When it comes to programming websites, there certainly isn’t any shortage of available web development languages. In fact, there are currently hundreds (or potentially more) programming languages in use today, and many can be used in web development. But that’s not to say that one language is just as good as another. Not all programming languages are created equal, and the best language for one situation (or one person), may not be the best language in all cases.
The point is that there are hundreds of web development languages you could learn, but learning these hundreds of coding languages isn’t necessary (or probably even possible). It will be more beneficial to you if you focus on the best language for web development.
But, because there are so many languages to choose from, it can be difficult to determine exactly which is the best coding language to learn for your specific needs, projects, and goals. Thankfully, the developer world talks openly about what the best web development language options are and why.
Best Web Programming Languages
In this article, we’ll share four ways to determine the best coding languages to learn in order to help you achieve your goals. We’ll also share our picks for some of the best/most useful programming languages for web development, and the most in-demand programming languages for the coming years. These web development languages include:
- JavaScript
- Java
- HTML
- CSS
- React
- Angular
- Objective C
- Scala
- Python
- C#
- C++
- PHP
- Perl
4 Things to Ask Yourself When Determining Which Web Development Language You Should Learn
- Which web development languages offer you the best salary?
- What are the most popular web development languages in the industry currently?
- What languages will be in high demand in the upcoming years?
- How easy is it to learn the coding language?Â
1. Web Development Languages With the Highest Salary
Opinions on highest salaried languages vary depending on what site you’re looking at, but the most common high-income languages include:
- Go
- Java
- Ruby
- Rust
- React
- Kotlin
- Objective C
- Scala
- Perl
But before you rush off, list in hand, consider your goals. Check job listings and speak with individuals within various industries to get an idea of which positions pay the most for employees that speak which languages.
Do these positions match your career goals? If not, you may want to keep looking — there’s no point in learning a high-paying language if it doesn’t help you get to where you want to be. And don’t limit yourself to just one option, either; if want to make a lot of money coding, it will be in your best interest to learn a handful of the languages mentioned above.
2. The Most Popular Web Development Languages
If you want the best web development languages, go to the source: web developers themselves.
Stack Overflow, a question and answer site for professional and enthusiast programmers, did some research on the most popular coding languages coming out of 2023. According to their research, developers said that JavaScript, HTML/CSS, Python, and SQL are the most popular languages across web developers.Â
A few other popular coding languages include:
- Java
- C#
- TypeScript
- PHP
- And more.Â
Click here to see the whole list.Â
It’s important to consider the most popular coding languages when deciding the best web development languages to learn, because the popular languages will often be used at companies you want to apply for.
3. Future Demand for Web Development Languages
The best web development language today may not be the best web development language tomorrow. The demand for specific web development languages changes year after year. In order to stay relevant as a developer, it’s important to learn the languages that will be in demand in the upcoming years.
Data analyzed from Indeed.com, suggests the following languages could be in demand in the years to come:
- Java
- Python
- JavaScript
- C and C++
- SQL
- Swift
- TypeScript
As a developer, always be researching what languages will be demand in the future so that you can be prepared. Don’t let yourself become obsolete; stay relevant, and you’ll always have a place within the evolving web development industry.
4. Easy-to-Learn Web Development Languages
Hey, we get it. You have a finite amount of time and resources, and it takes both to learn a new web development language. As such, it’s worth considering which languages offer the quickest paths to proficiency. Thankfully, developers are often very open about what languages are easier to learn than others. In fact, the majority say that the easiest languages to learn include:
- HTML
- Python
- JavaScript
- PHP
- Java
And don’t forget that learning is a step-by-step process. Developing an expertise in these easier-to-learn languages will help you develop the learning skills you need to tackle more difficult languages in the future.
Which is the best web development language for you?Â
When it comes to selecting the very best web development language and tools, it’s tough to select just one, that is, unless you know your criteria and needs. Really, it’s up to you. We like HTML, CSS, JavaScript, Git, Angular, Node, and React, but ultimately the choice is yours. There are benefits and drawbacks to each language. The best thing to do is to experiment using the guidelines we’ve given. Hopefully this list has given you a good starting point to help you determine the best web development language for you.
For even more guidance, consider enrolling in either our four-week $49 Coding Basics course to learn a few fundamentals of HTML, CSS, and JavaScript from live, online instruction (where you can ask professionals what languages they’re learning and using) or take the next step into a full web development bootcamp.
