Programming languages are how we instruct computers to perform certain tasks. Computers operate numerically (think binary code), and coding languages act as a sort of medium, converting the code you type into numbers so the computer can process your command.

Just like with human languages, there are more programming languages than you could learn in a lifetime, so you’ll have to be selective with which ones you study. Some languages are more for web design, some are more for data input, etc. Here are several coding languages you might consider studying.

JavaScript

JavaScript is consistently one of the world’s most popular coding languages, with virtually all websites using JS. Because of this, JS is also one of the most sought-after coding languages in the job market. Don’t confuse JS with Java, though! They’re two different coding languages.

HTML, CSS, and JavaScript are the trinity that build a website, and it’s JavaScript that allows for interactivity on websites. When you notice a button changing color or performing some animation as you hover over it, that’s JavaScript. JS is even used for mobile app and game development.

Best of all, JavaScript is one of the easiest programming languages to learn.

Python

Data scientists absolutely love Python. This is in part because of the language’s clean syntax that lets you store more information with little code. Python also has what’s called libraries, modules of premade code that you can import into your own code if you need a specific function performed. As the name suggests, they save you the task of writing your own book, as you can head to the library instead.

Python is also used for web development and automation. It’s excellent for people who want a career in data science, business analytics, or software engineering.

C/C++/C#

C is a very low-level programming language with a simple set of keywords. What this means is that there are fewer links of chain between the code you write and what the hardware is processing, so curiously enough, its C’s primitiveness that makes it so fast. C is great for those who want to develop Operating Systems (such as Windows, MacOS, Linux, etc.), databases, embedded hardware, etc. C is a good option for those looking to learn a coding language for the first time.

C++ was an extension of C that eventually developed into a language in its own right. C++ is commonly regarded as one of the most difficult coding languages there is, even professional programmers scoffing at it. But it’s this complexity that allows C++ to be used for game design and GUI applications (applications like Messenger that execute code when you press certain buttons).

C# was Microsoft’s response to Java, and as such, the language is closer to Java than C or C++. The “#” comes from an additional two “+’s” stacked below C++. C# is used for many desktop and phone applications. C# is quickly becoming a popular coding language, and fortunately, it’s much easier than C++ to learn.

Go

Go, also known as Golang, is a newcomer on the scene compared to these other languages, but its popularity is rising. Go is used to various ends but in particular cloud-based and server-side programming. One of Golang’s biggest strength is its self-contained concurrency, or the ability to execute codes in any order without the result changing.

It’s fairly similar to C and Java and easy to learn if you’re acquainted with these two coding languages.

Ruby

Ruby is a purely object-oriented programming language (OOP). This means pieces of code are treated as objects which can be reused throughout your program without having to retype the code. It’s kind of like how every time you hear the word “car,” you don’t need to be reminded the term refers to a four-wheeled motor vehicle, even if its attributes like color or size differ.

While most languages such as Python use OOP to a degree, everything is object-oriented with Ruby. This is why, while similar to Python, lightweight Ruby is much more popular for web design, but data analysis too.