If you want to become a web developer in 2023 but don’t know which programming language to learn first, then you’ve come to the right place. This article introduces you to the best programming languages for web development in 2023.
1. JavaScript
Simply put, JavaScript is an object-oriented programming language. It was designed to make web development easier and more engaging. In most cases, JavaScript is used to create responsive and interactive elements for web pages, thereby improving user experience.
In 2023, everyone agrees that JavaScript is the king of web development and probably the most popular language among web developers. But why is it so popular? Already, it is the only language that allows you to create web applications, both front-end and back-end, as well as mobile applications (React Native). This modern language is often used to create interactions and modify a web page on the fly. It replaces today the defunct flash which was privileged before to create animations.
The strength of JavaScript is not only in the fact that it can be executed on a browser and a server using Nodejs, but also in the libraries it has for developing websites and applications. The javascript thus offers an infinity of possibilities in the layout of web content.
For example, it is possible to use React.js and Angular for the front-end, Nodejs for the back-end and React Native to create cross-platform mobile applications (Android and iOS).
If you are starting a career in web development, you absolutely must learn JavaScript in 2023.
Attention, we often tend to confuse Java and JavaScript, but is not the same thing . What they have in common is that they are two C-like programming languages, so they have a similar code structure. However, their use is completely different. JavaScript is an interpreted web language that is primarily used through your internet browser. Conversely, Java is a language dedicated to Back and stand-alone applications. It is therefore mainly used to design software or applications and mobile.
2. Python
Python is another language that has gained a lot of popularity in recent years. Although it’s not exactly new and has stood the test of time, it’s probably the most versatile programming language out there.
You can use Python for web development, data science, scripting, and automation. Like JavaScript, Python also has huge community support and has many useful frameworks, libraries, and tools that can help you create a web application in a quick time.
Besides, the programming language includes thousands of third-party modules available in the Python Package Index (PyPI). PyPI provides popular standards for different areas of expertise, such as Django for web development and NumPy, Pandas, and Mathplotlib for data science. Django is generally used to build complete web applications. For more control over your code and a minimalist web development framework, you can also use the open-source micro framework Flask.
Python is also a great programming language to learn coding. If you’re new to the world of software development, turning to Python can be a great start. The advantage (and not the least) is that you can not only use it for web development, but also in computer programming. Enough to consider a great career as a developer.
3. TypeScript
TypeScript is a modern programming language for web development. Like C and C++, TypeScript can be considered JavaScript++. Note however that it is not as popular as its C++ cousin.
The advantage of TypeScript is that it adds type safety in JavaScript code. This means that it makes it easier to identify JavaScript type errors in a development phase. Your source code thus (almost) always has the correct syntax.
Another significant advantage is that it facilitates the development of object-oriented code for JavaScript. For this reason, several debugging tools built into TypeScript make web development easier.
If you have to choose a modern programming language to learn in 2023, learning TypeScript is highly recommended!
4. PHP
PHP (originally an acronym for Personal Home Page) is currently known as Hypertext Preprocessor. It is a server-side scripting language, used for the development of static and dynamic websites. PHP can also develop web applications.
Even if it is highly criticized by developers (especially for security), PHP remains one of the best programming languages for web development in 2023. Indeed, PHP is essential because it is the web development language from which the most used CMS in the world are built (WordPress, Joomla, Drupal, Prestashop, Magento, etc.). It is therefore the most widely used programming language for creating web applications.
To define it simply, we can say that it is a dynamic, server-side scripting language that makes it very easy to create fully functional web applications. If you still have doubts about its interest, note that half of the internet runs on PHP! Remember that WordPress, the most popular web application software, is made on PHP.
PHP also has elegant syntax frameworks such as Laravel. This repository present on the GitHub site is both powerful and allows you to quickly create web applications using a three-tier MVC architectural pattern (model-view-controller).
Conclusion
It is possible to learn on your own, but a good training will help you structure your work and learn the right syntax and methodology for working in a team (project manager, frontend + backend developer team, etc.). If you have a perfect command of one of these programming languages, you will easily find a job as a salaried web developer in a company or freelance client assignments. Indeed, there is a shortage of employment so the law of supply and demand is in favor of developers. Do not hesitate to negotiate your salary if you are a good developer!