Programming has become increasingly popular over the past decade. Online resources, bootcamps, and college courses have an overwhelming number of different programming languages and frameworks to learn.

So, where do you start?

To help you, we made a list of the Top programming languages as of 2022. Here we will go over each language, its pros and cons, and what languages are growing in popularity and will be in demand in the future.

JavaScript

JavaScript has been the most commonly used programming language for the past decade. According to StackOverflow's 2022 Developer Survey, 67.9% of Developers use JavaScript in their daily lives. It is recognized as one of the core web technologies alongside HTML & CSS.

JavaScript is a behavioral language that adds depth and complexity to what one can accomplish with HTML & CSS. For example, creating a button that opens a popup on click, using a navigation bar to click through different pages, or adding other dynamic capabilities to the website. With the growing popularity of TypeScript, JavaScript gains even more traction as the most widely used programming language.

What is JavaScript used for:

Web development, mobile apps, game development, and web servers

Pros of using JavaScript:

• Easy to learn
• Lots of communities and resources online
• Used for building many diverse applications and technologies
• It is one of the core web technologies
• Extremely versatile
• Makes websites dynamic

Cons of using JavaScript:

• It can have variations in its interpretations on different browsers
• Lack of Typing

HTML & CSS

While JavaScript is overall the most used programming language. For people currently learning to code, HTML and CSS comes in the first place as the most common languages.

HTML (HyperText Markup Language) is responsible for the website structure. We like to think of it as the Lego blocks that hold everything together. It is mainly limited to placing text into different chunks. Although it does not have the added capabilities of more dynamic languages, HTML has stood the test of time and is one of the core web development technologies.

While HTML establishes the foundation for web development, CSS (Cascading StyleSheets) is the visual styling that can apply to those HTML elements. For example, the size and color of text and positioning elements can be controlled on the page using CSS. The combination of HTML & CSS is often the beginning of the journey into code for many programmers. These are some of the most approachable languages with a vast number of resources online.

What are HTML and CSS used for:

Web development & mobile apps

Pros of using HTML and CSS:

• Extremely easy to get started and learn
• Plenty of online resources
• Simple and fast to throw up a small project

Cons of using HTML and CSS:

• Limited functionality
• No behavioral

SQL

SQL (Structured Query Language) is the go-to backend language for new and experienced devs. It manages relational databases in the backend and can perform various operations on that data, such as adding, updating, or deleting rows or columns from a table, or modifying the table and its indexes. Data Analysts, Cloud Engineering, Business Intel Analysts, and many more professions use SQL.

What is SQL used for:

Backend development and communication with databases

Pros of using SQL:

• Operations are easy to read and understand
• Used in a broad range of different careers
• Powerful for backend usage

Cons of using SQL:

• Slightly more difficult to learn
• Works best with smaller sized databases compared to larger databases

Python

Python’s versatility and beginner friendliness have made it one of the most popular programming languages for many years now. Being a general-purpose language allows Python to be used for all kinds of projects like task automation, web development, and data analysis or visualization. Similar to the other popular languages, Python has simple syntax, is super versatile, and has a prominent community with a large number of resources.

Based on StackOverflow’s 2022 Developer survey, people currently learning to code are more likely to use Python than Professional Developers. Surprisingly enough, this could indicate a slight shift away from using Python in the professional sphere.

What is Python used for:

Web development, app development, data science, machine learning

Pros of using Python:

• Beginner friendly
• Simple and versatile
• It comes with a large number of libraries and support
• Focused on readability
• Allows users to test code as they go
• It has been one of the more in-demand languages over the past few years

Cons of using Python:

• Slow execution (as a dynamically-typed language)
• Weak database interaction
• It uses a large amount of energy

TypeScript

TypeScript is a superset or support language of JavaScript. It introduces Types to JavaScript that work as guardrails to code, protecting it from unwanted mistakes. TypeScript has seen exponential popularity over the last three years. Holding 4th place in most popular languages in the StackOverflow's 2022 Data Survey shows TypeScripts gaining traction in the programming world.

Types are not native to JavaScript. They allow us to declare what types or values functions and constants can take in. Often JavaScript files can be long and complex - sometimes we don’t know what a function is doing or supposed to produce. TypeScript allows the code-author to leave more of the intent on that page, adding readability and understanding to the codebase.

It also features tooltips and autocompletes that many believe to be the start of a rich editing environment for developers. TypeScript has excited even more interest in JavaScript by expanding JavaScripts capabilities via Type checking.

What is TypeScript used for:

Web development and mobile apps

Pros of using TypeScript:

• Acts as “guard-rails” for your code
• Protects you from unwanted errors
• Moves errors from run-time to compile-time
• It helps readability and error handling in large codebases

Cons of using TypeScript:

• Syntax heavy and ritualistic
• Not worth adding to smaller scale projects due to the amount of extra code

Java

Since its creation in the mid 90s Java has been a mainstay in the programming world. Similar to JavaScript its long-lasting popularity holds merit. It holds 5th place in most-used languages and is the third most-wanted programming language for hiring managers.

Java is an OOP (Object-oriented programming language). Java boasts great security and can handle massive amounts of data, making it ideal for the financial sphere. It is often used in online banking, the stock market, and billing. It can run on any operating system giving it cross-platform appeal, meaning you can easily create apps for phones, computers, and other electronic devices.

What is Java used for:

E-commerce, finance, app development

Pros of using Java:

• Extremely secure
• Mild learning curve
• Handles a large amount of data
• A large number of open-source libraries
• Moves errors from run-time to compile-time
• It helps with readability and error handling in large codebases

Cons of using Java:

• Absence of templates
• Expensive memory management

Rust

Rust is a statically-typed “multi-paradigm” programming language. It offers good cross-platform support similar to C++. Rust has been one of StackOverflow’s most-loved languages for the past seven years. With an overwhelming 86.73% of its users reporting they want to continue using and nearly 20% of non-users expressing interest in learning Rust. It also ties with Python as the most-wanted technology, with TypeScript coming in a close second. Rust appears to have a cult following with clear signs of non-adoption in the professional sphere due to its steep learning curve.

What is Rust used for:

Operating systems, VR, web browsers

Pros of using Rust:

• Achieve more with less code
• Fast and easy debugging
• Easy integration with other languages
• Rich editing environment (autocomplete, type inspections, and editor support)

Cons of using Rust:

• Steep learning curve
• Slower the other popular languages
• Harder to maintain and build a large ecosystem
• Not many libraries

Our development team use these languages and are experts in building applications with these. If you have any development needs, let’s get in touch and we can help you build your vision!