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Top Programming Languages in 2022

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In this article, you will learn about the top programming languages in 2022. Programming is at an all-time high when it comes to making a career choice. There are endless opportunities to be filled, making this a great field to work in. But why is programming so popular?

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Table of Contents

Why Programming is a Great Career Choice

The rise in popularity when it comes to programming doesn’t come by chance. Programming is a very attractive and interesting field to work in. Let’s look at some of the advantages that come with being a programmer:

  • High entry-level salary.
  • Basically no upper limit to salary.
  • Quick career progression (if you put in the work).
  • Interesting field to work in (AI, ML).
  • It’s fun to write code!
  • You always get to learn new things.
  • Well-known companies have awesome work environments.

These are just a few examples of why programming is a great field to work in, but of course, there are downsides:

  • Hard to learn.
  • Steep learning curve for someone who never programmed before.
  • You need to constantly learn to stay relevant.
  • Programming interviews can be very hard and frustrating.
  • Finding your first job can be tough.

In our opinion, the upsides far outweigh the downsides and we think it’s a great choice for a career.

Top Programming Languages in 2022 Overview

The languages below are ranked according to how often they were searched on Google in 2022. This is, by no means, a recommendation as to which language you should learn. We will give our own recommendation at the end of this article, so make sure to read on.

LanguageDifficulty (1-5)Median Yearly Salary
JavaScript3$54,049 USD
HTML/CSS1$52,980 USD
Python2$59,454 USD
SQL3$56,228 USD
Java4$51,888 USD
Programming Language Difficulty and Median Yearly Salary Chart

1 – JavaScript

It probably was to be expected that JavaScript will be found at the top of the most popular programming languages in 2022. Same as Python, JavaScript keeps rising in popularity due to its vast applications. There are so many things that can be made with JavaScript. JavaScript is also called the language of the web.

JavaScript is definitely one of the most versatile languages out there. With JavaScript, you can become a frontend developer, a backend developer, a full-stack developer, a web3/smart contract developer, or, you can choose to create desktop applications with Electron. If that isn’t enough, there is also the option to create full-blown mobile applications using React Native.

JavaScript is also relatively easy to learn, which makes it a great first language to pick up. We especially like the visual aspect while learning. When learning JavaScript using web development, you actually see a visual representation of your code in form of functionality or styling in front of you, which can be very helpful to understand the language’s core concepts.

What is JavaScript used for?

There are countless applications for the JavaScript programing language, some of which are:

  • Web Applications
  • Mobile Applications
  • Desktop Applications
  • Frontend Development
  • Backend Development
  • Full-Stack Development
  • Game Development

JavaScript Salary and Jobs

Since JavaScript is such a popular language, salaries vary greatly. According to the yearly developer questionnaire by Stack Overflow, the median yearly salary for JavaScript positions is $54,049 USD.

JavaScript jobs are widely available and chances to land a job can be increased by learning a JavaScript framework like React, Vue, or Angular.

Where to learn JavaScript?

There are a ton of great resources out there to learn JavaScript, and a lot of them are even free. You can start your journey right here, or choose from one of our favorites resources below:

2 – HTML/CSS

While not considered programming languages by most professional developers, we still want to include HTML and CSS in this article on the top programming languages in 2022, since it’s an entry point for a lot of developers out there.

Everyone who enrolls on a path to become a Web Developer will usually start out with learning HTML followed by CSS since these two building blocks are the cornerstones of any website that you are building.

What are HTML and CSS used for?

HTML and CSS are used to structure and style websites. It is an entry point for most web developers and gives you a good understanding of websites are structured and styled under the hood. HTML and CSS is taught before JavaScript because it is much easier and faster to learn.

You can learn enough HTML and CSS in about two weeks’ time to be able to build basic, static websites. It is crucial to learn HTML and CSS if you plan on becoming a frontend developer.

HTML and CSS Salary and Jobs

While jobs where you only use HTML and CSS are rare, they do exist. Most of these positions will require you to know at least the basics of JavaScript since you will probably work in a team as a designer.

However, knowing only HTML and CSS can get you a median yearly salary of $52,980 USD.

Where to learn HTML and CSS

There are countless resources out there to learn HTML and CSS, of which a lot are free. We would recommend one of the following resources to get started with learning HTML and CSS:

3 – Python

Python has been consistently on the rise in popularity during the past few years. Why is Python so popular? Because it is a great first language for beginners. We like Python in particular because it is easy to learn and because it is easy to read.

Python reads more like the English language compared to other programming languages. There are also a ton of positions out there for Python developers. Python has mostly replaced C in school curriculums nowadays partly due to the fact that it is easy to read and learn.

Python is also a very versatile language that is being used in my different applications. Some of the most popular are AI, Machine Learning, Data Science, and Web Development thanks to frameworks like Django and Flask.

What is Python used for?

As mentioned above, Python has a huge variety of use-cases, some of which are:

  • AI and Machine Learning
  • Data Science
  • Data Analytics
  • Data Visualization
  • Programming Applications
  • Web Development
  • Game Development
  • Language Development
  • Finance

Python Salary and Jobs

Python jobs are widely available around the globe. Since AI and Machine Learning are insanely popular topics right now, there is no lack of positions to be filled. Because Python has such a huge variety of applications, salaries may vary greatly depending on which field you are working in.

For instance, if you choose to use Python for Web Development, you will probably earn much less than someone who is a Data Scientist in the Finance sector. But this is the beauty of this language, once you understand it, you are able to transition to almost any field you want to.

The median yearly salary across all Python jobs is $59,454 USD.

Where to learn Python?

As for almost every programming language, there is no lack of great resources to learn Python. In fact, we are in the process of creating an entire beginner series on learning Python right here. We take it from the very beginning and work our way up, just like the motto of our website proclaims: “Complicated Things – Made Easy”.

Apart from that, here are some great resources to learn Python:

If you like video content, we highly recommend the 100 Days of Code: The Complete Python Pro Bootcamp for 2022 by Dr. Angela Yu. It is an excellent course that is very well-paced and has been our favorite resource to learn Python.

4 – SQL

That SQL will show up within the top programming languages in 2022 is probably no surprise for most of you. Learning SQL (Structured Query Language) is essential for everyone who wants to become a serious programmer.

No matter the language you are learning, you most likely will touch base with SQL at some point, since most of the things we program need databases. There are a ton of different SQL applications out there that you can learn, some of the most popular being: MySQL, PostgreSQL, and SQLite.

What is SQL used for?

SQL is used for creating and managing databases. These databases can hold customer data, company data, scientific data, or any kind of data that you need to store, really. Databases are an essential part of the web today and almost every website that has any kind of user registration functionality will use a database to manage these users and their data.

When becoming a Web Developer, you will have to learn at least one Structured Query Language. There are also so-called No-SQL databases like MongoDB which is widely used in web projects. It does not really matter which technology you choose, as long as you understand the fundamentals. Some of the most-used SQL and No-SQL technologies according to 73,317 Stack Overflow users are:

Most Used SQL Technologies
Most Used SQL Technologies according to Stack Overflow’s Developer Questionnaire

SQL Salary and Jobs

Being decent at SQL technologies can bank you a median yearly salary of $56,228 USD. SQL jobs can be widely found and being a SQL Database Manager can earn you a lot more than the above median. SQL is considered a critical infrastructure in most cases and hence managing it comes with a lot of responsibility.

Where to learn SQL?

There are plenty of good, free resources out there to learn SQL technologies. Some of our favorites are:

If you just want to play around with SQL without spinning up your own database, you can make use of an Online SQL Compiler, which makes it very easy to do so.

5 – Java

Java is one of the most widely used languages on the internet. It can be used for a huge variety of things like Android development, and mobile applications and a lot of corporate software is also written in Java. Most Java jobs are found either related to Android and mobile app development as well as corporate software gigs.

The latter is usually very well paid, in fact, Java is amongst the highest-paid programming languages out there because of its vast use in corporate software and services.

Learnings Java, however, isn’t nearly as easy as Python. It’s a lower-level language and can be very daunting to learn, especially if you have no prior programming experience.

What is Java used for?

Java has a wide variety of applications. One of the most popular are Mobile Applications and Enterprise Applications. There is also a large number of Java frameworks that can be used to elevate the language to other applications.

Some of the most common applications of the Java language are:

  • Mobile Applications
  • Web Applications
  • Enterprise Applications
  • Big Data Technologies
  • IoT Applications
  • Desktop GUI Applications

Java Salary and Jobs

Jobs for the Java programming language are very widely available and learning the language will definitely set you up for a competitive salary. While the median yearly salary is “only” $52,888 USD, there is a lot of potentials to earn a much larger salary. This is mostly due to the fact that there are so many Java jobs out there since it’s being used in so many Enterprise Applications.

If you become an expert in Java, there is almost no limit in terms of salary.

Where to learn Java?

Java can be learned for free from many high-quality sources. Some of our favorite places to learn Java are:

Top Programming Languages in 2022 Conclusion

There is no lack of programming languages to learn in 2022. Since there are so many choices out there, it can be hard to decide what to learn. In the end, it always boils down to what you want to achieve.

It is very important to consider location when making your choice, too. If you want to work in a company on-site close to your home, you need to consider how many jobs of a particular language are available in your region. If you choose to learn Java and want to work for a company in your area, but there are no Java jobs available in your area, you made a bad choice.

Gladly, due to the rise of remote work, you can almost always work remotely as a developer nowadays.

Our Recommendation for Beginners

If we would need to choose one best beginner programming languages, it has to be Python. Python is the clear winner because it is so easy to learn and read. We also choose Python because of all of the excellent learning resources available out there.

Python teaches you programming logic in a very easily digestible way. Even if you learn Python and you choose not to pursue it further, it is still a very good investment of your time, since you now know the fundamentals of programming which makes learning another language much easier.

If you start learning to code with a difficult language as your first language, the chances that you give up are very high and it will take you much longer to learn it. If you choose something easy like Python and then transition over to another language, you will have a much better experience.

On top of that, you can add another programming language to your portfolio, which increases your chances of getting a job by orders of magnitude. We highly recommend learning Python as your first language. If you want to get started with Python, check out our Python Beginner Series.

🐍 Learn Python Programming
🔨 Python Basics
👉 Python Syntax
👉 Python Variables
👉 Python print()
👉 Python input()
👉 Python Constants
👉 Python Comments
⚙️ Python Specifics
👉 Filter Lists in Python
👉 Replacing List Items in Python
👉 Create a GUI in Python
👉 Find out the Length of a String in Python
👉 Enum in Python
👉 Python Inline If/Else One-Line Statements
👉 Python xrange()
👉 Python List Slicing
🏋️ Python Exercises
👉 Python Exercise Collection

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