No programming language is better than another; they all can accomplish the same or similar things. That's not to say they're all created equal. However, they all share the same basic principles.
Deciding to learn to program is one giant step of many. Once you're ready to start, picking a language is often the most challenging - there are so many! 🤯
Most beginners tend to choose Python as their first language. It doesn't involve too much set up, and the syntax is clear and concise. Nevertheless, this isn't for everyone, and you should take a minute to evaluate your opportunities.
The first language you pick isn't as important as the resources available to support it. What good is a programming language if there's little or inadequate documentation? When looking for a programming language to learn, research the community for the quality of support they can provide.
You won't be surprised to learn that most programmers often search for their answers by reaching out to those who already solved their problems.
Sorting arrays, finding object differences, and anything else you can think of - someone else probably already figured it out. Even experts at the highest level need to refresh themselves if they're knee-deep in code and can't figure something out.
Community 🗣
Community resources are the benefit of starting with such popular programming languages as Go or Ruby. With that said, the first language you learn should lean towards what problems you want to solve.
If you want to work with the user interface, maybe JavaScript or Swift would be a sensible place to start.
Perhaps a little machine learning is something you want to take on? The R programming language is something to consider.
You may not know what type of projects you want to work with to start. That's ok! The first programming language you learn will likely not be your last.
Research 🕵🏽
Research existing products or projects that you enjoy, then reverse engineer them to find what language it's written in so you can start learning.
Once you get used to the syntax and learn the basics and programming principles, moving to different languages won't be as challenging as when you started.
The key here is to start. Don't let choosing the "right" language get in your way of propelling your career as a software engineer.
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