A software student asked: “How many programming languages ​​are there today? Which language is the best? Why do people have to learn programming languages? Is this absurd? What language do I need to know? ”

I answer: Perhaps there are more programming languages ​​than spoken language in the world. Every few months, someone creates a new programming language somewhere. So, how many programming languages ​​are there. The programming language has evolved from the language of the first generation computer or the digital language of 0 and 1 into the second generation computer language classified as “assembly language” where the code can be written and converted into machine code by a process called translation. Third generation languages ​​have several groups: Command languages ​​such as Cobol, Fortran and Pascal; Object-oriented languages ​​like Java, C ++, and Smalltalk; function languages ​​like Lisp and ML; and logical language like Prolog. Today, students are familiar with fourth generation languages ​​when they design for specialized purposes such as SQL for data queries; Powerbuilder, Delphi, Focus, and Access for database applications; Visual basic and TCL make templates; and HTML 5, and Javascript for web domain applications, etc.

No “language can be considered the best” because each language serves a purpose and contributes to technology at some point. When I was in school, I learned FORTRAN, COBOL but when I worked, I learned Ada and I think Ada is good, especially in embedded applications. When C and Unix came to allow me to do many things, I thought the language was perfect but everything changed. For every generation of programming languages, there are many new innovations to improve the language better than the previous generation. Today there are many new languages ​​like R, Go, Ruby, Python Objective C, Swift etc. I’m sure there will be more languages ​​to be invented in the near future.

In the world driven by this technology, everyone needs basic skills such as knowing how to use computers, accessing the Internet, sending messages, using smart phones and so on. However, over time, people need to know more about programming languages ​​to order computers and technology devices to work. As I think, the programming language will become as common as reading and writing. Over a hundred years ago, only a few people could read and write. Today most people know how to read and write but they will have to learn about programming and maybe twenty years from now, programming will become popular and most people can program.

As a software engineer, you are probably learning about C, C ++, C # or Java at school. They are very popular programming languages ​​today but language changes over time, and engineers must be able to learn new languages. I am sure you will have to learn some new languages ​​when technology changes in the next few years.

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