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Ask HN: Starting from 0 which language would you learn to be employable fastest?

6 points by jonplackett 6y ago

bradwood 6y ago
python
- jonplackett 6y ago
  Thanks! Asking for a friend who wants to learn to code. I’ve learned a bunch of languages but python isn’t one I know well which is a shame if I’m gonna help him!
x14km2d 6y ago
The TIOBE index [1] can be used as a good guide for your question. Python would be the first choice. In my personal opinion, however, I would rather advise RUST, since many projects switch to this language. [1] https://www.tiobe.com/tiobe-index/ https://www.tiobe.com/tiobe-index/
- st1x7 6y ago
  You're contradicting yourself. Should we use TIOBE as a guide or should we pick Rust? (The correct answer is neither of those two.) Rust is just about the worst language that you can recommend in this case - it's more difficult than most other languages and there are close to no jobs with it out there. OP is probably looking for JavaScript/TypeScript + a frontend framework or Python.
  - x14km2d 6y ago
    Whew! You seem to have problems understanding simple sentences. Here again as a list to show exactly what I mean. - 1. to get an overview, which languages exist at all, you can get a first impression at TIOBE. So you first have to know which languages exist, so you know which languages you should learn. - 2) You seem to have missed the second point, because in this point I advised you to learn Python, because it gives you the best job opportunities. You have compared the TIOBE list with RUST and constructed a faulty comparison (which in your opinion contains a contradiction). - 3. in point three I recommended Rust according to my personal opinion, because I see as a programmer and studied computer scientist in this language the best developments in the next 20 years. According to your personal opinion, Rust is the worst recommendation. You then say that Javascript (not a programming language, but a scripting language) and the choice to a frontend (not a programming language at all) is the best option. By your non-technical statements, I can roughly read that you don't have much idea about this topic and just wanted to say something, but your unprofessional statements don't help OP with his question.
    - babygoat 6y ago
      No need to get so defensive. A scripting language is a language, which is what the OP asked for.
wagslane 6y ago
Front-end? JavaScript. Back-end? Python or Go, or maybe JavaScript
- nodelessness 6y ago
  The number of jobs asking for Go is very small. The OP is asking to be very employable.
emteycz 6y ago
TypeScript and React - these jobs expect more junior people, are fastest to find, the firm will educate you, and it pays the most. And IMHO it's the best language and ecosystem you can get into today.
- karmakaze 6y ago
  I love Typescript over JS, but starting from zero, I think that the type info adds too much cognitive overload for a beginner. Static typing really shines on larger projects with many developers. Starting out it's probably easier to work on a smaller team on projects that members talk about rather than have types/docs for working independently. But definitely if starting on the JS route, get to TS whenever possible as there are many larger team/project opportunities.
dyeje 6y ago
JavaScript without a doubt. It will enable you to do front-end work which is more beginner friendly and also can be used for the backend as well with node.
- jonplackett 6y ago
  Would you learn a framework right off the bat or are the jobs available with just vanilla JS?
codegladiator 6y ago
nobody said java ?
jamesmehaffey 6y ago
I do not remember Which language I was first introduced to as a kid, but I do remember being very on excited because it did not seem related to anything I was interested in. I agree that something like JavaScript/XML is a good place to start when learning new languages because it is so accessible and immediate. I once showed a young, budding nerd how to animate SVG files with jQuery, and I could see his mind being blown in real time. While it is not as deep and has constraints, JavaScript does still have most of the basic concepts required for any of the more advanced languages.
throwaway_n56 6y ago
SQL
- karmakaze 6y ago
  I think this is the right answer, combined with Python for data science.
nodelessness 6y ago
Java and Javascript. This is the tech stack/need of the vast majority of the software development world. Be good in these two and you can be employable anywhere in the world in most industries. You will be able to be hired even in the highest paying companies.
URfejk 6y ago
English and Javascript.
the_only_law 6y ago
Probably Java or JS. Depending on your, market C# or Python.
mod 6y ago
Javascript, SQL, PHP. I didn't see PHP mentioned here, so I just want to throw out there that you shouldn't underestimate how much legacy PHP code is out there to be maintained. I think Python and Ruby both make you pretty employable, as well, and I prefer to work in those. But on the web, you're going to have to learn Javascript anyway, so might as well start with it.
- jonplackett 6y ago
  For javascript, would you say learn vanilla JS first or go straight in with a framework like React? Can you get jobs just knowing JS?
  - el_dev_hell 6y ago
    Not OP but I've been working with JS for years. You'll need to learn Vanilla JS before diving into a library like React, Anular, Vue, etc. At the end of the day, you're still writing JavaScript. You could get a job with just JS knowledge, but you'll have a lot more luck with a popular framework/library stack.
  - mod 6y ago
    I'd learn vanilla first. Do some project euler or similar coding challenges, get familiar with different syntaxes & structures. All this depending on how familiar you are with programming, I guess. And then pick up a framework, keeping in mind that these frameworks are pretty complex; probably inscrutable to people without some coding experience, even if it were in another language.
jsshah 6y ago
Java .. Javascript .. Python

6 points by jonplackett 6y ago

bradwood 6y ago

python

jonplackett 6y ago
Thanks! Asking for a friend who wants to learn to code. I’ve learned a bunch of languages but python isn’t one I know well which is a shame if I’m gonna help him!

x14km2d 6y ago

The TIOBE index [1] can be used as a good guide for your question. Python would be the first choice. In my personal opinion, however, I would rather advise RUST, since many projects switch to this language. [1] https://www.tiobe.com/tiobe-index/ https://www.tiobe.com/tiobe-index/

st1x7 6y ago
You're contradicting yourself. Should we use TIOBE as a guide or should we pick Rust? (The correct answer is neither of those two.) Rust is just about the worst language that you can recommend in this case - it's more difficult than most other languages and there are close to no jobs with it out there. OP is probably looking for JavaScript/TypeScript + a frontend framework or Python.
- x14km2d 6y ago
  Whew! You seem to have problems understanding simple sentences. Here again as a list to show exactly what I mean. - 1. to get an overview, which languages exist at all, you can get a first impression at TIOBE. So you first have to know which languages exist, so you know which languages you should learn. - 2) You seem to have missed the second point, because in this point I advised you to learn Python, because it gives you the best job opportunities. You have compared the TIOBE list with RUST and constructed a faulty comparison (which in your opinion contains a contradiction). - 3. in point three I recommended Rust according to my personal opinion, because I see as a programmer and studied computer scientist in this language the best developments in the next 20 years. According to your personal opinion, Rust is the worst recommendation. You then say that Javascript (not a programming language, but a scripting language) and the choice to a frontend (not a programming language at all) is the best option. By your non-technical statements, I can roughly read that you don't have much idea about this topic and just wanted to say something, but your unprofessional statements don't help OP with his question.
  - babygoat 6y ago
    No need to get so defensive. A scripting language is a language, which is what the OP asked for.

wagslane 6y ago

Front-end? JavaScript. Back-end? Python or Go, or maybe JavaScript

nodelessness 6y ago
The number of jobs asking for Go is very small. The OP is asking to be very employable.

emteycz 6y ago

TypeScript and React - these jobs expect more junior people, are fastest to find, the firm will educate you, and it pays the most. And IMHO it's the best language and ecosystem you can get into today.

karmakaze 6y ago
I love Typescript over JS, but starting from zero, I think that the type info adds too much cognitive overload for a beginner. Static typing really shines on larger projects with many developers. Starting out it's probably easier to work on a smaller team on projects that members talk about rather than have types/docs for working independently. But definitely if starting on the JS route, get to TS whenever possible as there are many larger team/project opportunities.

dyeje 6y ago

JavaScript without a doubt. It will enable you to do front-end work which is more beginner friendly and also can be used for the backend as well with node.

jonplackett 6y ago
Would you learn a framework right off the bat or are the jobs available with just vanilla JS?

codegladiator 6y ago

nobody said java ?

jamesmehaffey 6y ago

I do not remember Which language I was first introduced to as a kid, but I do remember being very on excited because it did not seem related to anything I was interested in. I agree that something like JavaScript/XML is a good place to start when learning new languages because it is so accessible and immediate. I once showed a young, budding nerd how to animate SVG files with jQuery, and I could see his mind being blown in real time. While it is not as deep and has constraints, JavaScript does still have most of the basic concepts required for any of the more advanced languages.

throwaway_n56 6y ago

SQL

karmakaze 6y ago
I think this is the right answer, combined with Python for data science.

nodelessness 6y ago

Java and Javascript. This is the tech stack/need of the vast majority of the software development world. Be good in these two and you can be employable anywhere in the world in most industries. You will be able to be hired even in the highest paying companies.

URfejk 6y ago

English and Javascript.

the_only_law 6y ago

Probably Java or JS. Depending on your, market C# or Python.

mod 6y ago

Javascript, SQL, PHP. I didn't see PHP mentioned here, so I just want to throw out there that you shouldn't underestimate how much legacy PHP code is out there to be maintained. I think Python and Ruby both make you pretty employable, as well, and I prefer to work in those. But on the web, you're going to have to learn Javascript anyway, so might as well start with it.

jonplackett 6y ago
For javascript, would you say learn vanilla JS first or go straight in with a framework like React? Can you get jobs just knowing JS?
- el_dev_hell 6y ago
  Not OP but I've been working with JS for years. You'll need to learn Vanilla JS before diving into a library like React, Anular, Vue, etc. At the end of the day, you're still writing JavaScript. You could get a job with just JS knowledge, but you'll have a lot more luck with a popular framework/library stack.
- mod 6y ago
  I'd learn vanilla first. Do some project euler or similar coding challenges, get familiar with different syntaxes & structures. All this depending on how familiar you are with programming, I guess. And then pick up a framework, keeping in mind that these frameworks are pretty complex; probably inscrutable to people without some coding experience, even if it were in another language.

jsshah 6y ago

Java .. Javascript .. Python