Programming languages have evolved significantly over time. There are new languages being created for addressing the growing programming paradigms, hardware architectures, software development needs, etc. This article will give you best programming languages list in the world along with their features. But, let us first understand programming language. 

What is are Programming Languages?

A programming language is a formal language that is used to instruct a computer to perform specific tasks or operations. It is a set of rules and instructions used to communicate with a computer and create software programs or applications. Programming languages consist of a set of syntax and grammar rules that define how instructions should be written and structured, as well as a set of keywords and functions that perform specific operations.

There are many different programming languages available, each with its own strengths and weaknesses, depending on the specific application or task at hand. Examples of popular programming languages include Java, Python, C++, JavaScript, and Ruby, among others.

Top Programming Languages List

The popularity of programming languages can vary depending on the specific use case or industry, but some of the most widely used and popular programming languages as of 2021 are:

1. Python

Python is a versatile language that is used for a wide range of tasks, including data analysis, web development, machine learning, and artificial intelligence. It is a high-level, interpreted programming language that is known for its simplicity, readability, and versatility. It was first released in 1991 by Guido van Rossum and has since become one of the most widely used programming languages in the world. Python is a versatile programming language that is used to create a wide variety of applications and projects, such as web apps, machine learning, artificial intelligence, data analytics, games, language development, etc.

Python is a powerful and versatile language that is widely used in industry, academia, and research. Its simplicity, readability, and large community make it a great choice for beginners and experienced programmers alike.

Here are some key features of Python:

• Easy to learn: Python has a simple and intuitive syntax that is easy for beginners to learn. It emphasizes readability and uses whitespace indentation to define code blocks, which makes it easy to read and understand
• Versatile: Python can be used for a wide range of tasks, including web development, data analysis, scientific computing, machine learning, and artificial intelligence
• Interpreted: Python code is interpreted at runtime, which means that it does not need to be compiled beforehand. This makes it easier to write, test, and debug code
• Object-oriented: Python is an object-oriented language, which means that it uses objects and classes to organize code and data
• Open-source: Python is free and open-source, which means that anyone can use, modify, and distribute the language and its libraries
• Large standard library: Python comes with a large standard library that includes modules for performing common tasks, such as working with files, networking, and web development

2. Blockly

Blockly is a visual programming language that uses blocks to create code. It is similar to Scratch, but with a focus on more advanced programming concepts. Blocky programming language is a visual programming language that allows users to drag and drop blocks of code to create computer programs. It is designed to be easy to learn and use, making it a popular choice for beginners, particularly in educational settings.

This programming language is based on Blockly, a web-based, open-source visual programming editor developed by Google. Blockly provides a framework for building block-based programming languages, and many popular visual programming languages, including Scratch and App Inventor, are built on top of it.

It is used to create a wide variety of programs, from simple animations and games to more complex projects involving robotics and Internet of Things (IoT) devices. The blocks used in Blocky programming language represent different programming concepts, such as loops, conditionals, and variables, and can be combined to create more complex programs. Overall, Blocky programming language is a powerful tool for learning and teaching programming concepts, as well as for creating engaging and interactive programs.

3. JavaScript

JavaScript is the primary language for front-end web development and is also used for server-side programming with Node.js. It is a high-level, interpreted programming language that is widely used in web development to add interactive and dynamic features to web pages. It was originally developed by Brendan Eich at Netscape in 1995, and is now a widely adopted language, both on the client-side (running in the user’s web browser) and server-side (running on web servers).

JavaScript code is executed in a web browser, and can manipulate web page elements, handle user interactions, make asynchronous requests to web servers, and perform calculations and data manipulations. JavaScript is also commonly used in conjunction with HTML and CSS to create responsive and dynamic user interfaces.

One of the key features of JavaScript is its support for closures and higher-order functions, which allow developers to write code that is modular and reusable. JavaScript also has a wide range of built-in methods and libraries that make it easy to work with data structures, manipulate strings, handle dates and times, and perform other common programming tasks.

JavaScript can be used to create a wide variety of applications and functionalities, including:

• Web applications
• Mobile applications
• Desktop applications
• Games
• Browser extensions
• Internet of Things (IoT) applications

4. C#

C# is a programming language developed by Microsoft and is commonly used for Windows desktop and game development. It is a modern, object-oriented programming language developed by Microsoft as part of its .NET framework. C# (pronounced “see sharp”) and first released in 2000 and has since become a popular language for building desktop applications, web applications, mobile applications, games, and more.

C# was designed to be a simple, yet powerful language that is easy to learn and write code in. It is similar in syntax to other C-style languages such as C++, Java, and JavaScript, which makes it easy for developers familiar with those languages to learn C#. Some of the key features of C# include:

• Object-oriented programming: C# is a fully object-oriented language, which means that it allows developers to define classes and objects to represent real-world entities and concepts
• Type safety: C# is a statically typed language, which means that all variables and objects must be declared with a specific data type. This helps prevent common errors that can occur when working with dynamic or weakly typed languages
• Garbage collection: C# includes automatic memory management through a process called garbage collection, which helps prevent memory leaks and makes it easier to write code that is free of memory-related errors
• Integrated Development Environment (IDE): Microsoft provides a powerful IDE called Visual Studio for C# development, which includes features such as code highlighting, code completion, and debugging tools

5. C++ 

C++ is a high-level, general-purpose programming language that was developed as an extension of the C programming language. It was first introduced by Bjarne Stroustrup in 1985 and has since become a popular language for developing software in a variety of domains, including systems software, video games, embedded systems, and high-performance applications.

C++ is an object-oriented language, which means that it supports the principles of encapsulation, inheritance, and polymorphism. It also provides low-level features like direct memory manipulation and pointer arithmetic, which makes it a powerful language for developing low-level system software. C++ has a rich set of libraries, including the Standard Template Library (STL), which provides a set of containers, algorithms, and iterators that can be used to write efficient and reusable code. It also supports template-based programming, which is a powerful feature that allows developers to write generic code that can work with different data types.

C++ is often used in combination with other languages, such as C and assembly, to write low-level system software. It is also used extensively in the video game industry, where its performance and flexibility are highly valued.

Some of the key features of C++ include:

• High performance: C++ is a high-performance language that allows developers to write efficient and optimized code
• Memory management: C++ provides direct access to memory, allowing developers to manage memory manually if needed. However, this can also be a challenge and lead to issues like memory leaks and pointer errors
• Template-based programming: C++ supports template-based programming, which is a powerful feature that allows developers to write generic code that can work with different data types
• Multiple inheritance: C++ supports multiple inheritance, which allows a class to inherit from multiple base classes
• Exception handling: C++ provides robust exception handling capabilities, allowing developers to handle errors and exceptions gracefully

6. Ruby

Ruby is a high-level, dynamic, object-oriented programming language that was created in Japan by Yukihiro “Matz” Matsumoto in the mid-1990s. It is designed to be easy to read and write, and is often praised for its expressiveness and elegance.

Ruby is a general-purpose language that is often used for web development, scripting, and prototyping. It has a simple syntax and a flexible type system, which makes it easy to learn and use. Ruby is also dynamically typed, which means that variables do not have to be declared with a specific type, and their type can change at runtime.

Ruby is a dynamic, reflective, object-oriented, general-purpose programming language that emphasizes simplicity and productivity. Here are some of the key features of the Ruby language:

• Object-oriented: Everything in Ruby is an object, including data types such as integers and strings
• Dynamic typing: Ruby is dynamically typed, which means that variable types are determined at runtime
• Garbage collection: Ruby has an automatic garbage collection system that manages memory allocation and deallocation
• Blocks: Ruby allows the use of blocks, which are sections of code that can be passed to methods as arguments
• Mixins: Ruby supports mixins, which allow classes to inherit behavior from multiple sources
• Reflection: Ruby provides a rich set of reflection capabilities, allowing programs to examine and modify their own structure at runtime

7. Lua

Lua is a lightweight, high-level, embeddable scripting language that is designed to be simple, fast, and portable. It was created in 1993 by a team of Brazilian computer scientists and has since gained popularity for its ease of use and flexibility. Lua is often used in game development, embedded systems, and scripting applications.

One of Lua’s strengths is its simplicity. The language is designed to be easy to learn and use, with a simple syntax and minimalistic approach to language features. Despite its simplicity, Lua is a powerful language that can be used for a wide range of tasks. Lua is also highly portable, with versions available for many different operating systems, including Windows, Linux, macOS, iOS, and Android. The language is implemented in ANSI C and has a small footprint, making it ideal for use in embedded systems.

One of the most notable features of Lua is its ability to be embedded in other applications. Lua can be used as a scripting language for applications written in C, C++, Java, and many other programming languages. This makes Lua a popular choice for game development, where it is often used to script game logic and behavior.

Here are some of the key features of Lua:

• Lightweight: Lua has a small footprint and is designed to be lightweight and fast. It is implemented in ANSI C and has a small binary size, making it ideal for use in embedded systems and other applications where resources are limited
• Embeddable: Lua is designed to be embedded in other applications as a scripting language. It can be integrated with C, C++, Java, and other programming languages, making it a popular choice for game development and other applications
• Dynamic typing: Like many other scripting languages, Lua is dynamically typed. This means that variable types are determined at runtime, making it easy to write flexible code
• Simple syntax: Lua has a simple and intuitive syntax that is easy to learn and use. Its syntax is similar to that of other scripting languages, making it easy to pick up for developers who are already familiar with other languages
• Table data structure: Lua’s built-in data structure is the table, which is a powerful and flexible data structure that can be used to represent arrays, dictionaries, and other types of data

8. Go

Go, also known as Golang, is an open-source programming language developed by Google in 2007. It is designed for efficient and scalable systems programming, with a focus on simplicity, readability, and concurrency. Go was developed as a response to the challenges faced by modern software systems, which require high performance and scalability while also being easy to maintain and evolve over time. It was created with the goal of providing a simple, easy-to-learn language that can be used for a wide range of applications, from web servers and distributed systems to command-line tools and utilities.

Here are some of the key features of the Go programming language:

• Concurrency: Go provides built-in support for concurrency through Goroutines, lightweight threads that can be used to perform multiple tasks simultaneously. Goroutines are complemented by channels, which are used to communicate between Goroutines and synchronize their execution
• Garbage collection: Go has a built-in garbage collector that automatically manages memory allocation and deallocation, making it easy to write memory-safe code
• Simplicity: Go is designed to be simple and easy to learn, with a syntax that is similar to that of C and other languages. Its minimalistic approach to language features makes it easy to read and write code, and reduces the risk of errors
• Statically typed: Go is a statically typed language, which means that variable types are checked at compile-time, reducing the risk of runtime errors
• Efficiency: Go is designed to be efficient, with a focus on performance and low memory usage. Its simple syntax and garbage collector help to reduce the overhead associated with memory management, and its built-in concurrency support makes it easy to write highly parallel programs

Conclusion

These languages are a good starting point for kids who want to learn to code. If you are not sure which language to learn first, then you can try a Free Demo Class by Purple Tutor. As per the child’s interest, our expert teachers guide you to pick the right courses to begin your coding journey.