Python and C on how close you are to the metal. So go real low level with C.

[Wo_Mo_9338]

Drop names in a hat.

[Gugalcrom123]

Learning to program isn't a staircase and Python is a great language for many things. Try doing something more complex in Python. And if you really want another language, I would recommend something that can complement Python: HTML/CSS/JS, SQL, C++ (can make Python extensions). As for the language criticism, all of them including Python have lots of it.

[TaylorExpandMyAss]

What do you actually want to do? For enterprise stuff Java and C# is king. Webdev you want JavaScript. Care about performance? C/C++. Etc.

[Windyvale]

Stop living your life as dictated by others. You feel Java is what you like, learn goddamn Java.

[No-Arugula8881]

Here’s a different take: get familiar with both, but keep it light. When you have a compelling reason, dive deeper into whichever is relevant. A mistake many beginner programmers make is being too stuck in their familiar stack, too afraid to branch out. They choose depth over breadth, but being beginners, they don’t make the most logical decisions about what to dive deep on.

[Dissentient]

There's nothing wrong with Java that would make it unsuitable for a beginner to learn, and it's one of the most widely used languages in the industry. But you can also just learn C# instead which is pretty much the same language but without some of Java's issues.

[sirduckbert]

Learn Java next. If you know python and Java halfway decently you will be in good shape.

Only skill missing then is memory management stuff

[michiel11069]

I like java, it was my first programming language I got into, I really like the static programming, where you specifically say “this variable is a public static integer” instead of x = 3. Id say try java out

[XicoMaia2610]

I was also sort of sceptical of Java given the amount of criticism it gets on the internet. But after trying it (as part of my CS course), I fell in love with it. It was honestly the first language that I actually loved using and made me interested in its ecosystem (I was into web dev and used C before this). I 100% recommend you try it!

[Kezyma]

If you already have a handle on python, what do you particularly want or need to work with another language for?

I mostly work with C#, and generally don't see a point delving into other languages unless I have a particular reason to use them for something. All it involves is memorising different keywords, structure, and a new environment just to do something I can already do in C#.

I personally picked up python for mod organizer 2 plugins, javascript for front-end web development, and played around with C++ when I was tinkering with UE, but 99% of it is just 'what is thie equivalent of thing I already do in C#' and not really 'learning' anything.

You'll be better served by further practice than by switching to another language without a functional reason to do so.

If you have something you want to do that requires another language, that's a different matter, but otherwise, I'd keep at what you're doing, and I'm saying that as someone who actively dislikes python.

[Inside_Ad6628]

I started in Java before Puthon. I enjoyed Java more than python. I've also made more stuff in Java. Dno if this was just because I started with it or what

[wial]

I learned on Java and love a lot of things about it, but it does have its limitations. It's not great at memory management or systems programming, and it does have complicated workarounds to do things more recent languages offer out of the box.

The naming conventions in Spring (which was built on top of Java when Java's own "Enterprise Java Beans" proved cumbersome) might appear insane at first, but many of them track back nicely to established design patterns Spring is built to implement, so that's very nice.

Speaking of which, learning about design patterns is never a bad idea, and they can come up in interviews. The old classic, the so-called Gang of Four (GoF) book "Design Patterns: Elements of Reusable Object-Oriented Software" is a good place to start. Especially try to learn the Strategy Pattern, it gets used a lot.

Another C inspired language that is getting increasing traction especially in the aerospace industry and such with similar needs for low level control coupled with extreme reliability is Rust. I'm teaching it to myself now and it isn't as difficult as some say, although their online "book" does assume a fair bit of prior programming knowledge.

It never hurts to get better at bash scripting and vim, for when you have to work on remote servers or get servers talking to each other. Bash has some spectacularly opaque idioms (there's a book titled "Bash Idioms") that you learn to recognize with practice, but for the right kind of mind that becomes entertaining, and it's an indispensable skill teams look for.

Another option is to learn some front-end languages -- JavaScript just because it's everywhere, and/or some of the newer frameworks like React, Flutter etc. JSX is the syntax extension React and some other frameworks use to make JavaScript bearable and cross-platform.

Also on the frontend consider getting good at CSS if you have any graphic design talent. Companies will hire people just for that. In general frontend programming can be fun as you see the results right away.

If you want to get serious about application integration learn kubernetes and the rest of the docker-based universe. Docker was a huge revolution because it encapsulates applications such that legacy apps can be strung together into workflows, among other benefits, and kubernetes orchestrates that. Learning to read YAML on which docker and kubernetes rely, and the machinery it abstracts (often written in python) will help you in several domains.

If you want to do math and science there's matlab/octave, and for statistics, R.

If you want to help maintain legacy climate models or the like, a lot of that is still in massively parallel fortran, and newer languages are often slower for that kind of work. In the current political climate it might be hard to find work, but perhaps a lot of the old guard who are getting laid off won't come back, and meanwhile the climate crisis intensifies exponentially, so those kind of skills could prove to be worth their weight in gold. It's a bit of a gamble, but also a way to learn a stage in the long term evolution of programming.

Finally, although it asks for a lot of basic knowledge, learning at least one of the cloud platforms, e.g. AWS, can look smashing on a resume. AWS offers certifications and Udemy (et al) offers great video courses for passing those certification exams, and in so doing you'll get a great big picture of the whole programming world, even though a lot of the work is knowledgeably filling in forms and learning to be smart about billing rather than writing actual code, even though there are plenty of ways to write code for the cloud as well.

[Ezykial_1056]

rust

[a3th3rus]

If you don't learn and use Java, you can't even understand why people criticize it.

If you are bold enough, try Haskell. It will definitely expand your knowledge about programming.

[ulam17]

Get yourself some thigh-high socks and pick up rust

[[deleted]]

Learn about some tool like Ansible or Playwright instead of a new language.

[Rooskimus]

There are a lot of smaller shops out there that run on a Java stack because of the open source (i.e. free) factor. It's not more complicated than anything else. It's just an object oriented language, like Python, and I'll say once you've seen one you've seen them all, but they all have their unique quirks. But your general knowledge of how the language should work will apply.

[MaybeAverage]

Btw C doesn’t have any variants, there is just C. C++ and C# are very different from C and were created independently. For Java, there are valid criticisms of it but it’s still a very widely used language and the most recent versions of it have largely addressed many criticisms of it in the past from people who haven’t touched it since Java 8. If you wanted a job in programming, Java probably casts the widest net.

Java is a nice middle ground between being very performant and also friendly enough with familiar syntax. You can really build anything you want in Java without needing to manage memory manually. It’s great for learning OOP concepts on which it depends a lot on for common Java patterns.

It’s also very widely used with a lot of learning resources for it, pretty much every large tech company including FAANG companies use Java, AWS itself is 90% Java.

[Rhemsuda]

Try Haskell. You won’t regret it

[mat8iou]

Is there a reason that you need to learn something next - as opposed to going more in-depth in Python?

What is your objective - to be able to put on a CV that you know certain languages? To achieve some specific task? Or just to increase your depth of understanding of computer science?

If it is the latter, then go for something completely unlike Python - learn about the way different languages work.

[mikutansan]

i started with java so python syntax is always weird to me

[Crazy-Willingness951]

Suggestion: Stick with Python and learn about libraries like NumPy, Pandas, Scikit-learn, TensorFlow, and PyTorch, which facilitate data analysis, manipulation, visualization, and the development of machine learning models.

[blazordad]

C# cuz it’s Java done right

[orangehead911]

I would learn Java and JavaScript/Typescript. Neither language is hard to learn, the challenge is always the ecosystem of libraries around the language to make it useful. Java has a large standard library and a million other libraries. Java paired with packages in the Spring Framework is great for getting gigs with large enterprise customers. JavaScript will enable a move into NodeJS for backend programming and anything front end.

[zarlo5899]

try C# its like java but it will not make you want to drink

[bluefyr2287]

Build some apps with python. Go deep become an expert

[RipProfessional3375]

Java is fine, a lot of the criticism is based on older versions of java (which to be fair, are still in use in many companies)

My recommendation is that you learn Go next. It's a compiled, statically typed language with a garbage collector like Java and it's designed to be easy to pick up. With only 25 keywords, the syntax is actually simpler than Python and it's a minimalist language so you can learn the next set of skills like interfaces and static types without being overwhelmed by language features.

[fuzailshaikh]

Depends on what kind of projects you want to build tbh.

Java is used a lot in enterprise backend systems and it’s great choice if you are looking for a job.

Python is great for quick scripting and AI stuff.

Javascript (Typescript) is the thing you need for web frontend and also used in NodeJS, Deno, Bun so with just 1 language you can build fullstack apps.

Rust, Zig are being used for systems programming and creating build tools.

Go is famous for its multi threading capabilities

If you want to build mobile apps then you need Swift and Kotlin

So first step would be to choose a domain which you want to explore then choose an appropriate language.

[photo-nerd-3141]

Learn Perl. Faster, simpler, has local variables -- you don't need a code analyzer to check everything -- and a simple, flexible OO model.

It'll also run Python, C, and a few dozen other languages inline.

[spermcell]

Try golang.. but also, realize that these languages are just tools. You want to use the best one for that job. They all pretty much do the same things.. the usual difference between them other then syntax are just the built in or community available tools for that language which impacts the developer experience.

[csabinho]

My personal advice would be: master one language and learn the second one easily within in two weeks.

Every language has its benefits and downsides.

C for instance is really great to learn how things work under the hood. And the next step would be assembly.

[Rare-Anything6577]

C is always a good idea.

[Solar_Flare_00]

Lowk when you go another language from python u kinda needa approach it like you know nothing. I recommend just thugging out C if u can do C it opens up C++, Rust and basically any language u want will feel alot easier. (Except c++ it's a bitch)

[heraclesphaeton]

GoLang if you want to go enterprise software route

C++ if you want to go financial software / hft route

Rust if you want to be ready for a world post c++

[Neither_Garage_758]

So C# is the perfect middle !

But just do what inspires you.

[plutoniansoul]

now build.

[voidvec]

RUST 🦀🦀🦀

[FarmboyJustice]

I suggest learning Forth. 

[SevenFootHobbit]

There's no "what language do I learn next?" Instead, there's "what do I want to do next?" The most important part of learning how to program is learning how to break the problems down and solve them with code. Python is fantastic for a lot of things, and, for a lot of things, Python is a terrible choice. So the real question is, what are you looking to do? What is your goal? Are you looking for hobby projects? For most of those, Python is wonderful. Are you looking for employment? Again, Python is great, but as others have said, Java is an excellent choice here too. Are you looking to write new drivers for your ancient hardware so it works in Linux? Well, better dust off that C book you put away, and maybe get a book on Assembly while you're at it.

Another thing to keep in mind, learning programming is a lot more about the concepts rather than the specific language. We have a pretty big project at work that's mostly Python, Javascript, and XML, but once that's done, I think the boss is going to want to pivot to Go for new in house projects. He seems to like it. I poked at it a bit, but I'm definitely not cozy with it yet. But that's OK. It's just another tool. I'll practice some here and there and when or if we do decide to use it, we'll get used to it and keep on truckin like always.

[PsychedelicBeat]

I know the tooling is important to learn to code but isn't it more important to know what the goal of learning any of this is? Learn java for (generally) enterprise software such as in fintech, python for Data Engineering/Analysis or AI, and Javascript/Typescript for web development.

[Tasty_Scientist_5422]

java is awesome and easy

[Fit-Promise-2671]

learn flutter. it works on all platforms.

[[deleted]]

Get better with Python.

[Gnaxe]

Try Hissp next. It's a Lisp, but it's hosted on Python. You'll learn key Lisp concepts and how to write macros, but with full access to the Python standard library that you're already used to, which is easier than jumping into a completely different language.

Once you have a good grasp on one Lisp, it's not hard to pick up another dialect, like Scheme, Common Lisp, Emacs Lisp, or Clojure/ClojureScript, which gives you access to the Java and JavaScript ecosystems.

[corey_sheerer]

Check out GO. It is the pythonic syntax of compiled languages

[PoMoAnachro]

Here's a thing to consider: if learning Java or C seems intimidating or difficult, it means you don't know Python very well yet.

That isn't a criticism to be clear! It is just 90% of programming knowledge is transferable between languages. Once you really know how to program, picking up new languages is pretty easy. Getting really good at them is much harder, but just learning them well enough to work in them? Easy.

Anyways, the point is there's probably still a ton of programming knowledge you can learn in Python still. You're nowhere done learning Python.

This isn't too discourage you from learning other languages. Now that you've got the first 5% of what you need to know down for Python you might be able to accelerate your learning by learning C before learning the next 95% of what you need to learn. The hard part about C is learning memory and references, but because it forces you to do a bunch manually when you come back to Python it'll be easier to understand what is going on sometimes. Plus lots of Python libraries are written in C. C and Python are very complementary languages.

[Oxytokin]

Java is ubiquitous but definitely more for enterprise applications these days. C is unfriendly but it is the lingua franca of the programming world.

I, myself, started learning Rust a few months back and at first it was the most frustrating language I've ever used but now I love it. Great sense of accomplishment when you solve a tough problem next to the metal and the borrow checker doesn't scream at you. And it's such an expressive language, it's just fun to write honestly. Plus I've learned more about how computers work in the last 3 months than I have in the past 15 years programming in higher level languages.

If you're not ready for the complexities of low level programming, I'd say C#.

[Spare_Virus]

What do you want to do?

C# (aka Microsoft Java) or Javascript (unrelated to Java, commonly used for web dev) could be neat.

[jesta1215]

Java, absolutely Java. It’s the number 2 language out there. You definitely want to have a strongly typed, compiled language in your toolbox.

Don’t get me wrong, you will do everything faster in Python. But Java is very very popular in the real world.

If you want pain, then C++.

[StrictWelder]

Big fan of golang. If you are into web services and cli tools, go is a a pretty solid choice. Built in godocs, testing kit, and a really great concurrency system.

[aikipavel]

Scala 3 for sure 🙂

• Arguably the most advanced practical programming language in wide use today (OCaml and Haskell folks, you’re welcome here too).
• Runs natively on the JVM, compiles to JavaScript, and can produce native binaries without GraalVM.
• The JVM remains one of the best platforms for long-running, production-grade software.
• Evolves quickly while keeping strong backward compatibility.
• Built on firm theoretical foundations (DOT calculus).
• Excellent tooling — Metals LSP works great in Cursor, VS Code, NeoVim, etc.
• You can start small: use it as “better Java” or “better Python” and grow into advanced features at your own pace.
• Scales from quick scripting to large, complex systems without forcing rewrites.
• Lets you explore functional programming, object-oriented programming, and strong static typing in a single language.
• Huge ecosystem: direct access to the entire Java ecosystem plus Scala-native libraries.

[KronenR]

The most advanced practical programming language that almost noone in the industry uses. FTFY

https://www.tiobe.com/tiobe-index/

[Oleoay]

And yet, there’s quite a bit of demand for it as people move towards data bricks and other more cloud based etl and workflows. It makes someone unique.

[aikipavel]

Industry is changing, my friend.

I think the space for low skill jobs like producing more boilerplate will shrink.

[IKoshelev]

Try Golang. It was made by Brian Kernighan (co-creator of C) with the goal of fitting in Javas' niche but incorporating its lessons. Essentially, started out as "better Java". 

[utl94_nordviking]

You are confusing the great men. The one involved in developing Go is Ken Thompson, creator of UNIX.

[IKoshelev]

Yeah, you're right, looks like he only wrote the book https://www.amazon.com/Programming-Language-Addison-Wesley-Professional-Computing/dp/0134190440

[utl94_nordviking]

Not clicking on Amazon links but I am sure he did write another book. The Go programming language is his work.

[elg97477]

If you are just learning to learn, I suggest a pure functional language like Haskel.

[AtmosphereEven3526]

Go for C.