The Most Popular Programming Languages of 2021

The most difficult decision to make when learning programming languages is choosing one to stick with, as there are dozens of computer languages out there, and they all have their pros and cons. 

We’ve researched for you, and today we’ll help you choose the best option for you. 

1. JavaScript

JavaScript is a clear frontrunner in any list of the most popular coding languages. It’s the universal language of the internet and one that all internet browsers across the world understand. 

It is one of the languages most frequently used to create and maintain websites, which is why it’s at the top of our coding languages list. If you’re learning JavaScript, you might be learning HTML and CSS as well, because these three programming languages complement each other very well and makeup three of our most popular programming languages.

You don’t need to have any background programming knowledge before learning JavaScript. Everything you learn here will carry over to any other programming language you learn, making JavaScript especially popular among beginner coders.

You might spot JavaScript in mobile games and web development applications as well. It’s one of the most common programming languages for a reason.

The robust community support is one reason why JavaScript stands tall as one of the most common programming languages today.

2. Python

Python is one of the general-purpose programming languages that is second on our computer languages list. It focuses on code readability and objects and was designed to help coders write clearly, simply, and effectively in large projects. 

Python is commonly seen in app development and data science. It’s especially popular among non-programmers because many scientists and accountants end up learning Python as an aspect of financial management. 

The biggest advantage of Python is its comprehensive library. It’s well known as one of those programming languages that come with “batteries included” because the sheer size of its library allows you to code whatever you want. 

If you’ve ever used Google Search or YouTube, then you’ve already witnessed Python in action. It’s the first choice of programming languages for many developers and is especially popular because its memory consumption is better than Java or C++.

3. HTML

HyperText Markup Language, or HTML as it’s more commonly known, is one of the most popular programming languages to learn if you want to make money using the internet. 

Without HTML, you can’t create websites. It’s easy to learn because the language requires a basic grasp of English to code, and you can even start writing your website just a day or two after learning the fundamentals. 

HTML is a markup language, so it’s not as powerful as programming languages such as Python or C++. However, it’s fantastic at creating websites and is often learned in conjunction with JavaScript and CSS.

You’re witnessing HTML in action right now if you’re reading this on an internet browser. Every browser in the world supports HTML, so it’s one of those must-know programming languages if you ever want to make websites.

4. CSS

Cascading Style Sheets, or CSS, is a language used together with HTML and JavaScript because it adds what these languages are missing. 

CSS is a cascading style of language that allows you to insert style rules onto a website with ease. You can control everything from colors and images to create the website format of your dreams.

Unlike JavaScript and HTML, CSS is all about aesthetics. If you see website design in your future, learning CSS is a must. 

CSS is an excellent tool for designers looking to dip their toes into the world of programming, and it’s approachable without being intimidating to most beginners.

5. Java

Java is a simple and powerful object-oriented language known for its “write once, run anywhere” philosophy. 

It’s both a platform and a programming language in one. Whatever you write in Java can be made to run anywhere. You can see washing machines, parking meters, and coffee makers using Java. It is also incredibly secure because it uses permissions, which makes it the natural choice for banking applications and billing apps.

6. SQL

Structured Query Language, or SQL, started its life as SEQUEL, which stood for Structured English Query Language. 

This is one of the coding languages that is popular with managers everywhere because of how simple it is to use. As a domain-specific language, it’s a bit different from the other languages on this list. 

It allows just about anyone to easily manipulate data in a database and works with large databases just as efficiently as small ones. You can see SQL in action when it’s used to communicate with databases or when it’s used to make sales reports to help manage businesses. 

7. NoSQL

Non-relational SQL, or NoSQL, is a type of database that stores data differently from traditional relational tables. 

The purpose of SQL is to help people manipulate data in relational databases by keeping data in tables. The purpose of NoSQL is to help you store data without tables in a flexible schema that easily scales with large amounts of data and high user loads. 

NoSQL databases were optimized to improve developer productivity by storing data in a hierarchical network for cloud-based applications.

NoSQL is popular because of the demand for non-relational databases that is growing with cloud computing. In addition, it helps people distribute data across multiple servers, which is why it’s become one of the most popular languages in 2021.

8. C#

C Sharp, or C#, is another object-oriented programming language that stands as a much-loved improvement to the C++ language. C# is a general-purpose language and is incredibly popular for developing virtual reality applications, game development, and desktop apps. 

One of the most significant advantages of C# is the enormous community support and abundance of learning materials available for free on the internet. There’s no doubt that this language will continue to be popular in the coming years, and its support for new learners is one of the reasons why it stands tall as one of the most popular languages of 2021.

9. Rust

Rust is a multi-paradigm, high-level programming language that was designed with performance in mind. 

Its syntax is similar to C++, allowing beginners to experience a gentle learning curve before they turn to Rust and make entire operating systems, virtual reality applications, and web browsers once they know how it works. 

Rust supports a wide variety of applications, and it has great cross-platform capabilities to let everything you create be sold on multiple devices. 

Compared to the other languages on this list, it’s incredibly reliable because of its rich type systems and ownership model that guarantees memory safety and thread-safety. This allows you to remove bugs almost as quickly as you spot them during compile time. 

If you’ve ever used Firefox, Dropbox, or Cloudflare, you know what Rust is capable of. There’s a reason it’s popular among some of the biggest web storage sites out there; it’s low strain and quick and powerful when you want it to be.

10. PHP

The Hypertext Preprocessor, or PHP, is a powerful general-purpose scripting language that’s focused on web development. PHP was initially known to stand for Personal Home Page but has since changed to Hypertext Preprocessor instead.

This is a server-side language that’s great for making static or dynamic web applications. It differs from the languages on this list because it’s a scripting language instead of a programming language like C++. Unlike C++ and HTML, scripting languages run their code without compiling and are integrated into other software environments.

If you’ve ever used WordPress, MediaWiki, or Joomla, you know what PHP is capable of. It’s the top choice for web content management systems and their general-purpose, which means it can be used to create various applications, unlike languages like SQL, which can only be used with databases.

It can be challenging to choose from the many programming languages out there, but hopefully, we’ve helped you gain a deeper understanding of where to start. If you want to learn more about coding, sign up for a FREE trial class with BYJU’S FutureSchool, where you can learn in a 1:1 environment with a live instructor.