Top 10 Programming Languages to Master in 2024

Programming language

Client-side languages, also called front-end languages, develop virtual and interactive website components that users can see. HTML, CSS, and JavaScript are examples of front-end languages.

Server-side languages include backend languages. Behind the scenes, they build the website’s logic and functionality, processing, storing, and managing user accounts and authentication. Some of the backend languages include Java, Ruby, and Python.

Old programming languages are becoming obsolete as new languages take over, with time. Experienced and beginner coders often wonder which programming languages will stay relevant and have a secure future.

Programming languages are quickly evolving to meet the needs of today’s demanding users.

While Flutter App development in USA is becoming more common, several other types of languages are offering excellent development solutions. Programmers and developers must choose the most suitable language according to their expertise and project needs.

So, what are the programming languages that will continue to rise in popularity?

This blog post will present the ten best programming languages that will be popular and operational in 2024.

Top 10 Programming Languages in 2024

1.     Python

Python’s adaptability and strong libraries have made it a dominant force in data science and artificial intelligence (AI). Thanks to its simple syntax and robust community support, Python quickly emerged as the preferred language for many developers.

For someone new to programming, Python is easy to understand and reads like English.

Data scientists find Python’s libraries, including NumPy, Pandas, and Matplotlib, to be an invaluable resource for data analysis and visualization. Let’s learn how much an average Python developer makes a year and some valuable stats about this language.

Average Developer Income: $96,890/year

Difficulty: Beginners

Best for: Machine learning, scientific computing, and data science.

Difficulty: Easy to write, read, and learn.

Skill Requirements: Developers with basic front-end knowledge can learn the language quickly.

Use Cases: Automation, Deep learning applications, Back-end web development, Desktop applications.

Popularity       

    • As of September 2023, it is the #1 most popular programming language on PYPL.
    • 66.7% of Stack Overflow developers prefer it.

Pros

    • Easy to code
    • Free and Open Source
    • Less Coding
    • Object-oriented
    • Readable
    • Simple and Easy

Cons

    • Difficult to test.
    • Large memory consumption
    • Not suitable for Mobile
    • Speed limitations
    • Weak database access layers

2.     JavaScript

JavaScript is a crucial programming language for creating websites and more. This popular language has many uses across various industries. JavaScript is the basis for developing dynamic, interactive websites that provide a seamless user experience.

JavaScript’s extensive libraries and frameworks, including React, Angular, and Vue.js, are among the factors contributing to its popularity. These frameworks and libraries give programmers multiple tools for creating complex applications quickly and easily.

Overall, JavaScript will be a crucial language for developers in 2024 because of its significance in web development and its expanding applications in other fields.

Developer Income (Average): JavaScript programmers make $90,864/year on average.

Difficulty: Easy

Best for: Beginners.

Skill Requirements: Basic familiarity with and coding skills in CSS and HTML

Use Cases: Web Apps. Front-end Web Development. Game Development

Popularity: 58.3% of Stack Overflow developers love it.

As of September 2023, #3 most popular programming language on PYPL.

Pros

    • Extended Functionality
    • Less Overhead
    • Rich Interfaces
    • Versatility

Cons

    • Browser Support
    • Client-side Security
    • Lack of Debugging Facility
    • Single Inheritance

3.     C++

C++ is the improved version of C and one of the most well-known programming languages in computer science. Its versatility makes it an exciting language to learn.

Developers create applications with excellent performance with this language—for example, graphics web browsers and video games.

However, learning C++ can be challenging for beginners. That’s because C++ has a more complex syntax than other languages.

Income (Average): $89,736/year

Difficulty: Hard

Best for: Experienced coders.

Skill Requirements: Familiarity with programming knowledge

Use Cases: Computer Programs, Client and Server-Side Application Development, Machine Learning, Operating Systems, Video Game Development, Mobile App Development.

Popularity: 43.4% of Stack Overflow developers prefer using it.

As of September 2023, it is the #5 most popular programming language on PYPL.

Pros

    • Powerful and fast
    • Open-source
    • Highly versatile
    • Works well cross-platform and cross-device
    • Allows more control

Cons   

    • Learning the language can be a challenge for amateur developers
    • Errors due to misuse of pointers
    • Less efficient object-oriented structure than other OOP-based programming languages.
    • Lack of garbage collection

4.     Golang

Go, also called Golang, has grown in popularity in recent years thanks to its effectiveness and scalability, especially for cloud computing. Go is an open-source language created by Google optimized for memory usage and concurrency.

Go will be helpful in cloud computing and network programming in 2024. Its speed, efficiency, scalability, and simplicity are the highlights of this language. This language will become increasingly important for developers to learn and use as cloud computing expands.

Income (Average): $99,627/year

Difficulty: Its clean code makes it easier to learn.

Best For: Intermediates, as well as beginners

Skill Requirements: Developers who have a solid knowledge of C or Java coding skills can learn it quickly.

Use Cases: Big Data, System programming, Back-end Web Development, Machine learning, Web applications.

Popularity: 62.3% of Stack Overflow developers love using this language.

As of September 2023, it is the #12 most popular programming language on PYPL.

Pros

    • Rich library
    • Compatibility with C language
    • Documentation as a standard feature
    • High speed

Cons

    • Relatively young ecosystem
    • Steep learning curve
    • Tooling limitations

5.     Java

Java, the proprietary programming language of Oracle, is a high-level and all-purpose language. It makes programming easier for programmers to create various applications.

Java code, famous for being a “write once, run anywhere” programming language, can efficiently run in any operating system.

Java can do everything from data science to big data to back-end web development. Furthermore, it is frequently used in financial services because of its strong security.

Income (Average): 93,118/year

Difficulty: Easy to learn

Best For: Beginners.

Skill Requirements: Basic familiarity with programming.

Use Cases: Web and Desktop Applications, Game Development, Scientific Computing and Machine Learning, App Development

Popularity: 40.2% of Stack Overflow developers love this language.

As of September 2023, it is the #2 most popular programming language on PYPL.

Pros

    • Easy to learn, compile, and debug
    • Versatile
    • Faster development of Java programs
    • Numerous APIs for app development
    • Better security
    • Cross-platform compatibility

Cons   

    • Slow execution times
    • It takes up a lot of memory

6.     Swift

Swift’s user-friendly syntax, effective performance, and compatibility with Objective-C have made it the preferred language for macOS and iOS development. Swift is an open-source language by Apple that gives developers cutting-edge and powerful tools to developers for creating beautiful apps.

Another benefit of Swift is that it is compatible with Objective-C. That allows developers to use Objective-C frameworks and libraries in Swift projects.

Income (Average): $89,736/year

Difficulty: Easy to learn and read

Skill Requirements: Any skilled developer can learn using this language.

Best For: Beginners

Use Cases: Used for developing iOS and macOS apps.

Popularity: 59.5% of Stack Overflow developers like this language.

As of September 2023, it is the #9 most popular programming language on PYPL.

Pros

    • It has an extensive library
    • Compatible with C language
    • High speed
    • Documentation as a standard feature

Cons

    • Tooling limitations
    • Its community is not as strong as other languages

7.     SQL

This is the best programming language to learn to explore statistical computing and data science. With this domain-specific language, programmers can manipulate and analyze data stored in a relational database.

Hence, there is a growing demand for SQL developers. Another great thing about this language is its syntax uses everyday English words, making it incredibly easy to learn SQL.

Income (Average): $88,938/year

Difficulty: Easy to learn. However, it can be challenging to create advanced features

Best For: Beginners

Use Cases: Back-end Database Management, Sales Reports, Data Science, Business Intelligence Tools.

Popularity: 56.6% of Stack Overflow developers.

Pros    

    • Secure
    • Highly interactive
    • Excellent portability
    • Faster query processing.
    • Highly interactive.
    • Strong user community.

Cons   

    • It is not open source.
    • Performance issues.

8.     C#

Microsoft created C#, an object-oriented language, to provide various tools to programmers for creating high-performance apps.

Developers love this language because of its extensive library, simple syntax, and compatibility with the .NET framework. It is the most preferred language for developing Windows desktop apps and video games.

C# is a popular language for game developers because it is compatible with Unity, a popular game development engine. Another notable benefit of using this language is its cross-platform compatibility, which helps programmers create Linux, Windows, and macOS apps. That makes it the perfect language for businesses that need to grow.

Income (Average): $84,243/year

Difficulty: Moderate

Best for: Intermediate and beginner developers

Skill Requirements: Developers who are familiar with objective-oriented programming languages can learn them quickly.

Use Cases: Mobile Applications, VR and Game Development, Web Applications, Game and VR Development Linux, Mac applications.

Popularity       

59.7% of Stack Overflow developers love this language.

As of September 2023, it is the #4 most popular programming language on PYPL.

Pros

    • The extensive class library makes several functions easy to implement.
    • Support for the distributed systems.
    • Cross-platform

Cons

    • It is not a flexible language since it is entirely based on the Microsoft .Net framework.
    • Every time you make any changes, C# will require code compilation. That can lead to bugs and errors.

9.     Ruby

The open-source language, created in the middle of the ’90s, is user-friendly and flexible. Ruby is a popular language for web development and automation because of its simplicity and usability. Another great thing about this language is that it enjoys strong community support.

Developers of all skill levels use Ruby because of its simple syntax and variety of tools. It has a rich collection of frameworks and libraries for creating web apps, including Ruby on Rails. As more developers continue to use it, Ruby will probably be one of the most popular programming languages in 2024.

Income (Average): $89,872/year

Difficulty: Easy to Learn

Best For: Beginners

Use Cases: Back-End and Front-End Web Development

Popularity       

42.9% of Stack Overflow developer love using this language.

As of September 2023, it is the #15 most popular programming language on PYPL

Pros

    • Powerful and versatile language
    • It is an open-source language.
    • Easy to learn.
    • It has a strong community.
    • It is used in various industries.

Cons

    • It may not be the best option for developing high-performance apps.
    • It is not the best programming language to use for mobile apps.

10.  PHP

PHP is a widely used web development and server-side scripting language that is especially useful for creating dynamic web applications. The open-source language gives a variety of tools to programmers for creating compelling and scalable web apps.

Another benefit of PHP is that it works well with several databases, including PostgreSQL and MySQL. That makes it an ideal programming language for developing data-driven web apps.

PHP is a popular choice for businesses that must create web apps to handle high traffic volumes. With a strong community of contributors and developers, there are always new features and updates supporting PHP.

Income (Average): $79,499/year

Difficulty: Easy to learn

Best for: Beginners.

Skill Requirements: Developers with basic coding skills in HTML and CSS can learn it quickly. 

Use Cases: Computer Programs, Web Development. Desktop Apps.

Popularity       

37.3% of Stack Overflow developers love this language.

As of September 2023, it is the #6 most popular programming language on PYPL.

Pros    

    • It is an open-source language.    
    • Simple to learn 
    • Works with procedural and OOPs.            
    • It has fewer commands and rules about syntax
    • Online community support and help       
    • A good number of online resources are available for guidance.    

Cons

    • Not capable of developing larger applications.
    • It can’t be used for creating mobile apps
    • Security issues.
    • Less built-in library functions.

Conclusion

When it comes to software and web development, Python, followed by JavaScript, Java, and C++ are among the most popular programming languages. We are also observing a surge in the popularity of other languages such as Flutter, Rust, and Golang, etc.

Investing in these programming languages is beneficial if you want to get certification for programming knowledge, develop a mobile application, or learn new skills. But if you are an entrepreneur or a business owner who doesn’t have time to learn a new programming language, the best way is to hire a professional software development company in California. Partner with an Android app developer in US to get the best Android app developmentsoftware or React Native App development in USA.