Top Programming Languages Trending in 2024

January 29, 2024

Top Programming Languages Trending in 2024

Software development lays the foundation of our digital era. Everything results from efficient algorithms coded by expert programmers, from our smartphones to enterprise systems.

As per a report by Statista, the global developer population is expected to reach 28.7 million by the end of 2024.

The software development realm is an evident example of constant evolution. Every year marks the addition of new programming languages, with older ones extending their capabilities to meet the ever-changing demands of numerous industries.

If you’re new to software development, knowing where to begin is the most challenging part of choosing the right one for a career change. There are hundreds of programming languages with complexities and idiosyncrasies. But as you commence your journey as a software developer, you’ll start to learn the language that best aligns with your interests and career goals.

To make this discovery process easier for you, in this blog, we give you an overview of the best programming languages you can learn in 2024 and advice that can help you find the right language for your interests and career goals.

5 Best Programming Languages to Learn in 2024

With new additions to programming languages each year and upgrades to existing ones, the landscape of programming languages is ever-evolving. Therefore, choosing the correct language that aligns with your business goals takes time and effort. One must consider current trends, industry demands, and community support to do the same.

To make this job more accessible, we’ve shortlisted 5 of the most in-demand programming languages to opt for in 2024. Here’s a list of the features, benefits, and frameworks you can leverage for your next project.

1. Python
2. JavaScript
3. Go
4. Java
5. Rust

Let’s garner a brief understanding of these programming languages.

1. Python

Python has ruled the programming realm for several years and is one of the most adopted, popular, and highest-paying programming languages . It’s an open-source, one of the easiest programming languages to learn, even for beginners. Due to its versatility and ease of use, it caters to creating a wide array of applications.

Here’s a list of a few of its applications.

• Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning: Python has become the go-to programming language for machine learning and AI application development. The platform is an apt choice for creating intelligent ecosystems with its extensive libraries and frameworks like PyTorch, sci-kit-learn, and Tensorflow.
• Data Science: Python is immensely popular in the data science community. Its proficiency in handling vast datasets and the availability of libraries like NumPy, Matplotlib, and Pandas make it the most preferred programming language for data science projects.
• Web Development: Python for web development offers many frameworks, such as Flask, Django, and Pyramid. They are easy to use and provide essential tools and features for web development, like template engines, request handling, and routing. These frameworks foster faster development, structured codebase, and code reuse.

2. JavaScript

With an exponential increase in the demand for creating interactive and dynamic web applications, JavaScript remains the cornerstone of web development. A language designed to aid with developing web browsers has made its way to building client and server-side website deployments.

As per a survey from W3Techs, Javascript is used as a client-side programming language by 98.8% of all websites.

Here are the current trends that enlist the importance of this language.

• Web Development: JavaScipt stands as a critical player for website development. With emerging frameworks such as React.js and Angular.js, JavaScript offers ease in building complex web applications.
• Mobile Development: With the advent of frameworks such as Ionic and React Native, JavaScript can also be used to create mobile applications. This language’s popularity will likely multiply as more developers get inclined to build cross-platform apps with a single code base.
• Server-Side Development: It’s a myth that JavaScript can only be leveraged to develop the front end of websites. Technologies such as Node.js make it possible to use JavaScript for back-end developments. This trend can rediscover the potential of JavaScript, coining it as a full-stack language.

3. Go

Go, also known as Golang, was developed by Google and has garnered popularity for its convenience, efficacy, and unwavering support for concurrent programming. Go offers its support in numerous domains. Here are some of the notable ones.

• Web Development: Go is an extensively used programming language for web development and creating APIs. Some popular frameworks for web development with ‘Go’ include Revel and Gin. A preferred containerization platform, Docker, has also been coded in Go.
• Microservices: This language’s efficient concurrency model and lightweight nature make it suitable for microservices development. Go is an optimal choice for building performant and scalable microservices.
• Cloud Computing: Cloud-based applications and services can also be created with Go. One of the most popular container orchestration systems, Kubernetes, was implemented with Go.

4. Java

Java is a long-standing, widely used, versatile programming language and a crucial player in software development. Though this language has received such high regard from programmers, its syntax is more verbose, making it one of the hardest programming languages to learn.

Here is a list of some of the noteworthy applications of Java.

• Enterprise Applications: Java has remained unbeatable in creating enterprise-level applications for decades. Its robustness, scalability, and platform independence make it a preferred choice for developing mission-critical and large-scale applications. Java offers the most confidence to organizations when creating middleware, backend systems, and enterprise software solutions.
• Android Development: Java has been the chief programming language for Android app development for the most prolonged period. Though Kotlin has recently developed a considerable fan base for Android development, Java exercises its continued relevance with many existing Java-based applications.

Java Standard Edition(SE) and Java Enterprise Editon(EE) have introduced enhancements, features, and optimizations, ensuring continual evolution.

5. Rust

Rust is the programming language to opt for if your focus is to balance performance, memory safety, and concurrency. Its potential to mitigate common coding errors, such as buffer overflows and null pointer dereferences, has been an essential factor for its popularity.

Here are some of the applications of the Rust programming language.

• System-Level Programming: Rust emphasizes memory safety without compromising performance, making it a strong contender for low-level programming. It makes Rust perfect for system-level programming tasks such as building device drivers and operating systems.
• Embedded Systems: Rust’s features, like low-level control and minimal runtime requirements, make it a preferred choice for programming embedded systems. It’s widely used for developing embedded systems and firmware in industries such as IoT(Internet of Things).

Additional Languages to Watch Out For

Here are a few programming languages that have received immense popularity and adoption amongst the developer fraternity in 2023 and possess the rising potential for 2024.

Kotlin

Regarding Android app development, Kotlin has recently been adopted by developers. It offers proficiency with both front-end and back-end development, and interoperability with Java and Android Studio support helps programmers do wonders with fewer bugs and lines of code.

Julia

Julia is a high-performance, high-level programming language for technical and scientific computing. Some of its top features include expressiveness and ease of use. Julia is preferred for scientific computing tasks, including mathematical modeling, data analysis, and numerical simulations.

Swift

Swift is an optimal choice for crafting applications on macOS, iOS, tvOS, and watchOS app development in Apple. Swift remains crucial for mobile and desktop developers supporting Apple’s ever-evolving ecosystem. As of 2024, Swift solidifies its significance, offering robust integrations with Apple’s suite of frameworks and development tools.

TypeScript

Being a statically typed extension of JavaScript, TypeScript is steadily receiving adoption for developing large-scale JavaScript projects and expansive web applications. It plays a vital role in upholding code quality with intricate codebases by incorporating advanced developer tools and type-checking.

This language is conducive to creating easily maintainable and robust code, especially in the corporate realm. Typescript is expected to further its significance with such a high surge in the development of web applications.

Selecting the Right Programming Language for Your Carrer Goals

When commencing your journey with programming, you’re the best person who can answer this question. A tip for new bees would be to choose based on your career goals and the type of software development they want to pursue. Here is a list of programming languages one can choose from that are related to their areas of interest.

1. Front-End Web Development: JavaScript, TypeScript
2. Back-End Development: Python, Go, JavaScript, TypeScript
3. Mobile Development: Java, Swift, Kotlin
4. Data Science: Python, Julia
5. Systems Programming: Rust, Go
6. Cloud Computing: Java, Python, JavaScript, Go

Here are some essential factors to consider when learning a programming language.

Job Market

Research the in-demand jobs in your country or region related to the industry you’re interested in. Leverage platforms like LinkedIn, Glassdoor, or Indeed to garner authentic results.

Career Goals

Research the primarily used languages that would help you achieve your career goals. For instance, learning JavaScript is a must if you want to explore a web development career. If you’re interested in data science, Python can be a suitable choice.

Learning Curve

If you’re new to programming, opt for something other than languages with a steep learning curve. For instance, Python is a suggested first language to learn due to its simplicity.

Community and Resources

Ample resources and a strong community make a language more accessible to learn and offer options to answer queries. Before making your final choice, search for online coding courses, active forums, open-source projects, and programming boot camps.

Experiment and Explore

Due to the availability of so many programming languages and the hype around each, one can naturally make the wrong selection. Therefore, you should embark on an exploration journey and experiment with various programming languages to discover the one that is in congruence with your career goals.

Conclusion

With an increased focus on versatility and efficiency, programming languages are undergoing a dynamic trend. Major transitions include the rise of languages like TypeScript and Rust to address web development and system-level programming needs. Furthermore, intuitive and concise languages such as Kotlin and Swift are streamlining mobile app development.

Advancements in artificial intelligence and machine learning drive the future of almost all industries. It promises a surge in the adaptability of programming languages like Python at the forefront of AI development.

In this rapid-paced era of technology, staying current with the latest development tools and languages is imperative to remain relevant and discover new possibilities. One must always acknowledge that the tech journey is a marathon and not a sprint. While this process may present challenges, it’s essential to remember that each learning curve bestows a chance to redefine your capabilities.

There are hundreds of programming languages for you to choose from, but keeping the current trends in mind, only a few qualify for our curated list. To stay updated with the latest updates in the world of technology and the future of programming languages, subscribe to our blog.

With this step, you can garner valuable insights, learn new tools to add to your existing skill sets, and help you stay at the forefront of industry trends. We also highly appreciate you sharing your learning experiences with our community and your views on the best programming languages to learn in 2024 in the comments below.