Which Language Should I learn

by JRat
69 replies
I've been doing database programming for years and a little iOS stuff, but I'd like to get back into web programming. I'm at a bit of a loss as to what the best language is to learn in the current environment. I want to add a new marketable programming skill to my current set. I was thinking about PHP, but are there any other languages I should consider?:confused:
#language #learn
  • Profile picture of the author Sitesupplier
    Surely as a programmer already you know this question makes no sense the way you've presented it?

    What do you want to achieve? Are you interested in server-side programming or client-side? You've claimed "get back into web programming", so surely you already know about it?

    :confused:
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  • Profile picture of the author James Andy
    PHP is the best and easy language as compare with others. If you are new to programming so I should suggest this language.
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  • Profile picture of the author webpeon
    I wrote an article (lol cause im not much of a writer) that might help you with this

    4 Things you should learn if you want to get into Web Development | Maditech Development
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    Web 2 Mobile
    The Future of The Web
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    • Profile picture of the author tonyla
      That was a good article
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  • Profile picture of the author samaustin141
    You have a knowledge in database programming.That's write.So In my opinion,You should go for Learn PHP.
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  • Profile picture of the author diklon
    I have much working experience in Asp.net. If you have knowledge of database then i suggest to you .You should learn Asp.net. Its multiple supported Language and best platform.
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  • Profile picture of the author FirstSocialApps
    I would strongly suggest PHP. Around 90% of all the servers in the world are LAMP (Linux, Apache, MySQL, PHP) go with PHP / MYSQL and learn JQUERY for front end.
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  • Profile picture of the author samirah
    Id also say PHP, lots of stuff is written in PHP and there is a bunch of docs on the web. Also, if you already know other languages it should not take a lot of time to learn.
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  • Profile picture of the author mbwani
    yes PHP is the best and inorder to become the perfect web designer/ developer PHP is necessary so must learn it.
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  • Profile picture of the author Qualitywebsol
    It would be very difficult to say which language should you learn because we don't know your choice. Finally, i suggest to learn Java.
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  • Profile picture of the author niksloves785
    I would like u to suggest PHP is best way to learn the programming.
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  • Profile picture of the author zipprosystem
    Originally Posted by JRat View Post

    I want to add a new marketable programming skill to my current set. I was thinking about PHP, but are there any other languages I should consider?:confused:
    You can learn PHP. If you want to add new programming skills then Google Android is future driven programming market.

    Go ahead with PHP or Android both are open source. Good luck!
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  • Profile picture of the author YemTv
    I suggest you PHP,i think it's best language ever.
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  • Profile picture of the author doctorxxx
    PHP i think it's best language
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  • Profile picture of the author rising_sun
    Banned
    Learn php with mysql background ,little photoshop and spicy flash and html5 ,and thats enough.
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  • Profile picture of the author john8954
    Why you want to switch while data base is one of best field.
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  • Profile picture of the author locke815
    I would recommend open source language as currently it's in a lot of demand
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  • Profile picture of the author RichBeck
    JRat,

    I would start off with PHP and MySQL. After you master the basics, I would learn Object Oriented Programming and Design Patterns. That will give you a solid foundation.

    God Bless,

    Rich Beck
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  • Profile picture of the author Martinsee
    How can you speak in this forum ? -> English
    Yep, English is the first language you have to learn ( if your country does not support English)
    and the second language you should learn is Chinese, Because China is a huge place to get your promotion/customers.
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  • Profile picture of the author vikashgiri
    you should be learn android o.s due to it is new in market and it have more requirement in industry
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  • Profile picture of the author rightknight
    I also would say go with php. You'd be amazing at how many major sites are running on this language
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  • Profile picture of the author MrThind
    Banned
    [DELETED]
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  • Profile picture of the author ZishanAhmed
    Hi:

    I can suggest you to go for ASP.NET. As a beginner i believe this technology may help you and also help you to learn and apply Object oriented programming. As you have database basic i believe you will do better in this technology. Later you may learn ruby, php or jsp for different web environment development.
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  • Profile picture of the author viralmarketingmom
    I recommend PHP, Ruby and Java.
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  • Profile picture of the author stevenh512
    If you're looking for a marketable programming skill, you should definitely learn PHP and Javascript. There's always a market for PHP programmers, and Javascript is the frontend scripting language for the web regardless of what language your backend is written in. Even with everything "going mobile" these days, a lot of those mobile apps still need some kind of backend that doesn't run on the phone/tablet, so PHP or some other backend language is still important.

    I'd also suggest learning Ruby, if you have even a basic understanding of object-oriented programming it's actually easier to learn than PHP and there's a growing market for Ruby on Rails (or Ruby+Sinatra) programmers.
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  • Better you try with PHP. It is my choice you to recommend.
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  • Profile picture of the author tomw101
    PHP for most web programming, but it depends on the projects you will be coding.
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  • Profile picture of the author whiterock
    It depends on what you want to develop if you want to develop web application then you can use php or asp.net
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  • Profile picture of the author brettb
    > PHP is the best and easy language as compare with others. If you are new to programming so I should suggest this language.

    On what grounds?

    If you want a career that earns $$$$, learn C# or Java.
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  • Profile picture of the author Tippy
    PHP and .net in my opinion
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  • Profile picture of the author nipsyr
    JRat, you didn't say what languages you already know. What do you have commercial experience in? What part of the world are you in?

    If you want a good commerical .NET platform skillset learn C#, javascript, ajax, jquery, latest flavor of sql server, HTML5, CSS3
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  • Profile picture of the author johnpea
    PHP - and you can't go wrong if you know a bit of Java
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  • Profile picture of the author programmerscott
    I recommend PHP . there's many Beginning PHP books out there, just pick out one and get started
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  • Profile picture of the author Johnnsonap
    It highly depends on what you want to do
    if you want to make website programs, go with PHP
    if you want to make server side programs, try Java
    if you just want to start programming ( which I don't think is your case ) you better go with Visual Basic
    if you want to build Windows programs, C# is a good choice
    let us know of your purpose so we can give you a better recommendation
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  • Profile picture of the author distar
    yeah you should start with PHP. so you can do everything you want with it. and ASP.net too
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  • Profile picture of the author umbraco01
    I always recommend to all to learn PHP. It is an open source and easy to learn and work.
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  • Profile picture of the author kyle8820
    try PHP, your Database programming experience will be useful there
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  • Profile picture of the author spradlig
    I have used PHP for a few years now and it is great for server side programming - dynamic site like WordPress and MediaWiki are built in PHP with a DB backend. However, PHP is only dynamic in the sense that it can display a different static page based on a user's request. The online documentation for PHP is thorough and the user base has added a lot of good code. You will live on php.net for a while.

    Something like Javascript is required for client-side (browser) tools. This is because the browser executes the script locally using the user's machine and their resources. So the page can change dynamically as the user move the mouse around the page. And you can put up buttons that do something when clicked without leaving the current page. I haven't ever bothered to learn js because I can usually copy and paste the widgets I need - calendars and such.

    I've used Ruby for a few months now. The online documentation for Ruby is not good in my opinion and I spend a lot of time at StackOverflow reading other people answers to questions and posting a lot of my own. Also, the syntax is intentionally and distinctly different from every other language I've used (and I've programmed in about 8 now - mostly for engineering purposes not web).

    For the purposes of building a page, I'd use PHP and js with a mindset towards minimal server load - i.e. release all resources as soon as you no longer need them, initialize your variables, don't put functions in loop definitions (for ($i = 0; $i < count(array); $i++) { ... } ), etc.

    For the purposes of page scraping and such I would again use PHP and multi-cURL wherever possible as they are pretty minimal on the resource usage front so you can run dozens or more instances concurrently. But PHP and cURL won't execute any js that the site has so if the site has js login form or something like you can't use PHP.

    First thing I would build in any language is a DAO - Data Access Object for accessing your DBs because you will almost always have a DB. If you go with PHP build your DAO around PHP's PDO object (look it up on php.net). The basic mysql_* function are prone to SQL injection attacks and are going away in the next major release of PHP.

    Good luck
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  • Profile picture of the author mmrumii
    I think you should go ahead with PHP.
    this one is the best language ever i believe.
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  • Profile picture of the author Kristen8
    For web programming you can learn PHP, MySQL, Javascript, Perl, Python or ASP.net. All the languages have their own significance in their respective field . In the beginning, I would advice you to learn PHP as it is quite similar to C. It is as an excellent server-side programming language with which you can easily create dynamic web pages. Apart from this, it is open source and easy to use.
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  • Profile picture of the author wipeoutmedia
    As many have stated, it would be wise to first learn PHP, since a lot of websites are based on PHP and MySQL such as WordPress, Drupal, and Joomla.
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  • Profile picture of the author marian004
    PHP and MySQL, then you can start learning about open source projects like Joomla and WordPress
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  • Profile picture of the author onlineprintdesign
    According to me on website base JAVA and PHP both language are very helpful.Thank you
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  • Profile picture of the author LRusinas
    HTML, Javascript, PHP, MySQL and Java . with these five you can write almost any website
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  • Profile picture of the author RDS bar
    PHP, MySQL, C and C++
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  • Profile picture of the author LookOut
    Originally Posted by JRat View Post

    I've been doing database programming for years and a little iOS stuff, but I'd like to get back into web programming. I'm at a bit of a loss as to what the best language is to learn in the current environment. I want to add a new marketable programming skill to my current set. I was thinking about PHP, but are there any other languages I should consider?:confused:
    Try Ruby on rails! You can earn big money on freelance
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  • Profile picture of the author jsjohn96
    Originally Posted by JRat View Post

    I've been doing database programming for years and a little iOS stuff, but I'd like to get back into web programming. I'm at a bit of a loss as to what the best language is to learn in the current environment. I want to add a new marketable programming skill to my current set. I was thinking about PHP, but are there any other languages I should consider?:confused:
    You are right, you must learn PHP you also need to know HTML in order to learn PHP so I'd start with HTML first
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  • Profile picture of the author roxitsc
    If you really want to learn something, you should try ruby, even thou it's a bit harder then most programming languages, like php and dotNet. From what I know, it's the one that pays most in case you where thinking to do this for a career.
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  • Profile picture of the author MysteryOfSean
    Mostly PHP makes the most sense! That's what I would do!
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  • Profile picture of the author sonia06
    learn HTML, PHP and Ajax to become a powerful web designer
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  • Profile picture of the author najincanajwa
    For you The best languages are PHP and Java, You can do many things with them . I don't agree with people saying start with an easy language like VB.NET, you will just waste your time with them . Start with something useful, It's very fun seeing results immediately
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  • Profile picture of the author mesmsgs
    PHP is the most used language for web developement you will find A LOT of resource...
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  • Profile picture of the author phemy
    am trying to php but the sources have been using seems very abstract; any idea where I can enjoy learning it?
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  • Profile picture of the author sohailblog
    Before learning any programming language u should learn C/C++ Language..
    Then you can easily learn any language
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    • Profile picture of the author tonyla
      Very True, however some people have a hard time with c and c++ as first languages.

      I say start with LISP
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  • Profile picture of the author chretit
    You've got more than enough suggestions already. I really like what RichBeck said about OOP and design patterns and stevenh512's comment about increasing Ruby demand is spot on too. A lot of people learned PHP when Ruby wasn't around much. Now it's a viable option. Of course, PHP is still ubiquitous.

    Going by what you mentioned in your post you've got experience with databases and iOS.

    You usually need a programming environment like PHP, .NET or Access, etc. to plug into databases programming, unless you're planning to be an SQL server specialist or something.

    iOS is a good one to stick with, I think. Native iOS developers are in demand.
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  • Profile picture of the author Minista
    Before you choose a language you should think about what kind of Web application you want to work on.

    Depend of your future projects, you will probably need to learn many languages.

    I think PHP and .net c# (aspx or mvc) are the most popular. With php and c# you will be able to work on any project that is going to run on a Windows server or linux server.

    Big enterprises use .Net c# because of productivity.
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  • Profile picture of the author MarieDavidson
    If you want to go for web programming then I think that P.H.P. is the right choice so go for it!
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  • Profile picture of the author Sowerby213
    I think php is the best..If i got a chance to learn a programming language , then i will learn php...
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  • Profile picture of the author Code Conquest
    The languages anyone needs to learn to program for the web are HTML, CSS and JavaScript. That's it. After that you can move on to AJAX and perhaps PHP, but make sure you start with HTML and CSS as a foundation.

    Don't worry about learning anything like C or C++ or Java to 'prepare', that's not necessary, just start with HTML and CSS and you'll be fine.
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  • Profile picture of the author tonyla
    Learn some procedural programing - Python -
    Learn about Object Based programming , java.
    Learn server side programing php.
    Go back to jav a learn about object oriented programming.
    Then tackle a frame work, asp.net or jsp or
    tcfs then llst, along with smtm.
    And that is about your first 2 1/2 years takes about 8 to be a decent program.
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  • Profile picture of the author tonyla
    html and css are not programming languages, but definitely something you should know.
    Learn object based java before you mess with javascript one of the worst languages ever created.
    What is it you want to do, if you are not in a hury then don['t rush. You don't have to rush cause you are not in a hury. Its when you a forced to learn a language in a hury you start to despise the laguage. so hopefully your not in a hurry, because you need to learn at a pace you enjoy. Plan on 12 / 16 hrs of study a day but if your not in a hury try 12hrs a day.
    So the question we all need to know is are you in a hury. I pointed this out earlier that the school I taught at was depaul and we had to teach it in a hury. as a result we had more students drop out then even the physics and math department.

    R u doing this for your own enrichment of for a degree. Huh which one ,
    Also I would suggest a course im Mathematical logic. Sorry there is no royal road to knowledge.
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  • Profile picture of the author tonyla
    One last thing modern day calculus is not very helpful these days when it come to programing.
    Tbey teach that class in a hurry. If yiu can take a few hours a say and study pure mathematics like abstract algebra, linear programming and algebra. you would be coming out kickin ass. Don't forget thee 2 things
    1)web prograqmming is a gas gas gas
    2)Writing programs devoid of math / or theoretical physics is like a waste of your brain energy. Image procesing and gaming and graphics are groovy and very interested.
    Don't writ programs that are purely practical, write the ones that will put a smile on your face when solve then. also you want to study algorithms. Oh and by the way stay away from perl, javascript, c++ until you are solid.
    You also want to learn collections, containors and iterators. Design patterns is important but 2 farn down the trough, more like year 6 in your studies.
    But you want to learn design patterns after you started to write you first compiler,
    The for nostalgist reasons learn B then C by richie rich.

    I like to have a little fun with words but programming is a long process and hopefully something you hve the endurance for.
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  • Profile picture of the author tonyla
    Also, learn a little ada in respect for the worlds first programmer, ada love lace , a woman who invented the first programing model.
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  • Profile picture of the author tonyla
    Curious , how is it going. did you decide on which language you are going to start with.
    Post your first program, in fact you should have wroten 3 projucts.

    Here are some questions:
    1) what is a variable
    2) what is 12 % 7 -5
    3) what is the difference in passing by value, passing by referenceand passign a reference to a pointer value.
    4)Which is the best java conmpilier suns java percolator or foldgers drip, dry and dunk.
    5)Where did i escape from
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  • Profile picture of the author STG
    i would advise you to learn ASP.NET and C#
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  • Profile picture of the author martinbx
    Start by learning C. That's the ancestor of most of the programming languages. You will have no problem with most of the languages after learning C syntax.
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  • Profile picture of the author Rotwic
    PHP bro. This is the best shit out there. I also think javascript along with various frameworks would be the future of web development. Get a hand with that!
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  • Profile picture of the author Huy Phan
    Originally Posted by JRat View Post

    I've been doing database programming for years and a little iOS stuff, but I'd like to get back into web programming. I'm at a bit of a loss as to what the best language is to learn in the current environment. I want to add a new marketable programming skill to my current set. I was thinking about PHP, but are there any other languages I should consider?:confused:
    Well, it all depends what do you want to do?
    For example, HTML/CSS is a must-know, but i guess you already know that.

    On the other hand, PHP is also very used.
    MOst CMS scripts are written in PHP.

    But, there's JavaScript and Java - mainly for web applications. So, as i said, it all depends on what do you want to achieve and do.
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  • Profile picture of the author bougalo
    I recommend ruby. It's growing in popularity, and projected by many to be the Top Web programming language in the coming years. The fan base has been growing since the release of Ruby on rails in July 04.
    My favorite book on the subject is "Learn to Program" by Chris Pine.
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