Best Programming Languages to Learn in 2024: Summary and Recommendations

In 2024, aspiring programmers need to learn multiple languages, with Python, JavaScript, Rust, Java, and Golang as top choices.

### The Five Best Programming Languages to Learn in 2024
* 💎 Ruby is a highly productive language with a simple and elegant syntax, used by major companies like Airbnb, GitHub, and Shopify. Ruby developers are among the highest paid in the industry, with an **average salary of $98,000**, but there are only **2,000 job openings in the United States**, mostly for **senior Engineers**.
* 🦀 Rust, a low-level language released in 2015, has low demand currently but is expected to grow rapidly as many companies and government agencies transition from C++ and C to Rust due to its **safety and security benefits**. Rust developers are highly paid, with an **average salary of $87,000**, but it has a **steep learning curve**.
* 🐍 Python, the most in-demand language in the world with over **22,000 job openings in the US**, can be used for various applications like web development, AI, and machine learning. Python developers are well-paid, with an average salary of **$78,000**, but landing Python-specific jobs, especially in AI and machine learning, is **challenging for self-taught programmers**.
* ☕ Java and C are statically typed languages with similar syntax, widely used in Enterprise software, especially by finance companies. Java has **over 21,000 job openings** and an average salary of **$73,000**, while C has **17,000 job openings** and an average salary of **$75,000**. Both Java and C are **widely taught in college campuses**.
* JavaScript, the **third most in-demand language** after Python and Java, with over **20,000 job openings in the US**, is the language of the web and has a vast ecosystem with popular frameworks like React, Angular, and Vue. JavaScript developers are paid an **average of $74,000 a year**.

In this extremely competitive market of 2024, you cannot simply expect to learn HTML, CSS, and JavaScript and land the six-figure job at Google. These times are gone. Nowadays, you need to have more than one programming language under your belt. I've done my research by looking at US job openings on Indeed and by looking at the average salary data for each language coming from the Stack Overflow Developer Survey, which surveyed over 50,000 engineers. So, without further ado, here are the five best programming languages that you should learn in 2024. Before getting into the five main ones, let's give out some honorable mentions. Ruby. Ruby is a dynamically typed programming language that is known for maximizing developer happiness because its syntax is very simple and very elegant. It's also a productive language with its highly popular framework called Ruby on Rails. Absolutely massive companies have been built using it, including Airbnb, GitHub, and Shopify. There are also countless startups that have been built using it because Rails is what we call a battery-included framework. It has pretty much everything you need straight out of the box.

don't need to spend time configuring or coding stuff from scratch. Ruby developers are amongst the highest paid in the industry, with an average salary of $98,000, but there are only 2,000 job openings in the United States, and most of these jobs are looking for senior Engineers, so it's harder at the entry level, which is why Ruby didn't make it on the main list. But it's a really cool language, and it has a great community of Freelancers and solo developers using it. The next honorable mention goes to C++, which is a statically typed systems language that is known for its very high learning curve because you basically have to manage memory manually. There is a lot of demand for C++ developers, and they're paid an average of $75,000 a year, which is pretty good, but there is one language that has a brighter future and that even has the potential of replacing C++. As you can probably guess, that language is Rust. Rust is another low-level language that has a high learning curve. It's very new. It was only

released in 2015, but it's been the most loved programming language for many years in a row. At the moment, it has pretty low demand with only 1,100 job openings in the United States, but that number is expected to grow very fast because many companies and even government agencies are trying to change their C++ and C code to Rust. And it's not only random government agencies, but the White House wants to make that transition because Rust is safer and poses less of a security risk. Rust developers are also extremely high paid, with an average of $87,000 a year. It's a very hard language to learn, but if you want to get into low-level systems and embedded programming, Rust is going to be your best friend. If you're a complete beginner, please don't start with Rust because learning it can be very discouraging. You should start with one of the next programming languages on the list and then go back to Rust if you're feeling up for a challenge. You know what language you should probably started.

with Python, it's the programming language that can do absolutely everything: web development, AI, machine learning, robotics, you name it. Python can do it. It's probably why it's the most in-demand language in the world, with over 22,000 job openings in the United States alone. Python devs are also pretty well-paid, with an average salary of $78,000. So why is Python not higher up on the list? Well, even though it has huge demand. Landing Python-specific jobs is very hard because these positions are most often AI and machine learning positions, which are extremely hard to get into as a self-taught programmer. In fact, most of these positions do not only require a bachelor's degree but most often a master's or even a PhD. Nonetheless, I think it's the first programming language that you should learn as a beginner. You know, Python was my first language, and I still use it very often, be it at work for writing quick scripts or in smaller personal projects. In addition, it's also a great language to use for programming interviews because its syntax is so

simple and so close to English that you can spend more time thinking about a solution to the problem, instead of thinking about how to write that solution. Now, for programming languages with not so simple of a syntax, we've got Java and C. So, why did I put them together? Well, both are statically typed programming languages that are verbals, and their syntax is also very similar because C++ was inspired by Java. There is huge demand for these languages, especially in Enterprise software, with over 21,000 job openings for Java and 17,000 for C in the United States. So, the demand is clearly here, and these languages are here to stay. They are performant, they have a great ecosystems, and many, many companies all over the world are using it, especially finance companies. They do love their Java. Looking at the salaries, they're a bit lower than the other programming languages on the list. Java has an average salary of $73,000 a year, while C is at $75,000. An important thing to note is that Java and even C are widely taught in college campuses all over the

world. So, if you're a self-taught developer and you want to learn those languages, keep in mind that you'll probably be competing with college graduates, which can be both an advantage and a disadvantage. The disadvantage is that obviously you'll be competing with people that have degrees, but the advantage is that there are a lot of jobs available, and generally less self-taught developers choose to learn Java or C. In fact, the next language on the list is the de facto boot camper and self-taught developer programming language. As you can probably guess, it's JavaScript. It's the dynamically typed programming language that rules the web. It's the third most in-demand, just behind Python and Java, with over 20,000 job openings in the United States. JavaScript developers are paid $74,000 a year, which is around the Java and C area. JavaScript is the language of the front end, and it has an absolutely crazy ecosystem. I mean, we have the three major front end Frameworks: React, Angular, Vue. There's Node and BUN for the server.

then you've got the newest Kids on the Block nextjs remix and spell it's a bit insane. Honestly, it seems like there's a new JavaScript framework coming out every single day, but it's also why working on the front end can be so fun and challenging because innovation happens constantly. JavaScript is the language most often taught in boot camps because you can do a lot with it. It can be used both on the front end and on the back end. This means that there's a lot of competition, so if you want to get into web development or front end in particular, you should learn HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. But the basics won't cut it anymore. Go learn TypeScript because once you go TypeScript, you never go back. Go learn React, go learn XJS. If you want to land the job in the front end world, you'll have to become really, really good and even specialize in a certain tech stack. Finally, last but not least, we've got a programming language that's been on my radar for a while, and it's called

go or Goang, originally created by Google and first released in 2012. Goang is a statically typed language that is known for its simplicity and its performance. It's used on the back end and it's almost as performant as Rust, while being extremely simple to write. In the US, there are 5,000 job openings for Go developers, which are the highest paid on the list, with an average salary of $93,000. Developers seem to love Go, and it has a great future, which is why it's the next programming language that I'll be learning. Because right now, if you want to develop a web application, let's say, you can go with JavaScript or TypeScript for the full stack. If you don't care about performance, but if performance is of any concern, you need to go with a statically typed programming language on the back end. Of course, if you need maximum performance, you should go lower level like with Rust or C++, but that's not needed for most applications. So what are the remaining options? You could certainly go with Java.

or C, but why would you go with them when you have Golang, which is simpler to write and more performant. Plus, it has a cute mascot. At the end of the day, the language that you use doesn't matter, but if I can summarize it quickly: if it's your first programming language or you want to get into AI, learn Python; if you want to get into front-end or full-stack web development, learn JavaScript; if you want to build highly performance embedded systems, go with Rust; if you want to get into backend development, learn Java or C for enterprise software, or learn Golang for more tech-focused companies. Personally, Golang is going to be my choice, but please note that I already have experience with Python, Java, and JavaScript, so Golang is not going to be my first programming language. So now that I've told you my opinion, I want to hear yours in the comments below. What programming language are you going to learn and why? Thank you so much for watching. I'll see you in the next one.

Top 6 Programming Languages to Learn in 2024

On a journey to get 1000 people into coding. Trying to help developpers live happier, healthier and more productive lives.



Vlad Arama

The Best Programming Languages to Learn in 2024

Learning HTML, CSS, and JavaScript is no longer enough to land a high-paying job at Google in 2024.

The five best programming languages to learn this year, based on US job openings and average salaries, are Python, TypeScript, Swift, Kotlin, and JavaScript.

Ruby, known for developer happiness and high salaries, didn't make the main list due to a limited number of job openings and a preference for senior engineers.

C++ is also an honorable mention, but Rust is seen as having the potential to replace it, with a promising future in the programming language landscape.

The Growing Popularity of Rust and Python

Rust, a beloved programming language since 2015, is experiencing a rapid increase in demand due to its safety benefits, with the White House endorsing its transition.

Rust developers are highly paid, with an average salary of $87,000 per year, but it is considered a challenging language to learn, more suitable for those interested in low-level systems and embedded programming.

On the other hand, Python, known for its versatility in web development, AI, and machine learning, boasts over 22,000 job openings in the United States, with an average salary of $78,000.

However, despite its high demand, securing Python-specific jobs can be challenging, often requiring advanced degrees, making it more suitable as a first language for beginners.

The Demand for Java, C, and JavaScript Programming Languages

Java and C are in high demand for Enterprise software, with over 21,000 and 17,000 job openings in the US, respectively.

They have slightly lower average salaries compared to other languages but are widely taught in colleges, leading to competition between self-taught developers and graduates.

JavaScript, the third most in-demand language, has over 20,000 job openings in the US, with a similar average salary to Java and C.

It is the dominant language for front-end development and has a thriving ecosystem with major frameworks like React, Angular, and Vue.

The Ever-Changing Front End Development Landscape

New JavaScript frameworks and technologies constantly emerge, making front end development both exciting and challenging.

With JavaScript being widely taught, it is essential to also learn HTML, CSS, TypeScript, and specialized tech stacks to succeed in the field.

Go, or Golang, has gained popularity for its simplicity and performance, offering high-paid job opportunities in the US and a promising future in web development.

Python is recommended for first-time learners and AI, JavaScript for front-end and full-stack web development, Rust for highly performance embedded systems, and Java or C for enterprise software.

Golang is favored for more tech-focused companies and is the personal choice of the speaker, who already has experience with Python, Java, and JavaScript.