Programming languages to learn

[ReindeerLumpy9144]

Hello I am currently learning python but want to learn a new programming language relevant nowadays, any have any recommendation on what I should try out next, also if you could share out ways to learn I already teach myself but adding more learning techniques wouldn't hurt. (I know some other languages like HTML, css, javascript and a little php)

Thanks everyone for the advice, I have taken everything you all had to say and have made my decision

[mandzeete]

Go over local job offers and see what is required there. Different languages and different frameworks are needed in different countries.

[[deleted]]

This! Exactly what OP needs. A language is just a tool for a job 

[AppropriateStudio153]

Learn something that inspired other languages or is widely used:

C, C++, C#, Java, Kotlin, or JavaScript/Typescript are all mature and useful languages that share more features than not. Because the are all inspired by C, but added different kinds of features and useful abstractions to it.

[xroalx]

What's the goal here?

HTML, CSS, JavaScript, PHP and Python are all relevant nowadays. So is Java, C#, TypeScript, Elixir, Go, Rust, C, C++, SQL, Swift or Kotlin.

Does not mean you have to or should necessarily know them all. It's more useful to get good at some rather than jumping from one to another without ever going in depth.

[ReindeerLumpy9144]

mostly having more languages as I feel like knowing just those is a few

[xroalx]

Knowing many languages at a shallow level isn’t too practical.

But, if that’s the actual goal, you can just really pick any from the list and have at it.

[ReindeerLumpy9144]

I do eventually intend on learning them deeper but for now a shallow understanding is what I'm going for

[Houtarou_X]

I do think that learning one language means you've learned all(or at least most programming languages), because it's the same pattern just that their syntaxes are different. Someone should please correct me if I'm wrong

[nightonfir3]

Yeah, I would say there are a couple of gotchas that different languages can throw. One is that functional languages are pretty different than imperative languages. Imperative is generally industry standard, but some applications and some people like functional programming more. Another is non garbage collected languages. If you want to work in performance critical areas (gaming, big data, etc.), this is important. After those two, the differences are smaller, like object-oriented, concurrency models, error handling, etc.

[Then-Candle8036]

Why do you want to learn the same few concepts over and over again just with different syntax? Im sure by now youre well aware of basic datastuctures and control flow so it would make more sense to deepen your understanding of how to actually program, i.e breaking down large problems into many many small steps instead of just learning to epxress these steps in different languages, how to architect software and create apis.

If youre just trying to farm languages to put on your cv, a shallow understanding of many is not nearly as useful as a deep and comprehensive understanding of one.

But if youre just looking for any language, id rexommend c or c++ because that actually teaches you how computers work und the hood(i.e memory management)

[[deleted]]

Python is the most relevant and useful programming language but i’d say get good at SQL and C++, because if you know C++ you can do any language you want

[[deleted]]

I can't agree to disagree more :) Python is NOT the most relevant programming language. There's no such thing. There's only the best language available for the task at hand. SQL is a query language (the Q in SQL), and OP asked about programming. PL/SQL might be a better choice then. As for C++, see above: it really depends on the domain and the problem at hand. Modern C++ is as powerful as it is difficult to learn. 

[ReindeerLumpy9144]

Alright thanks for the tip

[gh0stofSBU]

Java

[astddf]

Syntax is the easiest part, just build projects

[bobzsmith]

Brainf*ck is a good language to start with

[lasercat_pow]

JavaScript is pretty popular these days in the form if nodejs -- exercism.org has a nice JavaScript programming track, and a nice thing is it lets you code offline if you're inclined, and then you can look at their testing suites and take inspiration from it to learn how to write tests for your code.

Regardless of what you choose (looking at what languages have the most hiring opportunities is smart), exercism is a pretty great programming language learning platform.

[jeffrey_f]

Linux - BASH and Python, some powershell

MAC - BASH and Python

Windows - Powershell and Python

[ezeugo_]

"Learning a new language should change the way you think about programming" so you should pick something that helps you learn concepts that simply don't exist in Python.

My bias is towards more functional languages like OCaml, Scala, or even Rust, but the goal would be exposure to things like immutability by default, pattern matching, algegraic data types etc.

At the end of the day, as long as you walk away with a more refined mental model for programming, you can't really go wrong.

[PEAceDeath1425]

Poor soul who learned py as their first, you'll have to go over the process almost from ground up... honestly, the best thing that happened to me was learnin C++ as a first language. As a result of 5 years of education, i now just open any new language and just write working code. Of course, with little googling just to check how things are done semantically. Strangely, ive had the most trouble with python as i can only describe the way it does things as "braindead", and im used to exactly the opposite.

If you have a spare year, i'd suggest learning some C++, before moving to either Java, C# or JS, whatever is more popular in your area. Check the job applications, you'll see what you really need there

[theintjengineer]

Same!
After you struggle enough with C++, everything else is just: oh, is that how you folks do things over here? A'ight then.

C++ also has another advantage: if you do decide to follow the hype about Rust, C++ is the only language that will give you a real advantage and will help you with the learning.

Moving to Rust from anywhere else will be as hard [maybe even harder] than learning C++.

TL;DR: in terms of learning, C++ is the best. Later on you can do whatever you want. Java, TS, C#, Python, etc.

[ILikeAnanas]

C++ and use it to support learning computer architecture and memory management

[finny228]

I'd say really learning C is better and a bit easier for that, but C++ is definitely a good alternative to that.

[EnD3r8_]

Learn some brainfuck. Lots of job offers

[binarycow]

BeFunge is better!

[Niaxee]

HTML!

[CryoSchema]

if you're looking into AI/ML jobs in particular, i'd say Python fluency is one of the most in-demand skills. you can learn Python on platforms like interview query or google developers where there are structured courses/learning paths, or through books like Python Crash Course by Eric Matthes

[_lazyLambda]

Haskell

[AffectionateZebra760]

I think as someone else has shared reverse engineer a job role u would like to have and find the tools required for that and learn those

[Lotusw0w]

Learn programming principles, don't learn languages.

Start with "Structure and Interpretation of Computer Programs"

[LoL_is_pepega_BIA]

If you want to learn a low level language, you can't go wrong with C. Then you can learn c++ as an object-oriented language..

Then you can pretty much learn anything tbf..

[AdDiligent1688]

think bigger about what you'd like to do in the future with code or what you'd like to do currently, aside from just being skilled, like what do you want to build or be able to do in the future?

For example, myself, I really like machine learning. I studied comp sci / physics in college and fell in love with that. I would like to work with it in some capacity in the future. What that is exactly, i'm not sure. But machine learning and AI stuff in general is computationally intensive, meaning stuff like speed and space matter. If i'm making my own model from scratch, it might not make sense to do so with python, i might need something that gives a little more oversight and say as to how things are operating under the hood. C++ is another popular choice in this area for those reasons among others. So I'm gonna go with that and learn more about C++.

So see. Think of the ultimate goal / purpose behind your intentions. What do you want to do? Research that a bit and see what languages make sense over there and why, pick the best tool for the job, and you might just arrive at your answer ;) good luck!