Every year technologies are actively developing and the demand for programming is increasing. Consequently, you need to be aware of
the latest trends in programming languages and this is crucial not only for newcomers, but also for experienced developers who want to be relevant in this niche. In this article, let's break down the best programming languages for 2024 that are predicted to be relevant to any type of project. Several industry areas, market needs, vacancies were analyzed using our own research methods and therefore we were able to determine the most popular and promising programming languages for 2024.
The selection of programming languages in the TOP was based on a comprehensive study, using various factors and indicators. Initially, an analysis of current industry trends and market requirements was conducted, which helped to identify the programming languages that are gaining popularity and they will be relevant in 2024. In addition, an analysis of job vacancies was performed, which helps to understand which languages are most important to employers. Additionally,
Merehead industry experts and developers provided pros and cons of each programming language, their potential, etc.
Finally, the research and analysis of the performance of all the languages was done, as well as their community, which helped to assess the demand and the value. The combination of all factors helped to create a qualitative and informative list, which highlights the most used programming languages in 2024.
Top 15 Most Popular Programming Languages in 2024
After the analysis, we can briefly highlight the following programming languages with continued popularity and need for 2024:
- Python. Due to its versatility and ease of use, strong community, this language still dominates the field of data science and AI.
- JavaScript. The basis for web development with a large list of applications not only on the Internet.
- Java. Java is quite an old programming language, but it still relevant for corporate software development, it is also suitable for creating software on the Android OS.
- TypeScript. It is gaining popularity in the world due to an opportunity to increase code reliability and scalability.
-
Visual Basic. Programming language for developing applications with graphical user interface and access to local and remote databases.
- Go. Popular option for cloud computing and network programming. Features speed and efficiency. Development by Google.
- Rust. A programming language that emphasizes performance and security. Great for system programming.
-
R. A programming language for processing statistical data and creating graphs and visualizations.
- Swift. The basis for developing software for iOS and macOS. Features an easy-to-use syntax and good performance, which is the main value.
- Kotlin. Actively developed and used to create products for Android. It is characterized by a concise syntax and 100% compatible with Java. It is suitable for mobile development.
- C#. Ideally suited for Windows-based desktops, creating games. It deserves popularity due to its clear syntax and a large choice of libraries.
- Ruby. Good for automation and web development. It is simple and easy to use. Good for startups or small businesses.
- PHP. Often used for Web development, creating scripts on the server side. Easy to use, there is open source, suitable for engineers of any level. 12.
- SwiftUI. Gaining popularity as a modern method for creating software for iOS and macOS.
-
Solidity. An object-oriented programming language for creating smart contracts in the Ethereum network.
Regardless of developer experience,
learning new programming languages is necessary and will help keep you competitive in today's fast-paced world.
Python is the leader in AI and data science
Python happens to be the best option in data science and AI. This is because of its versatility and good libraries. It is easy to read syntax, and there is always a community support. Such factors have quickly made it a leader in popularity among developers.
Another reason for its need in 2024 is the ability to easily process large amounts of data. NumPy, Pandas and Matplotlib are libraries that give extensive capabilities for performing analysis, visualizing information. They also add value for data developers.
TensorFlow and Keras libraries are more commonly used in AI. They underlie the development of neural networks, machine learning models. Python is simple and can do complex computational work at the same time.
JavaScript is the best for web development
JavaScript is the best programming language that is not only suitable for web development. It has a wide range of uses in almost all areas of activity. With it, you can create dynamic and interactive sites that guarantee usability for users.
In addition to web development, the language is suitable for:
It is universal, compatible with other languages and the most popular by 2024.
Characterized by a wide library and frameworks:
They give engineers additional tools to simplify the creation of the most complex software. JavaScript can work with APIs and data sources. As technology advances, the described programming language in the tech industry will begin to move beyond web development. It is flexible and adaptable, which is what makes it valuable.
Java - relevance to enterprise applications
Although not new, Java is the best programming language to learn in 2024. Its relevance is not lost even after more than 20 years, and it is actively used by web developers. It is well suited
for creating corporate software, it is scalable, high performance and security. These are the factors that make it valuable for large companies, enterprises.
Also popular in 2024 due to cross-platform compatibility, a large set of libraries, among them Spring and Hibernate. They make development faster and easier.
Java has a large community, so any user gets enough resources, the right support. In addition, the community monitors the relevance of the language and its development, the emergence of new tools and means to improve the development process.
Java is also suitable for Android software. This sphere is actively growing and will not die out in the near future, because there are more and more new smartphones every year. This significantly affects the relevance of Java in the technological environment.
In 2024 Java will be relevant and valuable for enterprise software and all due to its scalability, performance and security.
TypeScript is a typed alternative to JavaScript
TypeScript has gained and continues to gain popularity, providing the right set of features that increase reliability, improving scalability. It makes it easy to maintain code. The language is based on JavaScript syntax and functionality, and was created by Microsoft Corporation.
Thanks to TypeScript's extensive typing capabilities, engineers can detect bugs and bugs before launching projects, making it much easier to support large software projects. In addition there is the ability to support static types and interfaces and it indicates the provision of better tools and full-fledged code analysis. The quality of documentation and other features is improved.
Among the pluses are compatibility with JavaScript. Engineers with experience can gradually learn and migrate to TypeScript without the need to rewrite all the code. There is the ability to compile into JavaScript, which gives access to new features using JavaScript code and existing libraries.
TypeScript has strong support for IDEs and editors, among them Visual Studio Code and WebStorm. The latter provide a number of interesting tools and features that affect software performance. The strong typing, toolkit, and compatibility with JavaScript make the described programming language popular for 2024 and beyond.
Visual Basic is Microsoft's solution for GUI development
Visual Basic is an object-oriented programming language developed by Microsoft in 1991. VB is required to develop GUI applications and access local and remote databases.
Visual Basic came from an earlier programming language called BASIC. Microsoft added a visual part to it that makes application development faster and cheaper. This is one of the reasons why VB is the most used programming language in 2024 among beginners.
Visual Basic features:
- ActiveX and COM support. This extends the functionality of applications created with VB.
- Database Integration. It supports various database systems using ADO (ActiveX Data Objects) and other data access technologies.
- Integration with Microsoft technologies. VB provides communication with Excel, Word, SharePoint, and Outlook.
In early February 2023, Microsoft updated their programming language strategy, confirming that Visual Basic will remain relevant. They assured that they will invest in interactions with C# and Visual Studio.
Go is a scalable cloud computing solution
Go or Golang has become popular over the past few years because of its scalability, efficiency for cloud computing. Development of Google Corporation. Language for parallelism and optimal memory handling. It is characterized by speed, which is ideal for cloud computing and network programming. Parallelism features "out of the box" help simplify the execution of multiple requests simultaneously, and thus the application will give a faster response.
Scalability is another plus. Go is designed to handle large projects with ease, so it's suitable for all kinds of companies that need to deal with volumes of data and traffic.
The language is convenient and easy to work with, and has a fairly simple syntax, so it is available not only to professionals, but also to beginners. The community is constantly growing, so Go will be relevant in 2024.
Rust - the choice for system programming
Speed and efficiency are the main pluses of the Rust language. It's really fast as well as secure and has become more popular in recent years, especially in system programming. It is an open-source development by Mozilla and provides low-level control without sacrificing security.
The design is made to reduce runtime overhead, which fits well with the needs of systems programming, where low-level control and performance are important.
There is a great emphasis on security. There is a strict system of types and ownership rules with safeguards. All of this eliminates standard, typical programming errors that can cause vulnerabilities and security failures. Rust is recommended for software that requires maximum reliability. The tools make
software development easier. The language is suitable for those who care about the speed of development, reliability and security of projects.
R
R is a programming language for processing statistical data, as well as creating graphs and visualizations. At the time of writing, R is ranked 16th in the TIOBE index, an indicator of programming language popularity.
Features of the R programming language. Source.
Unlike general-purpose languages such as Python and Java, R is a domain-specific language (DSL). The features and usage of R are designed for Data Science. However, it also solves problems in AI and machine learning.
Advantages of R:
- Compatibility. R runs on any operating system, such as Windows, macOS, or Linux.
- Functionality. In addition to working with data, R solves machine learning tasks such as regression and classification.
- Extensive ecosystem of packages. With R, you use packages like dplyr, ggplot2, xts. In addition, there is Tidyverse, a set of packages for R that is a must know BackEnd developer in 2024.
R is one of the most used programming languages in 2024. Nearly 2 million scientists and statisticians use R to develop web applications. It is not only favored by small businesses but also by companies like Facebook, Twitter and Microsoft.
Facebook uses R to modify its status and social network graph, Twitter uses it as a statistical modeling tool, and Microsoft uses it as an engine in its Azure ML framework and Xbox player matching service.
Swift - the best choice for creating software for iOS and macOS
Swift is the ideal choice for those involved in iOS and macOS projects. This is due to the high performance, syntax and compatibility of Objective-C. Apple development with a modern approach to creating Apple-based software.
Performance is what sets Swift apart from other languages. Its high speed is excellent for creating programs that need performance, such as games, video handling applications and so on.
The syntax is easy to use, speeds up code writing, and eliminates potential bugs. Security reduces crashes and affects the reliability of all software.
Kotlin - the language of choice for Android software
Kotlin is an excellent choice for Android
software development. Kotlin is laconic and easy to use. Kotlin is compatible with Java and was developed by JetBrains. The language itself was created and customized for Android applications to make them faster, more efficient.
The syntax is concise, it helps to use less code compared to Java. Failures at runtime are minimal due to zero security features, this also increases the reliability of the software.
100% Java compatibility makes it possible to work with existing Java libraries and
frameworks, making it easy to switch to Kotlin.
C# is an ideal choice for games and Windows PCs
It is developed by Microsoft Corporation and is an object-oriented language. C# has an intuitive syntax that makes it popular for game development or desktop development. Extensive libraries, compatibility with .NET and a set of tools for developers to make high-performance software.
Ease of use is a major plus. The syntax is similar to other languages, among them Java and C++. This suggests accessibility for wizards of any level. Additionally, C# provides strict type checking and garbage collection to help reduce the likelihood of bugs when executing commands.
.NET provides features that help you quickly make games, desktop applications on Windows. The language is compatible with Unity and features cross-platform compatibility, so software can be released not only on Windows, but also Linux or macOS. Good for corporations, companies and other businesses that need
to create applications to run on different platforms simultaneously.
Ruby - suitable for automation
Ruby is a great choice for those looking to automate and web development. It's easy to work with and has a strong community. The open source code is handy and flexible, but the main advantage is the ease of writing and reading syntax. It has the advantage of being accessible to any level of developer. Libraries and frameworks, among them Ruby on Rails, help get additional tools to quickly run applications.
Suitable programming language for automating tasks by means of scripting. Built-in scripting functionality and ease of use are ideal for automating frequently recurring tasks. These include testing, deployment. The community is active, controlling the availability of new libraries, functions.
PHP is an option for server-side web development.
PHP is often used for various server-side web products and scripts, especially when it comes to dynamic applications. The language itself was created in the 1990s, has open source code, a good set of tools. Developers use them to make scalable and efficient software.
One of the main advantages can be considered the simplicity of working with the language. The syntax is similar to other languages, including C and Java. Learn it comfortably and easily, regardless of the level of programming skills. Large libraries, PHP frameworks (Laravel and Symfony) provide a fast start of applications with high efficiency of projects.
No less important plus point is compatibility with databases. These include MySQL and PostgreSQL, which is ideal for data-driven applications. RNR is suitable for large traffic volumes and is easily scalable - a useful feature set for companies needing traffic processing software.
The community is active, large and always keeping up to date with the language, adding new features and libraries. RNR is a popular choice for server-side scripting, and more and more developers continue to use the language for their projects in an effort to create reliable and efficient software.
All of the programming languages in this article will be 95% needed in 2024 and beyond. This is due to their versatility and efficiency, as well as quality community. As technology develops in the world, the demand for knowledge of programming languages will also increase, so it makes a lot of sense to learn them today. Developers, on the other hand, will always be aware of the emergence of new products, frameworks, having excellent opportunities to develop reliable and high-quality applications, websites, other software.
Solidity
Solidity is an object-oriented programming language released in 2014 for creating smart contracts on the Ethereum network. It is a basic tool for those who wish to become blockchain developers in 2024.
Solidity supports the following data types:
- Boolean. Represent true/false values.
- Integer numbers. Number types such as uint and int with different bit sizes, e.g. uint8, uint16, int32.
- Modifier. Solidity defines custom modifiers that are applied to functions, similar to decorators in Python or annotations in Java.
- Array. The Solidity syntax supports both one-dimensional and multidimensional arrays.
- A "mappings" data structure that is viewed as a key-value store. This is similar to dictionaries in Python.
Solidity is a programming language used by smart contract companies on the Ethereum network. It is similar to C and C++, regarding syntax, data types and functions. Thus, it is easier for developers from traditional IT to migrate to blockchain development.
Top 5 Best Programming Languages to Learn
Here is a summary of the best programming languages to learn in 2024. After learning them you can be sure that there will always be a job with a decent pay, besides they will help you work on projects of different directions, of any complexity:
- JavaScript. A language which in recent years is becoming popular in the IT sector. It is designed to make web pages come to life, in other words, pages become dynamic from the user's actions. Big companies are focusing on the concept of programming and JavaScipt is really one of the leaders among the above mentioned languages. For example, JavaSript JSON file is the best for data transfer, Angular JS helps make great interactive applications. It is not difficult to learn and the skills of NOTE JS, React and JSON will help to increase the level of skill and pay.
- Python. A scripting language used in any field (games, web development, data science, AI, etc.).
- Java. A frequently used language for programming, learning it guarantees excellent pay. The language is universal, suitable for games, Android application, cloud development, etc. With its help you can perform management of social networks. Mastering will be easier if you know C.
- Swift. Easy to maintain, read, is characterized by speed and when writing code will require a smaller number of lines. After about 5 months of learning, you can create applications from A to Z.