Image of Green Salamander CS
Green Salamander CS
Computer Science

GreenSalamanderCS's post

Best Programming Languages to Learn as a Beginner

If you are just getting started in computer science, we highly recommend you learn these 3 programming languages first.

> Java - A compiler language known for its ease-of-use & cross-platform functionality. Great for object-oriented programming, modular code & building command-line & GUI software.

> Python - An interpreter language known for its ease-of-use. This programming language is easier to learn than Python & the syntax is much more straightforward. This programming language is consulted in areas of machine learning & data science.

> JavaScript - A web-development front-end programming language. This programming language is essential for server-side web development & provides functionality for a webpage. There are copious frameworks available, but study JavaScript in general to get a gist of what it can do.

More from GreenSalamanderCS

Short Introduction to C

The C programming language is a general-purpose programming language used in areas such as scientific applications, operating systems & systems programming. It has the ability to directly change individual bits in memory, making it a great choice for low-level programming. Device drivers are commonly created using the C programming language as well. For more information on the C programming language, we recommend consulting this resource: https://www.programiz.com/c-programming

GreenSalamanderCS's post

Key Differences between Java Syntax & C Syntax

Here are some of the key differences between the syntax in C versus the syntax in Java:

  1. Both C & Java use semicolons to end statements. However, Java also uses semicolons to indicate the end of declarations.
  2. C has a preprocessor to handle macros, whereas Java doesn't have a preprocessor.
  3. In the C programming language, you must declare all your variables at the beginning of the code block, whereas with Java, you can declare your variables anywhere within the block.
  4. The C programming language allows pointers, while Java does not.
  5. The syntax with C is simple, while the syntax with Java is complex.
GreenSalamanderCS's post

Viability of Python in Beginner Programming

There are many reasons why I recommend everyone learns Python as their first programming language. Here are the top reasons:

  1. Python has a simple & easy-to-learn syntax & reads like plain English, making it very understandable to the average reader.
  2. It is open-source & has extensive documentation which is easy to access & it is easy to access. It's a community-based programming language.
  3. It is extremely versatile. There are hundreds, if not thousands, of different libraries you can use to extend the capabilities of it to build any application you want, from desktop applications to web applications to mobile applications to AI.
GreenSalamanderCS's post

AP Computer Science Topics

For those of you planning to take AP Computer Science Principles or AP Computer Science A, here are some programming concepts you can expect to learn throughout the course:

  • Primitive data types & variables
  • Control structures (conditional statements & loops)
  • Arrays & ArrayLists
  • Object-oriented programming concepts
    • Classes
    • Objects
    • Inheritance
    • Polymorphism
  • Recursion
  • Sorting & searching algorithms
  • Linked lists & other data structures
  • Exception handling
  • Interfaces & abstract classes
  • File input & output

Java is the most popular programming language throughout the AP Computer Science A course. I highly recommend learning as much Java as possible before taking the course so that you already have the basic foundation to learn the concepts more quickly when the course begins.

GreenSalamanderCS's post

Best Programming Languages to Learn Now

Based upon my research, these are the three programming languages which will be most beneficial for you to learn, as these are predicted to have the most positive forecast within the industry 5-10 years down the road from now:

  1. Python: Wide range of applications & easy to learn. You can use it for web development, data analysis, AI & so much more. This is one of the most sought-after programming languages in the workforce today.
  2. JavaScript: Provides functionality for websites & web applications & is used mainly for front-end web development. This programming language can run natively in your web browser.
  3. Swift: Used to build apps for Apple devices. Apple devices are extremely popular. Over half of the US population uses iPhones for their mobile device, so learning Swift is crucial if you want to develop applications for Apple devices.
GreenSalamanderCS's post