There are many, many different programming languages that developers use when building web products. C++, Javascript, Python, GO, Rust, Ruby PHP, the list goes on. Figuring out where to start can be daunting.

One of the best ways to start a journey with many paths is to ask someone that’s reached the destination you want to go. Whether you’re working as a front-end, back-end or full-stack developer, you want to learn a language that can help land that coveted over-$80,000 a year salary. In Baltimore, when Technical.ly looked at the data behind high earners — specifically, those making $200,000 — we found computer systems design and related services were among the top 10 industries that produced the highest earners in the city during both 2009 and 2019.

But the question remains: What coding languages should aspiring programmers be learning if they want to break into the tech industry?

Stack Overflow, the crowdsourced software developer learning site, polled 70,000 software developers to nail down what devs are using to improve their skills, as well as the languages they’re investing their time in. But to give the knowledge from that raw data a more personal feel, Technical.ly asked software developers in Baltimore what coding languages they’d recommend starting tech career today. We also asked if, were they to go back to the first year of their career, they would do something different and learn another coding language. Here’s what five of them had to say:

Chris Uehlinger, software engineer at TechSlice

When I was a kid, I learned C (my uncle gave me his old textbook). I would not recommend this approach to anyone. While I hold C in high regard and think all software engineers should learn it at some point, it’s a really difficult starting language and isn’t very rewarding until you have a ton of experience. In fact, I actually gave up programming for several years because I was failing to make the kinds of programs I wanted to make.

These days, I recommend people start with HTML, CSS and JavaScript. These are languages with a lot of market value, but more importantly, they’re the raw material that makes up most of the software you interact with on a daily basis. And unlike C/C++ programs, if you see a website doing something cool, you can open the DevTools in your browser and actually read the code for yourself. When you’re getting started, that’s the most important part of staying motivated: Learning how to make the things you like.

Years ago, I would have said PHP, given how easy it is to spin up a web application using PHP. Now, I would say Ruby on Rails — Ruby being a programming language, and Rails being a framework built in Ruby that people use to create web applications. Nowadays, there are so many resources for learning to program in Rails, from bootcamps to self-directed courses one can take, local meetup groups and others in industry who are happy to mentor and impart knowledge to others. If getting a job is your goal, then [you can] rest assured knowing that your skills will be in demand as a Rails developer.

I’d also pick up a functional programming language like Elixir. Elixir is a popular choice for creating scalable web applications and is seeing increasing adoption across the market. Being a good Elixir developer will also help you be a better JavaScript developer.

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Source: https://technical.ly/professional-development/best-coding-languages-baltimore-technologists/

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