When we started compiling a list of the top programming languages, we realized the enormity of the task. While most software engineers primarily use the same 20 or so languages, there are many more actively in use worldwide.
Table of Contents:
1. How We Created This List
2. The Top 20 Essential Programming Languages
3. 30 Classic, Up-and-Coming, and Niche Programming Languages
4. 50 More Programming Languages That Deserve a Mention
5. The Wonderful World of Programming Languages
How We Created This List
To craft this list, we made some key decisions:
- No Hierarchical Order: The languages are listed without ranking. The fact that C appears first doesn’t mean it is superior to Java or Python.
- TIOBE Index: We used the TIOBE Index as our primary source for defining the programming languages featured here.
Let’s explore the top programming languages and why you should consider using them.
The Top 20 Essential Programming Languages
1. C
C is the most influential programming language, with many others influenced, like C++, Java, Python, and JavaScript. The control structure and efficiency of C have been practiced when developing operating systems, language compilers, drivers, and utilities.
2. Java
Java is a general-purpose language that features the “write once, run anywhere” principle. It is used for developing Android apps, web apps, games, big data tools, and scientific platforms due to the cross-platform capability provided by the Java Runtime Environment (JRE).
3. Python
Python is the language of choice for first timers since it has the aspect of readability, flexibility, and ease in using. It has significant advantages in data analysis, scripting, web applications, and AI-based applications, so it is versatile and powerful.
4. C++
This is built based on C that adds more functionality – that of object-oriented, generic, and functional features. It is highly efficient, so it is used in system programming, embedded systems game engines, and telecommunications networks.
5. C#
Developed by Microsoft, C# is part of the.NET framework and well suited for Windows desktop applications, games, web apps, and cross-platform mobile applications with tools like Xamarin.
6. JavaScript
JavaScript is the backbone of dynamic websites that will animate, do form validations, and real time updates. For front-end development it is essential; with Node.js, it’s also used heavily on the server side.
7. PHP
PHP: This is the language that dominates server-side scripting and it’s known to handle dynamic web page creation, manage cookies, and command-line scripting. This language is beginner-friendly with a relatively gentle learning curve.
8. R
R is an expert language in statistical analysis and data visualization. Since this has an extensive library support, it is used in data science, machine learning, and big data projects.
9. SQL
Structured Query Language (SQL) is not possible without the management of a database. It allows data insertion, querying, and editing in relational databases. It is one of the skills that every developer working with data should have.
10. Go (Golang)
Go is a language developed by Google, combining the simplicity of C with modern features like garbage collection and structural typing. It is very popular for web development, cloud platforms, and containerization tools.
11. Swift
Swift is designed by Apple, and it is the first choice for iOS and macOS application development. It has high performance and safety, with compatibility with the Cocoa frameworks developed by Apple.
12. Perl
Perl is a high-level dynamic scripting language, mainly used for system administration, network programming, and text manipulation. It has been around for nearly four decades, yet still widely used.
13. Assembly Language
Assembly language operates very close to the computer’s architecture hence suitable for performance-critical tasks such as driver development and real-time simulations.
14. Visual Basic (VB)
Visual Basic is a creation of Microsoft which simplifies developing Windows-based applications by providing a friendly, graphically oriented interface. Its integration with the .NET framework makes it handy for all levels of users including beginners and experts.
15. Ruby
Because of the ease of use and flexibility of Ruby, web applications are built using the Ruby on Rails framework. Ruby is also used in data analysis and prototyping.
16. MATLAB
MATLAB is for engineers and scientists to give them tools for data analysis, algorithm development, and mathematical models creation.
17. Objective-C
Once the primary language for Apple app development, Objective-C is now often used alongside Swift for macOS and iOS projects.
18. Rust
Rust is a performance-oriented language that emphasizes memory safety and parallelism. It is primarily used for game engines, operating systems, and browser components.
19. Delphi/Object Pascal
Delphi is an application development tool for Windows, which uses a visual drag-and-drop environment. It is applied for database handling, web services, and cross-platform applications.
20. Classic Visual Basic
Even though Microsoft declared it legacy in 2008, Classic VB is still used for maintaining older systems.
30 Classic, Up-and-Coming, and Niche Programming Languages
21. SAS
SAS is a specialized language designed for statistical data analysis. It compiles and analyzes data from databases and spreadsheets, providing outputs through visualizations or text-based documents. Widely used in academia and government, SAS offers robust control over large datasets.
22. Scratch
Scratch is a visual programming language aimed at children aged 8 to 16. Based on Smalltalk, it teaches basic programming concepts and systematic reasoning through the creation of stories, games, and animations, making it an excellent introduction to coding.
23. D
D is a relatively new language for C, as it was made to overcome some of the latter’s shortcomings. Like C++, it supports object-oriented programming and is not upward compatible with C++, which greatly reduces its negatives.
24. Dart
It is developed by Google and has been used to power web, server, and mobile applications. It has also recently gained popularity because of the integral role that it plays in Flutter, which is Google’s tool for native Android development.
25. PL/SQL
PL/SQL is an extension of SQL developed by Oracle, which supports conditionals, loops, and functions. It works well with Oracle databases, extending the functionality of SQL for database management.
26. Logo
Logo is one of the pioneering languages that introduced programming to children using a turtle graphics system. It is known as “Lisp for kids” since it allows kids to create images, presentations, and games while learning basic concepts of coding.
27. COBOL
The Common Business-Oriented Language (COBOL) is still used to preserve legacy business, finance, and administrative systems. Although its usage is decreasing, it still outperforms in mainframe processing and handling large data.
28. Kotlin
Kotlin is a short, cross-platform language that Google favors for Android development. It is interoperable with Java, easy to use, and has a low error rate, which makes it the new star in software development.
29. Julia
Julia is a high-level language for computational science. Its libraries for linear algebra, calculations over floating points, and analysis of data make it the best language in numerical computing and scientific projects.
30. ABAP
Advanced Business Application Programming is paramount for the development of enterprise systems and tools of SAP. Committed by US DoD, the security and reliability for this ABAP are highly prioritized.
31. Scala
Scala is a modern extension of Java that combines object-oriented and functional programming. It runs on the JVM, supports Java libraries, and has a more concise and readable syntax.
32. Transact-SQL (T-SQL)
Developed by Microsoft, T-SQL extends SQL with procedural features. It is crucial for interacting with Microsoft SQL Server, handling relational database queries and transactions.
33. Scheme
Scheme is an ES Lisp dialect, regarded as minimumistic and efficient. It’s applied in teaching the programming aspects for students and when practical objects of engineering are developed, especially in the form of embedded systems and scripts.
34. Prolog
Prolog is a logic programming language, which makes use of first-order logic for facts and rules. Currently, it’s applied generally to artificial intelligence, natural language processing, and symbolic reasoning projects.
35. Ada
Inspired by Ada Lovelace, Ada is a secure, high-level language commissioned by the US Department of Defense. Extended from Pascal, it emphasizes safety and reliability, making it ideal for defense and aerospace applications.
36. Lisp
Lisp, one of the oldest high-level languages, introduced foundational concepts like dynamic typing and recursion. Today, it’s popular among AI and machine learning developers for its flexibility and advanced features.
37. Apex
Apex is Salesforce proprietary language for adding business logic to events on Salesforce servers. It supports object-oriented programming and simplifies API interactions for Salesforce developers.
38. Lua
Lua is a lightweight, high-performance language designed for extending software applications. Its cross-platform capabilities make it popular for game development and embedded systems.
39. Fortran
Fortran was in the year 1957; still, today it is unmatched when it comes to numerical and scientific computing. This programming language has become widespread within the industries of computational fluid dynamics, geophysics, and finite element analysis.
40. Haskell
Haskell is a programming language purely designed based on the theory of functional programming. Although Haskell is much better suited for use in academics, it still holds various practical uses within the industry of software development.
41. Hack
Hack-Facebook-developed extension of PHP that introduced static typing and type hints. Using gradual typing, it has a provision for using both dynamic and static typing: This enables flexible yet robust applications in PHP-based projects.
42. VBScript
VBScript is a product of Microsoft and was devised as a replacement for JavaScript. Though VBScript lost ground to JavaScript, it found its fertile niche in Microsoft environments for doing system administration, unit testing, or for embedded applications.
43. TypeScript
TypeScript is a superset of JavaScript developed by Microsoft that adds optional static typing. It allows developers to create large-scale applications for both client and server-side execution, enhancing the capabilities of JavaScript.
44. AWK
AWK is a domain-specific language from the 1970s used for text processing. It applies actions to text streams to extract or transform data, making it a powerful tool for handling large text files.
45. ActionScript
ActionScript is a superset of JavaScript which was used previously to create the interactive content within Adobe Flash. Although it faded with the declining popularity of Flash, it does represent an interesting historical language that has been utilized in web development.
46. Tcl
Properly pronounced as “tickle,” Tcl is a general-purpose, high-level language regarded for its flexibility and simplicity. Its rapid prototyping and scripting nature makes it pretty useful for applications testing and development
47. Smalltalk
Smalltalk was the first influential language that introduced the MVC pattern for UI design. Though it has declined in use, frameworks like Seaside keep it alive for web application development.
48. Visual FoxPro
Visual FoxPro is developed by Microsoft and has excellent handling capabilities for large databases. Although its support has been discontinued, it is still a reliable tool for legacy business applications that require efficient data manipulation.
49. Solidity
Solidity is a high-level language designed for blockchain platforms, such as Ethereum. Its syntax is similar to JavaScript, and it supports smart contracts, making it a popular choice for decentralized finance (DeFi) and NFT development.
50. PowerShell
PowerShell is a scripting language developed by Microsoft. It is used for automating tasks and system administration. Its command-line tools make it easier to manage operating systems, networks, and enterprise-level resources.
50 More Programming Languages That Deserve a Mention
51. ABC
ABC is a general-purpose language and IDE designed as an alternative to BASIC and Pascal. It is often used for teaching and prototyping.
52. Algol
Algol is a foundational high-level language from the 1950s that introduced structured syntax and influenced languages like C and Pascal. Although it is not widely used today, it has shaped programming language design.
53. APL
APL (A Programming Language) is used for graphical symbols for functions and operators. It is primarily used in commercial and scientific applications that require complex calculations.
54. Bash
Bash is a command language for executing scripts and commands on Unix-based systems. It is the default login shell for most Linux distributions.
55. Carbon
Carbon: Developed by Google, it is a new-generation language that supersedes C++. It focuses on performance, memory safety, and interoperability with C++ with improved developer productivity and maintainability.
56. CFML
CFML is ColdFusion Markup Language, a tag-based syntax for web development. It’s widely used in enterprise environments to build dynamic, database-driven web applications.
57. CHILL
CHILL (CCITT High-Level Language) was designed in the 1980s for telecommunications. It is a strongly typed, block-structured language with the characteristics of reliability and runtime efficiency in embedded systems.
58. CLIPS
CLIPS is a rule-based language used for developing expert systems. Developed by NASA, it is used in AI applications like diagnostics and decision-making systems.
59. Clojure
Clojure, a Lisp dialect, combines scripting language simplicity with robust multithreaded programming capabilities. It’s increasingly popular for creative computing and functional programming.
60. CLU
CLU, developed in the 1970s, introduced key object-oriented concepts like data abstraction and modularity. Though not widely used today, it significantly influenced languages like Python and C++.
61. Crystal
Crystal is a general-purpose, object-oriented language designed for inspiration with Ruby. It combines Ruby’s developer-friendly syntax with the performance of compiled languages, hence making it great for Ruby developers to achieve faster execution.
62. Curl
Curl is a hybrid language for web applications, which combines markup, scripting, and object-oriented programming into one environment. It is ideal for the construction of interactive, data-rich web applications requiring robust data manipulation and real-time updates.
63. DiBOL
DiBOL (Digital’s Business Oriented Language) is mainly aimed at business applications such as accounting, inventory, and payroll. Its very simple syntax made it prominent in the 1970s and 1980s for small to mid-sized businesses; it is now used mainly in legacy systems.
64. Eiffel
Eiffel is an object-oriented language that supports reliability and reusability in its “Design by Contract” principle. It has become very popular in academic and research environments in developing stable and scalable software systems.
65. Elixir
Elixir uses the BEAM, Erlang’s virtual machine, which takes the best of Erlang abstractions and offers more powerful tooling and extensibility. This language is largely used for web applications and distributed systems.
66. Elm
Elm is a functional programming language designed for front-end web development. It compiles to JavaScript and emphasizes simplicity and performance, enabling developers to build fast, error-free web applications.
67. Erlang
Erlang was originally developed for telecom applications. It is a functional language that is used for building concurrent, scalable solutions. It powers distributed systems like web apps and telecom tools.
68. F#
F# General-purpose, cross-platform language created by Microsoft Known for efficiency and versatility: used in data science, machine learning, enterprise programming, cloud computing
69. Forth
Procedural language with interactive execution and no type checking Commonly used in embedded systems, where direct hardware interaction is required
70. GAMS
GAMS: The General Algebraic Modeling System is the general algebraic language for optimization and economic modeling. There is the use of this in various industries such as energy, logistics, and finance.
71. Groovy
Groovy is the object-oriented language for the Java platform. This language is short with concise syntax, and it allows seamless integration with Java. Thus, it’s often used in web development, scripting, and automation tasks.
72. Icon
Icon is a high-level language, meant to be used in string processing and graphical tasks. The abstraction level makes it an ideal choice for compact programs in text analysis, document formatting, and data cleaning.
73. Inform
Inform powers interactive fiction. Developers can build applications that rely on the story line. Object-oriented and procedural in approach, Inform is perfect for developing story-based software.
74. Io
Io, inspired by Smalltalk, Lua, and Lisp, is designed to be simple and flexible rather than fast. It is an object-oriented language that is intended for the exploration of dynamic programming concepts.
75. J
J is a high-level, functional language for array-oriented programming, useful for complex data analysis and mathematical computations. It is widely used in finance and research.
76. JScript
JScript is Microsoft’s JavaScript dialect for developing interactive web applications in Internet Explorer. Although largely replaced by modern JavaScript standards, it played a key role in early web development.
77. LabVIEW
LabVIEW is a graphical dataflow language used for building measurement and control applications. Its visual approach simplifies creating complex tools without writing traditional code.
78. Ladder Logic
Ladder Logic evolved from relay rack design documentation into a language for industrial control applications. Its graphical nature makes it an excellent tool to manage automation systems.
79. ML
ML (Meta Language) is a research-oriented language that focuses on type safety using its Hindley-Milner type system. It is often used in the development of programming languages and in the academic world.
80. Modula-2
The modularity and the strong system-programming emphasis give modula-2 a second, more radical following as successor of Pascal, based on the good syntax it employs, and concurrency supports. Influences modern languages as well; has its academic context.
81. Mojo
Mojo is a high-performance programming language that combines Python’s simplicity with the speed of languages like C++. It is meant for machine learning and data science; it is pretty efficient in the computation of complicated operations. Flexible and scalable, it is appropriate for intensive applications.
82. MQL5
MQL5 is a domain-specific language for building trading algorithms and financial tools on the MetaTrader 5 platform. The object-oriented structure supports complex data analysis, automated trading strategies, and custom applications for financial markets.
83. NATURAL
NATURAL is a fourth-generation language developed to work in conjunction with the Adabas database package. It supports both interpretative and compiled execution, making it a versatile option for structured, high-level programming in business systems.
84. Nim
Nim is the combination of C’s speed and Python’s readability, providing effective memory management and cross-platform capabilities. It is a popular language for systems programming, game development, and web applications, especially among developers who need scalable and high-performance solutions.
85. OCaml
OCaml is a functional, general-purpose language that has been appreciated for its type inference and pattern matching. With features of functional, imperative, and object-oriented programming, it is generally used in financial modeling, systems programming, and algorithmic tasks.
86. Occam
Occam is a procedural language that is optimized for parallel programming and was originally developed for the Transputer microprocessor. Its minimalist syntax and focus on concurrent processes make it useful in real-time and embedded systems.
87. OpenCL
OpenCL is more than a language. It is actually a framework for parallel computing on a broad range of hardware platforms, such as CPUs, GPUs, and FPGAs. It offers a standard interface for executing compute-intensive tasks in cloud servers, mobile devices, and embedded systems.
88. PL/I
PL/I is an old language created for scientific, engineering, business, and system programming. Although it’s niche today, it is critical to maintain and update older systems.
89. PureScript
PureScript brings Haskell’s rigor to the web: write type-safe, predictable code that compiles to JavaScript. It’s ideal for building robust, maintainable web applications with strong functional programming principles.
90. Q
Q is a proprietary language for array processing, serving as a query language for the column-based database kdb+. Known for its efficiency in handling time-series data, Q is widely used in finance and analytics.
91. Ring
Ring is a general-purpose language that supports various paradigms, such as imperative, functional, and object-oriented programming. It is quite simple and flexible, so it can be used for projects that range from web development to game design.
92. RPG
RPG (Report Program Generator) is a high-level language of IBM for commercial applications on the iSeries minicomputer. It is very significant to businesses operating legacy systems that process data very efficiently.
93. S
S is a high-level language that is used as a precursor to R. It is known to be a data manipulation and statistical analysis language, used in big applications that use graphical and statistical techniques.
94. SPARK
SPARK is a variant of Ada, which is used for the development of safety-critical systems in aviation, space, and defense. It focuses on rigorous verification and formal contracts to guarantee the safety and security of software.
95. Stata
Stata is a platform and language for statistical analysis, offering tools for solving complex problems, creating simulations, and producing high-quality visualizations. It is used extensively in research and academia.
96. SystemVerilog
SystemVerilog is a hardware description and verification language used to design and test digital systems, like integrated circuits. It is basically a combination of Verilog’s features with some advanced constructs used for simulation, synthesis, and hardware verification.
97. VHDL
VHDL is a widely used hardware description language in the design and simulation of digital circuits like CPUs and FPGAs. Its modeling and testing capabilities in hardware make it indispensable in the electronics and chip design fields.
98. Wolfram
Wolfram Language is designed for computational mathematics, data science, and algorithm development. It is popular in research, machine learning, and complex data visualization due to its high-level syntax and wide range of built-in functions.
99. X++
X++ is a language developed for business applications in Microsoft Dynamics 365. It is used for data manipulation, transaction management, and enterprise logic to help develop scalable solutions within the Dynamics framework.
100. Zig
Zig is a systems programming language that puts forward performance, robustness, and low-level control. Zig is ideal for operating systems, game development, and embedded systems and balances efficiency with modern programming practices.
The Wonderful World of Programming Languages
The diversity of programming languages highlights the adaptability and creativity within software development. From high-performance machine learning tools like Mojo to legacy solutions like PL/I, these languages cater to various industries and tasks, offering developers an incredible range of tools to achieve their goals.
With these languages, developers can delve into areas such as web development, systems programming, or statistical analysis, shaping their niche in the ever-changing realm of code. Choose your language today and kick-start your journey to success!
