Which Web Programming Language Should You Learn?

Want to learn to code your own website from scratch?

Whilst drag-and-drop builders like WordPress have made it possible to build websites without coding knowledge, learning to program can give you ultimate freedom when it comes to building a site rather than having to rely on templates and plug-ins.

There are many languages that you can learn when programming, each with their own benefits. Here are just six of the top picks.

PHP

It’s thought that 80% of websites today use PHP. It’s the programming language that fuels WordPress, Facebook and Wikipedia – this popularity makes it a good language to learn.

When using PHP, it’s recommended that you use a framework to speed up the process (especially considering the fact that PHP’s bulky code makes it notoriously slow to build with).

You can find guides on choosing PHP frameworks at sites like https://fullscale.io/10-topmost-php-mvc-frameworks-in-2019-for-modern-web-developers/.

PHP’s strong userbase also makes it easy to find support when using this language.

Java

Java is another popular language used in web programming, although it’s not exclusively a web programming language.

In fact, that’s the beauty of learning Java – it can be used to build everything from websites to software to apps.

There are lots of tools online for learning Java, including free sites like https://www.learnjavaonline.org/ for playing around.

It’s not the easiest language to learn, but it makes up for this in versatility.

JavaScript

JavaScript is primarily a client-side scripting language and has nothing to do with Java despite the similar names.

Whilst PHP may form the backbone of many websites, JavaScript often provides the flesh. Mobile apps have also started to recently use JavaScript, making it an even more useful language.

There are lots of online resources for learning JavaScript, which you can read up on at this guide: https://medium.com/coderbyte/50-resources-to-help-you-start-learning-javascript-in-2017

Python

Python is much like Java in that it can be used for practically anything from web design to software development.

It’s a much easier language to learn than Java making it popular for beginners (although that isn’t to say Java doesn’t have its unique advantages).

There are a number of frameworks that can be used with Python, but the one that tends to win people over is Django which you can check out here https://www.djangoproject.com/.

Ruby

Ruby on Rails (commonly referred to as Ruby) is much like Python in that it’s relatively easy to learn.

Some may even argue it’s the most fun language to use. It’s most commonly used for building web applications, but it can be used for purposes beyond that.

You can find out more about Ruby here: https://skillcrush.com/2015/01/29/13-ruby-rails/.

HTML

HTML is technically a markup language and not a programming language, but it’s still worth mentioning because of its commonplace use.

If you’ve ever used WordPress or Blogger you may already be familiar with it as the language used when embedding YouTube videos.

It’s by far the easiest language to learn on this list and should probably be the first language you tackle when getting into programming.

Isa Lillo

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