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eliezer
Student
Newark, New Jersey
1
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what is the best computer language?
computer langauge tips
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5 answers
David Allen
Consultant
29
Answers
Dallas, Texas
Updated
David’s Answer
Determining the "best" computer language depends on various factors such as your specific needs, the nature of the project, and personal preferences. However, some languages are widely recognized for their versatility, performance, and popularity in different domains.
For general-purpose programming, Python is often considered an excellent choice due to its readability, ease of learning, and extensive libraries, making it suitable for a wide range of applications, including web development, data analysis, artificial intelligence, and automation.
For web development, JavaScript remains a dominant language due to its versatility and compatibility with all major web browsers. JavaScript frameworks like React, Angular, and Vue.js are popular choices for building dynamic and interactive web applications.
In the realm of system programming and performance-critical applications, languages like C and C++ are preferred for their efficiency and low-level control over hardware resources.
For mobile app development, languages like Swift (for iOS) and Kotlin (for Android) have gained popularity due to their modern syntax, robust features, and strong community support.
Ultimately, the "best" language depends on your specific goals, project requirements, and personal preferences. It's essential to evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of different languages and choose the one that best suits your needs and expertise.
For general-purpose programming, Python is often considered an excellent choice due to its readability, ease of learning, and extensive libraries, making it suitable for a wide range of applications, including web development, data analysis, artificial intelligence, and automation.
For web development, JavaScript remains a dominant language due to its versatility and compatibility with all major web browsers. JavaScript frameworks like React, Angular, and Vue.js are popular choices for building dynamic and interactive web applications.
In the realm of system programming and performance-critical applications, languages like C and C++ are preferred for their efficiency and low-level control over hardware resources.
For mobile app development, languages like Swift (for iOS) and Kotlin (for Android) have gained popularity due to their modern syntax, robust features, and strong community support.
Ultimately, the "best" language depends on your specific goals, project requirements, and personal preferences. It's essential to evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of different languages and choose the one that best suits your needs and expertise.
Dennis Taylor
Self-employed
71
Answers
Columbus, Indiana
Updated
Dennis’s Answer
Hello eliezer, I have heard this discussion many times. I am an engineer, NOT a computer science pro, but I have done my fair share of programming. Here's my take: A computer language allows you to communicate with the computer and associated peripherals in a somewhat mathematical language. I learned (first) to program in FORTRAN (short for Formula Translation). By today's standards, it is an "old" language" that very few people deal with anymore.
I also learned to program in "C" and in the macro language and machine code of the machine used in my projects.
I have used this example a couple of times, even in this forum: the OLDEST programming language I know of is musical notation. Musical notation is at least 500 years old. And, it is still in use today. You can put a 500 year-old chart in front of a modern muscian with a modern instrument, and he/she can still perform the arrangement and make it sound pretty much like what the original composer intended. So, I think the "best" programming language should have that kind robustness and staying power. Of course, musicians and musical instruments are different that embedded systems or cell phones or whatever AI is running on.
Today, we talk about "high level" programming languages. That means that just a few instructions results in a fairly large amount of machine code, which means that the programmer can be more productive. The rule of thumb is that an experienced programmer can write AND debug, about 105-10 lines of code per day - regardless what language it is. So, if you are writing in machine code or macro assembly, you will be less productive than if you are writing in Python. That conclusion assumes that the Python translator/compiler/whatever - is reasonably sparse when it generates the machine code.
So, I can't really advocate a "best" language for you. My advice - become proficient with one or two languages that are being used a lot. But, be ready to learn a new one when the context of your project requires it.
Good luck, eliezer!
I also learned to program in "C" and in the macro language and machine code of the machine used in my projects.
I have used this example a couple of times, even in this forum: the OLDEST programming language I know of is musical notation. Musical notation is at least 500 years old. And, it is still in use today. You can put a 500 year-old chart in front of a modern muscian with a modern instrument, and he/she can still perform the arrangement and make it sound pretty much like what the original composer intended. So, I think the "best" programming language should have that kind robustness and staying power. Of course, musicians and musical instruments are different that embedded systems or cell phones or whatever AI is running on.
Today, we talk about "high level" programming languages. That means that just a few instructions results in a fairly large amount of machine code, which means that the programmer can be more productive. The rule of thumb is that an experienced programmer can write AND debug, about 105-10 lines of code per day - regardless what language it is. So, if you are writing in machine code or macro assembly, you will be less productive than if you are writing in Python. That conclusion assumes that the Python translator/compiler/whatever - is reasonably sparse when it generates the machine code.
So, I can't really advocate a "best" language for you. My advice - become proficient with one or two languages that are being used a lot. But, be ready to learn a new one when the context of your project requires it.
Good luck, eliezer!
Keith Warren
IT Support
4
Answers
Memphis, Tennessee
Updated
Keith’s Answer
The "best" programming language depends on various factors such as the specific use case, personal preference, project requirements, existing infrastructure, and the skills of the development team. There isn't a one-size-fits-all answer to this question, as different languages excel in different domains. However, here are some popular programming languages and their typical use cases:
1. Python: Known for its simplicity and readability, Python is widely used in web development, data analysis, artificial intelligence, machine learning, scientific computing, and automation.
2. JavaScript: As the primary language for web development, JavaScript is used for building interactive websites, web applications, and server-side development with Node.js. It's also increasingly used in mobile app development with frameworks like React Native and Flutter.
3. Java: Java is a versatile language used in a wide range of applications, including web development, mobile app development (Android), enterprise software, and large-scale systems.
4. C#: Developed by Microsoft, C# is commonly used for building Windows desktop applications, web applications (with ASP.NET), and game development (with Unity).
5. C++: A powerful and efficient language, C++ is used in system programming, game development, embedded systems, and performance-critical applications where speed and memory management are crucial.
6. Swift: Developed by Apple, Swift is used for building iOS, macOS, watchOS, and tvOS applications. It offers modern syntax, safety features, and performance optimizations.
7. Kotlin: Kotlin is a statically-typed programming language that runs on the Java Virtual Machine (JVM) and is interoperable with Java. It's used for Android app development and increasingly for backend development with frameworks like Spring Boot.
Ultimately, the best language for a project depends on factors such as the project requirements, ecosystem, community support, developer familiarity, performance considerations, and long-term maintainability. It's often beneficial for developers to be proficient in multiple languages to adapt to different projects and challenges.
1. Python: Known for its simplicity and readability, Python is widely used in web development, data analysis, artificial intelligence, machine learning, scientific computing, and automation.
2. JavaScript: As the primary language for web development, JavaScript is used for building interactive websites, web applications, and server-side development with Node.js. It's also increasingly used in mobile app development with frameworks like React Native and Flutter.
3. Java: Java is a versatile language used in a wide range of applications, including web development, mobile app development (Android), enterprise software, and large-scale systems.
4. C#: Developed by Microsoft, C# is commonly used for building Windows desktop applications, web applications (with ASP.NET), and game development (with Unity).
5. C++: A powerful and efficient language, C++ is used in system programming, game development, embedded systems, and performance-critical applications where speed and memory management are crucial.
6. Swift: Developed by Apple, Swift is used for building iOS, macOS, watchOS, and tvOS applications. It offers modern syntax, safety features, and performance optimizations.
7. Kotlin: Kotlin is a statically-typed programming language that runs on the Java Virtual Machine (JVM) and is interoperable with Java. It's used for Android app development and increasingly for backend development with frameworks like Spring Boot.
Ultimately, the best language for a project depends on factors such as the project requirements, ecosystem, community support, developer familiarity, performance considerations, and long-term maintainability. It's often beneficial for developers to be proficient in multiple languages to adapt to different projects and challenges.
Stephen Liu
Senior Software Engineer
10
Answers
Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Updated
Stephen’s Answer
There isn't a single best programming language, as each has unique strengths suited for different projects and shifts in popularity over time. When you're starting out, it's essential to focus on mastering the fundamentals that all programming languages share:
- Variables: Storing data for manipulation.
- Control structures: Directing the flow of the program, such as loops and conditionals.
- Data structures: Organizing data efficiently, like arrays and lists.
Understanding these basics is crucial and will help you in any language you might choose later. It's also beneficial to learn about design patterns, which are time-tested solutions to common programming problems. They can help you write more efficient and maintainable code, applicable across various languages.
As you become more comfortable with programming, choose the language, framework, and tools that best fit the specific needs of your project or the industry you are targeting. For example:
- Web development: Consider JavaScript and frameworks like React or Angular.
- Data science: Python is highly favored, especially with libraries like pandas and scikit-learn.
The best language will ultimately depend on what you need to achieve and the specific requirements of the industry or environment you are working in.
- Variables: Storing data for manipulation.
- Control structures: Directing the flow of the program, such as loops and conditionals.
- Data structures: Organizing data efficiently, like arrays and lists.
Understanding these basics is crucial and will help you in any language you might choose later. It's also beneficial to learn about design patterns, which are time-tested solutions to common programming problems. They can help you write more efficient and maintainable code, applicable across various languages.
As you become more comfortable with programming, choose the language, framework, and tools that best fit the specific needs of your project or the industry you are targeting. For example:
- Web development: Consider JavaScript and frameworks like React or Angular.
- Data science: Python is highly favored, especially with libraries like pandas and scikit-learn.
The best language will ultimately depend on what you need to achieve and the specific requirements of the industry or environment you are working in.
Huy V
Information Technology
4
Answers
Fountain Valley, California
Updated
Huy’s Answer
Hello,
The "optimal" language truly hinges on your point of reference. However, I would suggest Python as it's not only simple to grasp, but also straightforward to learn.
Wishing you all the best on your journey! :)
The "optimal" language truly hinges on your point of reference. However, I would suggest Python as it's not only simple to grasp, but also straightforward to learn.
Wishing you all the best on your journey! :)