Programming:

Today, we will talk about the top programming languages for 2022 and beyond, and which ones you should add to your skillset.

The year is quickly drawing to a close, and the software development industry is booming across the globe at a higher rate than ever before. So much so, in fact, that the global revenue for enterprise application software is expected to surpass 300 billion U.S. dollars in the near future, paving the road for an even more lucrative playing field for dev teams and individuals alike.

In such a lucrative industry, however, success is never a guarantee, as the competition becomes stiffer by the day. If you are an aspiring developer or if you’re a seasoned dev looking to future-proof your career, then you have to stay on top of the latest trends. Concretely, you need to keep up with the in-demand programming languages in order to become indispensable to clients and dev companies in the modern market.

After all, the software market is constantly changing, so it’s important to enrich your skillset with both the tried-and-true and the innovative languages in the software development sector.

What are the top 7 programming languages you should use in 2022?

Python

Python is, quite literally, the most popular programming language in the world right now, and it has been for some time. In fact, statistics show that Python consistently ranks number one in several major ranking indexes, making it one of the top choices for developers, but also a prime choice for clients. 

Source

Whether it’s for android or iOS app development, or for building desktop applications, clients will nowadays hire software developers that specifically offer Python as a leading software-building language. This should come as no surprise, because Python brings numerous benefits to the table – and it’s a top-tier all-purpose language.

One of the biggest selling points of Python is that it’s relatively easy to learn, and it also speeds up development times, which is why the clients love it so much. But for you as the developer, Python also has the added perks of being open-source and having a vibrant online community. This means that you can get guidance and support whenever you need it.

The fact that Python is so popular means that there isn’t a shortage of talent in this field, but that doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t learn this full-stack language. Keep in mind that Python can be slower than some other languages such as Kotlin, and it’s not native to mobile devices, and it can cause high memory consumption in apps. 

Kotlin

There are many reasons why every modern software developer should learn Kotlin, but if there’s a single selling point here, it’s that Google loves it. In fact, Kotlin has been Google’s preferred software development language since 2017, meaning that apps and solutions built with this language get all kinds of perks before everyone else. 

Google prioritizes innovative features and functionalities for Kotlin-based apps, and developers can stay ahead of the competition easily simply by coding in this easy-to-use language. Most importantly, you can use Kotlin as one of the WordPress coding practices and build beautiful WP websites or develop android apps, servers, and more. The best thing is that you can use Kotlin wherever Java is used, because it is interoperable with this popular language.

If those reasons are not enough to make you start learning Kotlin and even teach your kids to code in this language, here are some more reasons why you should. Kotlin is reliable, the app source code is easy to maintain, and the language itself is clean and compact.

This makes it fairly easy to learn and even master with time, and needless to say, Kotlin also cuts down development times significantly through better team collaboration and efficiency.

JavaScript

Among the top programming languages to use out there, you also have JavaScript, which has become the industry leader in desktop software, web-based applications, and even apps for mobile phones. You might be thinking right now that you’ll need to learn every language we mention today in order to become a successful developer, and the truth is that the more languages you have under your belt, the better the chance you’ll kick-start a thriving career.

This is because nowadays dev teams and companies in general are hiring developers with a wide array of skills, and JavaScript is just one of them. The good thing is that you can code almost anything in this language. It is particularly popular in the E-commerce industry for coding precise shipping apps and other backend and customer-centric applications. In fact, eBay was built with Node.js, a JavaScript runtime.

Source

All of this goes to show that JavaScript is a valuable skill to have. Its concrete benefits include speed, versatility, and reliability, but it’s also important to note that it is accessible and affordable. Its popularity also makes it easy to learn, as you’ll have access to a huge online community. 

C++

C++ has risen over the years to become a go-to programming language for analytics and research purposes, but nowadays it is one of the primary languages for in-game development. This is partly because C++ is the primary scripting language for the Unreal Engine, which we all know is one of the most popular game engines in the world that offers stellar performance, physics, and industry-defining visuals. 

If for no other reason, it’s important to learn C++ in 2022 in order to become a competitive developer in the gaming industry. That said, the language is extremely useful for system software development, as well as integrating project management methodologies into PM apps and proprietary software for businesses. The language supports object-oriented programming as well as multiple other programming paradigms, which makes it highly-versatile, and it’s easier to learn than some other coding languages.

The only thing that you may find annoying at first when working in C++ is that there is no automated garbage collector, meaning that you need to get rid of useless data manually. The built-in friends function and global variables might present some minor security risks, which you can avoid by carefully managing access points. 

Go

Go is a statically typed, compiled programming language designed at Google by Robert Griesemer, Rob Pike, and Ken Thompson. Go is syntactically similar to C, but with memory safety, garbage collection, structural typing, and CSP-style concurrency.

Java

Built-in 1991 by James Gosling, Mike Sheridan, and Patrick Naughton as the language ‘Oak’, Java was the first language to have a big global impact. One of the most widely used programming languages, Java is used as the server-side language for most back-end development projects, including those involving big data and Android development. Java is also commonly used for desktop computing, other mobile computing, games, and numerical computing.

PHP

PHP is an open-source programming language created in 1990. Developers have predicted the imminent demise of PHP since 2014. Yet, it pertains as a staple scripting language with A-list companies like Lyft and Slack using it. Many web developers will find it essential to learn PHP, as this language is used to build more than 80% of websites on the Internet, including those like Facebook and Yahoo. Since then, it’s had a stronger foothold, yet its peak of popularity seems to be behind.