Top 10 most influential programming languages of 2024

In today's IT world, proficiency in programming languages has become an essential skill for a successful career. Whether you want to become a web developer, a data scientist or a game developer, choosing the right programming language can open up a plethora of career opportunities for you. In this article, we take a look at the 10 most common programming languages in 2024. Each offers different benefits and is an important tool in the arsenal of the modern developer. From the widely used Java and Python to specialised languages such as Swift and Assembler, we'll cover each one and how they can help you achieve your professional goals.

1. JAVA

Java continues to be one of the most widely used high-level programming languages on the job market.  Today, it has over 9 million users and is present in over 7 billion devices. Companies such as Adobe and Amazon are often looking for talent proficient in this programming language. This language is object-oriented and can be used outside of its own platform. Therefore, you can develop software and code that can run on other computers, even on other operating systems.
Another plus is backward compatibility, which saves companies time and money.

2. Python

Another one of the most popular programming languages at the moment is Python. This powerful language allows you to develop any kind of programme and has many advantages. It is open source, which means it is free, so it has almost no restrictions on software development. It is also one of the easiest programming languages to learn, as it is designed to resemble a human language. Creating code in Python is like giving commands to another person to perform an action. It is suitable for working with data, which makes it one of the most useful programming languages for the backend.

3. C

C is one of the most important programming languages that has developed numerous applications and operating systems. Its importance cannot be overemphasised as it also forms the basis for many other popular programming languages such as Java, C++, and C#. Originally developed by Dennis M. Ritchey between 1969 and 1972 at the famous Bell Labs, the C language was an evolution of the earlier B programming language. Since its inception, the C language has gone through many improvements and modifications while maintaining its original structure and functionality.

4. JavaScript

JavaScript is still a sought-after programming language and its popularity continues to grow every year. JavaScript can be characterised as an object-oriented programming language that was originally designed to develop and update multimedia and interactive content on web pages. With JavaScript, web pages become dynamic and interactive, which greatly enhances the user experience.

One of the key features of JavaScript is its ability to integrate with HTML and CSS, which allows you to create complex web applications with rich functionality and attractive interfaces. JavaScript is used extensively on both the client side (e.g., for validating forms and creating animations) and the server side, thanks to technologies such as Node.js. JavaScript also supports a wide range of libraries and frameworks such as React, Angular, and Vue.js that simplify the development and management of large projects.

5. C++

Created by Bjarne Straustrup in 1983 as an extension of the C language, C++ combines the functionality of C and adds object-oriented programming concepts such as classes and objects, making it a powerful tool for developing complex applications. In addition, this language is widely used for video game development due to its high performance and flexibility. If you are passionate about games and want to pursue a career in the video game industry, C++ will be your ideal choice for professional development. Many of the most popular and graphically demanding games have been created using C++, making it indispensable for developers looking to create high-quality, high-performance game projects.

6. C#

This programming language was developed by Microsoft and is one of the key tools in the arsenal of modern developers. The most common use of C# is to develop applications that are compiled into executable files to run in the .NET Framework. This framework allows you to create robust and scalable applications for a variety of operating systems and devices. Due to its tight integration with the .NET Framework, C# provides high performance and flexibility, making it an ideal choice for creating both desktop and web applications.

One of the main advantages of C# is its ability to develop applications quickly and easily, while retaining the elegance and programming style characteristic of the C family of languages. C# is heavily used in game development with the Unity engine, making it popular among video game developers. Unity allows the creation of cross-platform games with high quality graphics and complex logic, and C# plays an important role in this process due to its simplicity and powerful features.

7. PHP

PHP has deservedly gained its popularity due to its incredible agility and capabilities for creating interactive web pages from scratch. One of the key advantages of PHP is that it is open source. This means that anyone can not only use PHP, but also make their own improvements and modifications. Because of this, PHP has a large and active community of developers who are constantly working to improve it and are willing to help their colleagues from all over the world. This community ensures that the language is constantly updated and evolving and provides a huge amount of documentation, tutorials and training materials.

PHP easily integrates with various databases such as MySQL, PostgreSQL and many others, which allows you to create powerful and efficient web applications. In addition, PHP supports a wide range of web servers, including Apache and Nginx, making it an even more versatile tool. PHP has helped create millions of websites and web applications, from small personal blogs to large corporate portals and online shops.

8. Swift

It is a programming language created by Apple specifically for developing applications for its ecosystem including iOS, tvOS, OS X and watchOS systems. The core work of Swift is based on combining the features of Objective-C and C languages. Swift offers many advantages that make it attractive to developers. Firstly, this language greatly simplifies the process of writing code due to its brevity and clarity. It provides developers with many tools to create high-quality and high-performance applications with minimal effort. Swift syntax is intuitive and user-friendly, which reduces errors and speeds up the development process.

In addition, Swift is open source, which makes it accessible not only to professional developers but also to everyone. This means that anyone, regardless of experience level, can learn Swift and start building their own applications. Swift is also characterised by high performance and security. It includes many features to prevent errors and improve code reliability, such as memory management, automatic type detection, and error handling.

9. Visual Basic

Visual Basic, as explained on the official website, is an object-oriented programming language developed by Microsoft. This language was created to make the programming process more accessible and understandable, especially for novice developers. Visual Basic provides powerful tools and features for creating applications that can run in the .NET ecosystem. Using Visual Basic makes it much easier and simpler to create type-safe applications in .NET. This means that developers can be confident that their applications will run reliably and error-free, as Visual Basic automatically checks for data type consistency and prevents many common errors. Visual Basic is also integrated with Microsoft Visual Studio, one of the most powerful and popular integrated development environments (IDEs). This provides developers with a wide range of tools for designing, coding, testing, and debugging applications.

10. Assembler

Assembler differs from high-level programming languages in that it is specific to a particular physical computer architecture. This means that each type of processor has its own assembly language, making it not as portable as high-level languages such as Python or Java. One of the main features of assembly language is its ability to give programmers direct access to a computer's hardware resources. This makes ASM an indispensable tool for tasks that require high performance and precise control over hardware, such as developing operating systems, device drivers, and embedded systems.

This language allows programmers to write code that interacts directly with the processor and memory, allowing them to optimise program execution and take full advantage of the hardware's capabilities. This is especially important in situations where maximum performance is required, such as in real-time systems where every millisecond counts. In addition, learning assembly language provides programmers with a deep understanding of the inner workings of computers. Knowledge of ASM helps to better understand how high-level language compilers and interpreters work, as well as how to use computer resources efficiently.

Conclusion

There are many languages in the programming world, each with its own unique features and applications. Learning to program in one or more of these languages is an investment in your future, opening up many career opportunities. Regardless of which language you choose to learn, the key is to stay ahead of the curve, keep improving, and keep up to date with the latest trends and innovations in the world of programming. Let your career in the IT world be successful and fruitful! Start today by choosing the language that is right for you. Discover the boundless opportunities that the modern world of technology offers.