Arguments about the best programming language are... endless. Some developers show considerable passion when defending their favorite language, but there's another indicator: its relevance to market demands. For five years now, the folks at IEEE Spectrum have published a ranking of the Top 10 programming languages, and after reaching the top in 2017, Python is number 1 again.
If we've learned anything about programming languages, it's that they don't need to be 'serious.' In fact, there are examples that aren't even compatible with practical applications. One of the first cases that comes to mind is Whitespace. The language only uses spaces and tabs, so its code is... invisible. If you think that's ridiculous, then you should take a closer look at Rockstar, whose structure is similar to what we see in rock song lyrics. How crazy do you have to be to define the phrase "Desire is a lovestruck ladykiller" as equivalent to a counter with a value of zero? We don't know, but the code exists. However, these strange features give those languages limited popularity. At the end of the day, what we want are flexible, compatible, and well-documented languages. That's where the latest edition of the ranking published by IEEE Spectrum points.
The best programming languages of the year
As the official site indicates, no one can spy over the shoulder of each programmer in their work environment, so the best alternative is to combine a series of multiple sources, documenting the popularity of 47 languages along the way. Today's star is none other than Python. If we do a bit of memory, the language created by Guido van Rossum ranked fourth in the 2016 edition of the ranking reaching the top for the first time last year with a mere three-tenths of a point advantage over C. This time, Python manages the 'title defense' with a wider margin, surpassing C++ and C by 1.6 and 1.8 points respectively. At the same time, the interactive component of the ranking allows us to make a comparison between each language, its position relative to other platforms, and demand. For example, Python is first in the overall ranking, but falls to third place in the jobs space, and JavaScript, which sits in position 8, jumps to fifth place in the job ranking.
So... do you want to learn Python or another language that appears here? Don't worry: You can start by exploring this list of online programming courses. If instead you want a quick injection of JavaScript with all its basics, Jeremy Thomas's course is ideal for you. Needless to say, the ranking results are not absolute, and the most important thing is that you learn and have fun. Want to share your experience as a code rider? Leave a comment!
