Which Coding Language Should I Learn?

People often say to me, “I’d love to learn how to code, but I don’t know where to start. Which language should I learn?”

Probably the best answer is another question: what do you want to do with your coding skills?

Do you want to design websites? Learn JavaScript.

Want to build iPhone apps? Learn Objective-C.

Interested in becoming a Data Scientist? Start with Python.

But, you might interject, what if the language I learn turns out to be the “wrong” one? What if the trend dies by the time I master my chosen language? What if I change my mind and don’t want to build websites? What if I end up working with databases instead?

Whichever language you begin with, you’re not wasting your time.

Before I decided to return to school and finish my degree in Software Development, I taught myself JavaScript. At first, I wanted to design websites. While I still enjoy Web Design, I’m now discovering an entire universe of possibilities, and am currently exploring Machine Learning and Neural Networks.

Did I waste my time messing around with JavaScript? Absolutely not! My college courses include C++ and Java – languages that are considered more difficult to learn. Yet I’m sailing through them because I already understood the concept of object oriented programming.

Equally important is the fact that no one language is the magic bullet. People working in technology will need to learn multiple languages over the course of their careers.

The future belongs to the people who are flexible, those who can adapt when “tried and true” just isn’t true anymore. Change is the one thing in life upon which we can absolutely depend. If you don’t have this quality, cultivate it. It’s not as hard as it sounds.

Like courage, flexibility is a muscle. The biggest obstacle is simply recognizing and acknowledging the need for change – and then taking action to make that change. Start small, then work up to bigger things.

The same principle holds true for learning to code. Pick a language, any language. If JavaScript isn’t doing it for you, try Python. Practice a little every day. Then try an easy project. YouTube is your friend here.

Another important point: if you’re just not getting it, consider that it may not be the language itself, but rather the particular tutorial or perspective of your teacher. Not everyone learns in the same way. Like acquiring any skill, leveraging your strengths is a faster way to learn than trying to fix every weakness.

If you’re struggling with one learning material, drop it and move on to another. That’s not giving up, that’s flexibility. If you’re committed to a class or bootcamp, find supplemental materials that make more sense to you and will help you pass the course. Don’t rely only on what is presented to you. Find what works.