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[-] hperrin@lemmy.world 19 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago)

It depends what you want to do.

Do you want to make cool desktop apps? Probably something like Rust or C#.

Do you want to do machine learning or scientific research applications? Definitely Python.

Do you want to make websites and web apps? Definitely HTML, CSS, and JavaScript (look up both Node.js and DOM API). You could also learn other server side languages like Ruby, Java, or PHP, but knowing browser side JS gets you half way to knowing server side JS, so Node would be easiest. If you want strict typing, you can learn TypeScript, which adds a strong typing system to JavaScript.

Do you want to make mobile apps? Probably Dart and Flutter. Also could learn Kotlin or Java for Android, or Swift or Objective-C for iOS.

Do you want to get into the nitty gritty of kernel level programming or embedded programming? Probably C and Rust.

Do you want to work on old software that runs mostly banking/enterprise/medical applications, but can land you a pretty lucrative job? Maybe COBOL, Fortran, or Ada.

Do you want to accomplish nothing of value? Visual Basic. (Just kidding.)

The most important thing you can do is to just jump into things and try them out. In my career, I've switched languages several times. If you've got the fundamentals down, learning a new language isn't that hard, so just pick any language you want and learn the fundamentals with it. I'd recommend a strictly typed language at first, because it's easier to wrap your head around what's going on, but if that doesn't feel right, don't hesitate to switch to something else. Have fun with whatever you're learning. :)

[-] NotMyOldRedditName@lemmy.world 7 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago)

Learning Java for android is still useful as a lot of legacy stuff is Java, but given Google has gone Kotlin first, and Kotlin is IMO easier and less error prone, dipping their toes in that first would probably be the better move.

You can always circle back to Java, you will need to understand it if you get serious about Android development.

[-] lysdexic@programming.dev 1 points 2 years ago

Kotlin is IMO easier and less error prone

I'm no Kotlin expert, but I think Kotlin has a far more extensive core language and requires a heavier cognitive load to get up and running than Java.

It might have better developer experience and be less error-prone, but that comes at a price of admission that newbies have to pay.

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this post was submitted on 26 Oct 2023
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