But don’t worry — there are only a handful of modern languages developers regularly use, and these are the ones you should focus on integrating into your business’s tech stack.

Programming languages are the backbone of our digital world, supporting everything from communication tools and web browsers to video games and mobile applications. Knowing where to begin when selecting a new computer language can be tricky, but once you’ve finished reading this article, you should have a better idea of your next steps.

Let’s break down the benefits of six popular programming languages for businesses to make it easier for you to choose which language your team should use.

If your company has never engaged with software development before, Python is a great place to start. It’s designed to be intuitive for English speakers to use, closely resembling the language’s basic syntax.

This makes it easy for learners to adopt; however, its simplicity doesn’t mean it lacks the complexity needed to deliver fantastic software and other outputs. Many expert developers use Python to code complex applications in scientific fields, data analytics, finance and Fintech. In fact, NASA’s Deep Space Network uses Python.

Python’s pros:

• Based on basic English
• Intuitive learning and easy to use
• Good for teaching software engineering fundamentals and best practices
• Good compatibility and expansive applications
• Lots of easy-to-access libraries and data structures
• Best programming language to learn for finance

Python’s uses:

• Data visualisation and analysis
• AI and machine learning
• Game development

Chances are, anyone who has used a computer has come across JavaScript as it’s one of the fundamental building blocks of the World Wide Web. Named the top programming language in multiple reports each year, JavaScript is used by around 67.7% of developers.

Introduced in 1994, JavaScript continues to be the best choice for web development, covering the creation of web pages, apps and programs. You can be confident that almost every website uses JavaScript in one form or another, with many large corporations relying on this versatile language.

If your software development plans require Node.js, you’ll want to build a team proficient in JavaScript.

JavaScript’s pros:

• Simple to learn
• Known for being fast
• Incredibly versatile
• Extensive functionality
• Works well with other programming languages

JavaScript’s uses:

• Front-end web development
• Back-end web development (with Node.js)
• Mobile apps (with React)

If you’re going to be working primarily on developing software for Android, we recommend looking into Kotlin. In 2017, Google announced its support for Kotlin, acknowledging it as the best language for Android app development, a title previously held by Java. Today, over 60% of professional Android developers use Kotlin, according to Android itself. Compared to Java, Kotlin is faster and more lightweight, making it useful for businesses that are getting to grips with new programming languages.

Google also offers support to those using Kotlin, including tutorials and videos explaining basic bug diagnosis.

Kotlin’s pros:

• Interoperable with existing Java code
• Easy to learn
• Reduced bugs
• Easy to maintain
• Very reliable
• Supported by Google

Kotlin’s uses:

• General purpose
• Android development
• Server-side application (e.g. Google Cloud)

Based on C, C++ is best known for its use within gaming development. However, its uses are much more diverse, with companies like Microsoft and Adobe using this language for everything from developing browsers to data structures.

C++ is notable for being great for audio-visual processes, hence why gaming studios widely use it. If your business plans to deliver software that relies heavily on AV capabilities, or you’re developing gaming systems, C++ is the language for you.

C++’s Pros:

• Good portability for use across multiple interfaces
• Object-oriented for increased reusability and reliability
• Extensive community support, with online courses available
• Highly scalable
• Some manipulation of data

C++’s uses:

• Desktop and web applications
• Mobile apps
• Game development

Not to be confused with JavaScript, Java is a prevalent programming language. Though Java and JavaScript have similar names, they’re distinct languages; JavaScript is written in text, while Java requires compiling.

What that means for you is that Java is incredibly versatile, making it a great fit for businesses that plan on creating applications across a range of devices or browsers. Java is used on any application that is native to Android and is responsible for powering many of the world’s most popular websites, such as Amazon.

Java’s pros:

• Platform-independent, so you can move it easily across systems
• Object-oriented for increased reusability and reliability
• Easy to learn as it is similar to English
• Due to its simplicity, Java is economical to maintain
• Extensive community support

Java’s uses:

• Android development
• Cross-platform desktop software
• Game development
• The best programming language to learn for Big Data

While Ruby on Rails is not as versatile as the other languages on this list, it’s fantastic for several specific uses. Known as a problem-solving language, Ruby on Rails uses very little physical code but is powerful enough to facilitate significant changes to digital infrastructures. This language was built for quick launches and is often called a ‘start-up technology’.

Because of its ease of use, Ruby on Rails is favoured by start-ups for creating CMSs, eCommerce sites and marketing platforms. However, it’s reliant on third-party libraries, despite its simplicity.

Ruby on Rails’ pros:

• Time efficiency as it’s easy to learn
• Wide variety of tools and libraries to draw from
• Active community
• Helpful for adhering to best practices

Ruby on Rails’ uses:

• Back-end web development

No matter your business’s goals, WeAssemble can help you build a software development team that works within your tech stack. Get in touch to discover world-class experts in the most widely used — and up-and-coming — technologies, from Java to Angular. We connect you to talented full-stack developers, QA engineers, UX designers, and more.