If you’re looking to transition into Software Development this year you may be wondering what language you should start learning first and which language is the best for a beginner.
In my opinion, the best programming language to learn is the one that will land you the job that you want. All languages serve a purpose and none of them are more important than the other. If you are looking for more direction and focus, keep reading as I explore the different roles in Software Development and the corresponding language that role needs.
Roles in Software Development 👩🏽💻
Front-End Development
A Front-End Developer builds and maintains user interfaces for applications and websites. Core languages and technologies used are HTML, CSS and JavaScript/TypeScript. Front-End Developers also need to be familiar with Javascript frameworks/libraries such as React, Vue and Angular in addition to CSS libraries/tools such as styled-components, tailwind-css and SASS.
There are many ways to be a Front-End Developer but if you think you’re interested in this career path, start by learning the fundamentals of web development through this 100% free online bootcamp – FrontEnd Masters Bootcamp.
Back-End Development
A Back-End Developer builds and maintains an application’s server and databases. They also write application programming interfaces (API’s) for the Front-End Developer to consume. Core languages used are Python, NodeJs, Java and Ruby. If you plan to be a backend developer, I recommend learning Python or NodeJS. They are two of the most popular programming languages and have plenty of jobs available.
Back-End Developers must also be familiar with databases. These include MySQL, PostgresSQL and MongoDB. Understanding security, authentication, authorization and data structures & algorithms are also important to the backend developer’s journey.
You can start learning backend development for free using the following resources:
- FreeCodeCamp Python Course
- FreeCodeCamp NodeJs Course
- Learn Ruby for Free using App Academy Open
- Full Java Course with Mosh
Full-Stack Development
A Full-Stack Developer is able to build both the front-end and the back-end of an application. They can seamlessly go from building a beautiful user interface to updating the backend api and databases.
If you want to be a full-stack developer, I recommend that you learn JavaScript as this language can be used on both the front end and the back end of an app. I also recommend that you start by first learning front-end development and then venture into backend development while on your full-stack journey.
You can use the resources mentioned above to get started and you can also use this course to learn full-stack development online for free.
Mobile Development
A Mobile Developer build mobile apps. They use technologies such as Objective-C, Swift, Kotlin, Java, JavaScript, and React-Native. They understand how to communicate with iOS and Android operating systems.
Start learning for free using these resources:
Game Development
A Game Developer builds engaging and interactive gaming applications for web and mobile. Programming languages used include C, C#, C++ and Java and they also use tools/frameworks such as Unity 3D and OpenGL. You can learn game development for free by taking one of these courses on Udemy: Free Game Development Courses on Udemy.
You can also take a look at these free courses:
- Harvard’s Intro to Game Development
- MIT Course on Creating Video Games
- Intro to Game Programming
- Intro to Game Development with HTML5 & JavaScript
- Code Your First Game
There are many other careers in Software Development that you can look into. However, the ones listed above is a great place to start.
Remember what I said before – the best language to learn is the one that will get you the job you want. It is up to you to figure out what role aligns with your career goals in order to choose what language to learn.
Every programming language is important – they all serve different purposes. Knowing where you want to fit within the world of Software Development will give you guidance on what language to start learning.
I hope this was helpful.
Happy coding friends!
Kedasha 😊
