Software programming and engineering careers continue to be in high demand in 2022. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects a 21 percent growth in programming jobs from 2018 to 2028, four times the average for all occupations (Eastwood, 2022). Programming jobs earn high annual wages, and for a good reason, it is not an easy career field. The median annual pay for software programming is $106,000, three times the pay rate for all U.S. workers (Eastwood, 2022). There is no shortage of job openings as virtually every business, small to large uses software to operate or provide a service. Many programming jobs fulfill different roles and require specific knowledge of programming languages. New and experienced programmers must evaluate the market to assess what languages are needed to remain successful in such a fast-paced career. The most popular programming languages in 2022 are Python, JavaScript, Java, C#, C, C++, GO, R, Swift, and PHP (Eastwood, 2022). Most of these languages have been around for the better part of 27 years and are still going strong. When choosing a language to learn, it is beneficial to understand the language's advantages and disadvantages as well as their perdurability.
Python
Python was started in the late 1980s by Guido van Rossum; however, the Python known today was not released until early 2000. The language was thought to have reached its end of life in 2015; however, it has continued. Python is quickly learned and often an entry language to inspiring or new programmers. It can be integrated with other popular programming languages and is widely used, which has created many job opportunities. Though popularity holds Python in high regard, it has its disadvantages. Python does not work well with mobile applications and does not run as fast as C or C++.
Additionally, memory consumption in Python is high, restricting its use in large programs. Nevertheless, easily learned languages will always remain at the top of the conversation, so Python will continue to thrive in the community. Riding the cultural wave right up there with hipsters and avocado toast, Python will find relevancy in positions such as data science, machine language researchers, financial analysts, and students. There will always be a need for a simple tool to get the job done quickly with little programming knowledge, and Python fits the order.
JavaScript
The most popular language for building interactive websites is JavaScript. This language features many add-ons to extend functionality, providing dynamic website experiences (Reales, 2022). Created in only ten days, JavaScript, then known as Mocha, reacted to the dot-com boom and has never left. JavaScript is a client-side script that will speed up the execution of programs and save the time required to connect to the server. This language, too, has a cultural following; however, it stands for itself. Just like any other language, it has a few disadvantages. JavaScript is viewable to the user. This provides the opportunity for malicious purposes and weakens site security.
Additionally, the lack of debugging options can make JavaScript challenging to manage. Unlike other editors such as C or C++, JavaScript leans on HTML editors to support debugging (Reales, 2022). Widely used in the web development world, JavaScript remains the tip of the spear in dynamic development. This will ensure its place in the top languages for long to come.
C++
An extension of C, C++ works great running applications and multi-device or multi-platform systems. Created by Bjarne Stroustrup in 1983 at Bell Labs, C++ has been around for 30-plus years, giving programmers ample time to make large sets of libraries and compilers. One of the most significant advantages of C++ is the object-oriented orientation that includes concepts such as classes, inheritance, and polymorphism (Exterman, 2021). This allows reusability in code, which makes programs reliable. However, this language does not go without disadvantages as it uses the dreaded pointer. Anyone who has used C++ will express the same frustration in pointers. C++, like C, uses pointers that consume much memory. As a result, the system can crash or behave strangely if pointers are not used correctly. C++ is an object-oriented language, making it great; however, it is also its fault. C++ allows the programmer to manage computer memory but also lacks any garbage collection feature (Exterman, 2021). This leaves the door open for unfiltered and unnecessary data left in memory.
Nevertheless, as perdurability goes, C++ has stood the test of time as one of the most popular programming languages. Object-oriented languages can be more challenging to learn; however, once the basics are understood, the language can provide a vast amount of flexibility and reusability. C++ is popularly used in operating systems as it is fast and strongly typed. Additionally, the gaming industry continues to grow and generate revenue and cannot survive without C++. This ensures that C++ will remain one of the top programming languages for long to come.
Conclusion
When choosing the following language to learn, it is vital to choose the language commonly used and assess its lively hood. Python has a cultural following, and for a good reason. It is quickly learned and applied; however, its limitations will restrict its applicability over time if not updated. There are many opinions that C++ is on its way out of the programming world, but that seems to be primarily the Python crowds prediction. The question of what language to learn will always be the first question asked. Learning these languages takes time, so it is vital to choose the list wisely. All programming languages have specific aspects that may apply better to different tasks or applications, but languages hold their market value over time. These languages are mainly object-oriented languages such as C++, and one cannot go wrong choosing it as the following language to learn.
Eastwood, B. (2022, January 5). The 10 most popular programming languages to learn in 2021. Northeastern University Graduate Programs. Retrieved June 28, 2022, from https://www.northeastern.edu/graduate/blog/most-popular-programming-languages/
Exterman, D. (2021, July 29). More than 35 years later, why is C++ still so popular? SD Times. Retrieved June 28, 2022, from https://sdtimes.com/softwaredev/nearly-a-quarter-century-later-why-is-c-still-so-popular/
Reales, A. (2022, May 7). Will javascript become obsolete? what is its future? Become A Better Programmer - Trust The Process. Retrieved June 28, 2022, from https://www.becomebetterprogrammer.com/javascript-obsolete-and-future/#:~:text=JavaScript%20is%20not%20likely%20to,an%20essential%20skill%20for%20developers.