Taking a look at rankings according to the Github star listing, the top web frameworks include Vue.js, React.js, and Angular.
Vue.js is a popular JavaScript framework used for building user interfaces took position 7 in the survey. For developers, Vue’s core library is easy to learn and integrate with other libraries and projects.
React.js is another popular framework for building user interfaces. It is a dynamic, declarative, and flexible JavaScript library that allows a developer to build complex UIs from small and isolated components.
Position 3 and 4 in Github star listing are Angular and AngularJS which took positions and positions 3 and 9 respectively in the report. Angular is an open-source web application framework that can be used for developing mobile and desktop web applications using TypeScript or JavaScript as well as other programming languages.
On the other hand, AngularJS is a trendy framework for creating dynamic web applications.
The Most Easiest Programming Languages to Learn
When you need to master a programming language, you might wonder which one is easy to learn. Several factors come into play when it comes to finding a language easier than another. For instance, the syntax of a language, the skills you might already possess that align with a specific language, the level of difficulty you’re willing to learn, the reason you want to learn a language, and more.
We have already discussed the programming languages difficulty ranking above and mentioned the reason they are regarded as difficult.
However, some languages are super easy to learn. The top 5 easiest languages to learn to include Python, Java, JavaScript and TypeScript, Swift, and finally C#. The main reason is that their syntax is simple and easy to read and understand.
Top 10 Most Popular Programming Languages
From the rankings, programming languages are continuously changing and evolving spurred by the changing demands in the industry. We have seen the fastest growing languages and most influential languages. In this section, we cover the top 10 most popular programming language rankings.
Of course, all of these insights are up for debate, but they are worth considering if you want to stay ahead of the curve.
JavaScript
JavaScript is the world’s most in-demand programming language. According to Web Technology Surveys, JavaScript is currently used by 97% of websites. The popular scripting language can be used both on the server-side and client-side to make interactive web pages and is, therefore, one of the best programming languages for web development. Not only that it is also one of the best programming languages for mobile app development.
It provides developers with numerous frameworks and libraries that they can import into their code to augment application functionality and flexibility. JavaScript also allows stress-free integration with third-party apps. It’s no wonder the developer community is increasingly falling in love with JavaScript and using it for web, server, as well as IoT applications.
Popular apps built with JavaScript frameworks include Slack, NetFlix, GitHub, Facebook, Skype, Uber, LinkedIn, Tidal, and more.
Release year: March 1996
User base: 12.2M developers
Features: Lightweight, Platform independent, Client-edge technology, Object-oriented,
Applications: Front-end development, Back-end development, Mobile development, Browser game development, server applications, IoT, Embedded Scripting
Python
Every year in surveys of the world’s most popular and most commonly used programming languages, Python comes out among the top. Its use is now global and it has been marked as the fastest-growing language.
The language is powerfully designed yet simple to write and read — just like everyday English. It’s therefore user-friendly and easy to learn and the developer community can use it for just about anything. It comprises a rich set of libraries and frameworks for a wide range of purposes including web applications, data analysis, systems programming, machine learning, deep learning, etc.
Python is one of the official languages in use by Google! Other Tech Giants using Python include Facebook, Instagram, Netflix, Mozilla, Reddit, Microsoft, and more. The other cool thing about Python is that it has been in the market for a long time and has a huge developer community and support forums.
Release year: February 1991
User base: 8.4M developers
Features: Open-Source, Easy to use, Portability, Object-oriented,
Applications: Web development, software development, scientific computing, Fintech, Data science, machine learning, game development, IoT, Startups
Java
If you are wondering whether Java is still as popular, the answer is yes. For decades, it’s been a popular programming language and is still a top choice for many companies and developers.
Despite the fact that it has been surpassed by Python, Java remains practical, stable, consistent, and useful for developers to create many kinds of applications. Its syntax is also close to English which makes it easy to learn, understand, and write compared to other less straightforward programming languages.
Large corporations including Google, Instagram, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Spotify, Airbnb, and more use Java. Given its stability, updates, ease of use, and large community of developers, Java will continue to be a top popular programming language.
Release year: May 1995
User base: 8.2M developers
Features: Object-oriented, open-source, robust, secure, high performance, automatic memory management
Applications: Android app development, Embedded coding, server-side projects, web applications, IoT, Desktop Applications, Game development,
jQuery
According to W3Techs, jQuery is used by more than 74% of the top 10 million websites as of February 2020. An open-source JavaScript library that’s primarily used for DOM manipulation. jQuery is the simplest way to add powerful Javascript features to your apps.
It’s simple syntax is designed to make it easier to select DOM elements, handle events, navigate documents, create effects and animations, and Ajax applications with cross-browser support. jQuery also provides capabilities for programmers to create plug-ins on top of the JavaScript library.
On the Stack Overflow survey, it topped the list of the most popular web frameworks. However, it’s quickly losing position to React.js and Angular.
Release year: August 2006
Features: Free, Open-Source, Fast, Light-weight, Versatile, Easy to use, large user-base, extensible, ease of integration,
Applications: HTML document traversal and manipulation, event handling, animations, Ajax applications, cross-browser support,
Ruby
With a place as one of the best programming languages for web development, Ruby is slowly but surely growing in popularity. It is regularly developed with a lot of loyal supporters who use it to build impressive web applications.
Ruby on Rails, its most popular framework provides great flexibility, simplicity, security, and a short development period for programmers. It also features functionality for dynamic typing, object-oriented, mix-ins, method names, duck typing, singleton methods, automatic garbage collection, etc.
Syntax-wise, it’s fun, easy, and comfortable to write. Popular web applications developed using Ruby include AirBnB, Github, Twitter, Shopify, Slide Share, Fiverr, Hulu, BaseCamp, and more. Ruby has a very promising future and is a good choice for developing your product.
Release year: December 1996
User base: 1.8 M developers
Features: Object-oriented, flexible, simple, garbage collection, web servers, secure
Applications: Web development, function programming, data analysis, prototyping,
TypeScript
TypeScript has been named among the top five most promising programming languages. Its growth is spiking, with about 60% of JS developers now using the language and many more expressing interest to start using it.
TypeScript is OpenSource and among the best programming languages for mobile app development. It’s developer-friendly as it makes writing and reading code super easy. As a developer, using TypeScript will make hybrid mobile app development a cakewalk, which could be why it is increasingly growing in popularity.
Furthermore, TypeScript’s code is more reliable and comfortable with refactoring, which helps developers evade errors and perform rewrites much easier. If you have to work on large and complex projects, TypeScript is your ideal choice.
Release year: October 2012
Features: Open-Source, Easy code management, easy to understand, fast, easy to refactor code, object-oriented, portable, ES6 Feature Support
Applications: web apps, front-end development, application scale development,
C#
Almost 20 years old, C# is beneficial for enterprise applications and, therefore, a modern programming language. Boosted by the fact that .NET Core is the most loved software development framework globally and has a vibrant community behind it, C# can only grow in popularity.
From the ground up, C# is readable and straightforward and all about developer productivity. It has built-it design patterns and an extensive library collection that helps developers exquisitely implement code. It also allows programmers to optimize performance and memory allocations with its garbage collector functionality.
Besides, thanks to Blazor, an exciting addition to .NET technologies to help build client web applications, C# can now run in a browser. It is used by top software companies worldwide for Windows applications, web development, and gaming, such as Visual Studio and Unity.
Release year: 2000
User base: 7.6 M developers
Features: Open-Source, object-oriented, portability, garbage collection, scalable, large community
Applications: Web applications, Windows apps, and mobile apps including iOS and Android, embedded systems apps, game development, Server-Side programming
Swift
According to the PYPL 2020 results, Swift ranked position eight among the most popular programming languages. In the Stack Overflow Survey results, Swift ranked position nine.
Swift is a modern programming language used primarily for iOS application development. In fact, it has been rated a top choice as thebest programming language for mobile app development or iOS.
We are therefore safe in saying that it’s great for creating native mobile apps for the iPhone. Swift is also incredibly fast and easy to learn, making it very easy for developers to write code. It is also designed to help programmers write safe code. Swift also features dynamic libraries and functionality for better memory management. As a result, it has become one of the fastest-growing programming languages within the Apple ecosystem.
Top companies and applications Using Swift include Facebook, Slack, WhatsApp, Medium, Twitter, Lyft, Uber, etc.
Release year: June 2014
User base: 2.3 M developers
Features: Open-source, easy to learn, fast & powerful, cross-platform, secure
Applications: iOS App Development, deep learning, System Programming, Client-side development (via WebAssembly), IoT, mobile development
Rust
Since 2016, Rust has been voted the most loved programming language in the Stack Overflow Developer survey as we have indicated above. High-performance, reliability, and the ability to build software that is less prone to attacks and bugs are some of the features that make Rust appealing.
Many organizations use it to develop reliable, low-overhead, cross-platform software. For example, Microsoft is experimenting with Rust to reduce memory-related bugs in
Windows. Rust also offers direct access to hardware making it a good choice for building embedded systems, bare-metal development, and operating-system kernels.
Some applications that use Rust include Firefox, Cloudflare, Braintree, and Dropbox.
Release year: July 2010
User base: 0.6 M developers
Features: Open-source, high-performance, secure, reliable, memory safety, garbage collection
Applications: Web projects, game engines, operating systems, file systems, browser components, and simulation engines for virtual reality.
SQL
Every software application needs data, and SQL is the language of data. It is the world’s most commonly used language for databases since it makes it easier to manage database systems without writing substantial amounts of code.
Its strength lies in the fact that SQL is a de facto global programming language, which defines standards and is already adopted by the ANSI & ISO standards. SQL queries can be used to retrieve large amounts of records from a database quickly and efficiently. SQL also provides portability, meaning developers can use it in programming for PCs, servers, laptops, and some mobile phones.
Release year: April 1989
User base: 7 M developers
Features: Security, authentication, Data Manipulation Language, Data Definition Language,
Applications: Relational database management, Client-server execution, Remote database access, Embedded SQL
Which Programming Language Should you Choose for Your Next Project?
You wouldn’t use a hammer to cut wood because it is popular, right? A handyman will select a specific tool to perform a certain task. So, pick the tool for the job you are doing or want to do. As a developer, a programming language is your tool. It is therefore important to pick the right programming language for your project.
Why? Every programming language out there is intended to solve a specific kind of programming problem. It means that a specific language could be better suited in solving a particular problem and can be less-useful in others.
Let’s bring it home with an example. If you want to develop a web application, you’ll go for the best programming language for web development and not think about developing the application in an assembly programming language. If you want to create a mobile app, you’ll go for the best programming language for mobile app development.
So, if you are thinking about starting a new programming project it would be better to go for a language that best suits the problem at hand. And, while the popularity or demand of a language plays an important part in the equation, there are crucial factors to consider. For example, you need to consider the kind of application you want to build, the resources available to you, long-term goals, expectations, etc., and then go for a reliable and effective choice that will fulfill your need.
The Best Programming Languages for Web Development
Now that we have seen the main ranking results, we’ll describe the best-known languages for web development programming tasks including their features, performance, and more.
JavaScript
Think about it. There’s no way millions of developers can be wrong for using JavaScript for web and mobile application development. So, if you need to work on a web or mobile app, one of the best programming languages is JavaScript.
JavaScript takes the crown when it comes to web and mobile app programming because it is easy to implement, extremely versatile, and simplifies the process of developing large-scale applications.
Popular JS frameworks such as ReactJS, AngularJS, React Native and NodeJS are also available to help programmers build impressive web and mobile applications and add interactive features to them. By implementing these frameworks, developers are able to reduce the amount of time and effort they need to develop JavaScript apps.
TypeScript
TypeScript is another smart choice for the best programming language for web development. So anytime you need to write a modern web or JavaScript-based application, go for TypeScript. It has object-oriented programming features that make code very clean and organized.
It is also portable across browsers, devices, and operating systems, compatible with JavaScript libraries, and can run on any JavaScript environment.
Contrasting to its counterparts, TypeScript does not require a dedicated VM or a specific runtime environment for execution.
Ruby on Rails
Ruby on Rails (RoR) is yet another perfect choice that tops the list for the best programming language for web development projects that requires the use of a Ruby framework. It delivers faster development of MVPs and startup apps through the development of high-performance projects and thus perfect when under tight deadlines.
It also removes the tedious parts of the coding, freeing developers to focus on the logic and business features of the app. Furthermore, it is cost-effective with low maintenance making it an excellent choice if you’re on a tight budget. RoR is a preferred technology for startups with projects such as Basecamp, Airbnb, Shopify, Goodreads, Kickstarter, Hulu, and more.
Python
There is no finishing this section without mentioning Python — one of the fastest-growing, most wanted, and most preferred languages by developers and start-ups.
As a general-purpose programming language, Python is a top choice for the best programming language for web development as well as the best programming language for mobile apps. It allows programmers to build various types of applications including Web apps, Data Science, Artificial Learning Machine Learning solutions, and more.
As one of the best programming languages for web development, any programmer can use Python for web development. It can also be combined with JavaScript to create high-end professional web applications both simple and complex.
Like JavaScript, Python also boasts a rich ecosystem of trendy web frameworks and libraries including Django, Flask, Pyramid, web2py, Tornado, CherryPy, and more to simplify web development. Its interactive console provides web developers with a way to execute test code and run it without creating a file.
Python is used and trusted by Google, Netflix, Youtube, Instagram, Yahoo, Reddit, Spotify, and more.
To sum it up, it’s important to know about databases as they improve your developer skills. For database, programming SQL is a good fit to achieve high performance, automated frameworks, security, and more.
Also, SQL plays an important role in structured data by providing the flexibility of querying the tabular data with SQL queries. Unlike NoSQL databases, SQL adheres to clear standards, which is an advantage for programmers and operators who must keep their organization up and running in high demand and with huge profits.
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