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A Brief History of Coding

Programming languages have been around for longer than you may think. The first programming language was created in 1883 by Ada Lovelace and Charles Babbage. Though they were working on a very basic design, they figured out that numbers could represent more than just the numerical value of things. From this discovery, Lovelace wrote an algorithm for the Analytical Engine.  

While Lovelace’s was the first programming language, the first computer programming language wasn’t created for almost another hundred years, in 1949. The next decade led to the creation of algorithmic programming languages, including Algol, the precursor for Java and C and LISP, which is still used today! 

When coding became something that might be accessible to more of the general public, a new programming language was developed and designed to be teachable. Niklaus Wirth created Pascal in 1968 for this reason, and it ruled the programming language scene for a few years until Dennis Ritchie developed C in 1972.  

C language is still used today, as is C++, which was designed in the same space as C but with the ability to function across different types of computers. C++ is most commonly used in games and is taught in schools’ AP Computer Science programs. C is the “mother language” of almost all programming languages today, including Java, JavaScript, and Python.  

Popular Coding Languages Today

The history of programming languages is constantly expanding, and year-by-year different programming languages are invented or developed to meet the needs of technology users. While some of these programming languages have been around for 50 years, others were developed in the past decade. Here is a brief list of popular programming languages in 2022:  

 

1. JavaScript – JavaScript is the most used programming language in the world and is the programming language of the web. It’s used by software developers to create interactive content in applications and browsers, such as creating drop-down menus and things on web pages that cannot be accomplished solely by HTML and CSS.

1. Java – Java is an object-oriented programming language and software platform. It is designed so that web and application developers can write codes and use it anywhere, making it versatile among different computer structures. A lot of the syntax from Java comes from C language, however, C is a middle-level language and Java is a high-level language.

1. C/C++ – C and C++ are both programming languages that are used for application development. C++ language is an extension of C language and combines procedural language (like C) with object-oriented programming language.

1. Python – Python is another general-purpose programming language. It’s used by software developers to build websites and software, data analysis, and task automation. Because it does not have one specific purpose, Python is an incredibly popular language

1. HTML – HTML, or hypertext markup language, is the standard language for creating different pages on the web. The language was created when the World Wide Web was created and is used to communicate to browsers how a web page should be displayed through features like images, text, and form. HTML most commonly works with CSS and JavaScript to make web pages accessible to users.

1. SQL – SQL stands for Structured Query Language and is a domain-specific language designed to work by managing data within a data management system. It also receives information from database management systems and can use the information for things like transaction processing, data analysis, and other applications that require communication with a relational database, making it valuable for data scientists.

1. C# – C# is an object-oriented programming language that is used most commonly to build desktop applications, web applications, and web services. It is similar to Java and easy for users to learn if they know Java, C, or C++ languages.

1. Go – Go is an open-source programming language used for general purposes. It was developed at Google and is similar to C language, but has memory safety, garbage collection, and structural typing.

1. Kotlin – Kotlin is a general-purpose, open-source programming language designed to work with Java Virtual Machine and Android. It works cross-platform, so developers can use it for Android or iOS. In 2017, Google named Kotlin the official programming language of Android, leading to its popularity.

1. R – Last, but not least, R is a statistical programming language used for statistical analysis, representation of graphics, and reporting of scientific research. It is used widely within data science by data analysts to import data.

 

Woz Partners

Looking at all the different programming languages you can learn might feel overwhelming. The good news is if you narrow down what area of tech you want to work in, you can narrow down the programming languages you need to learn as well. At Woz Partners institutions, you have the opportunity to choose between different technological training. Our accredited and certified training providers will help you develop your skills in software development, data science, cybersecurity, and more. Contact us today to learn more!