If you’re ready to jump into learning to code, you’ve probably got no idea about which language to start with. And I don’t blame you.
It’s easy to get overwhelmed about the variety of different languages people recommend as the one you should learn first. So what are the pros and cons of each one, and which should you learn first?
Learn HTML and CSS first?
HTML and CSS are the languages you need to learn to build a website. Many people will tell you to start with HTML and then move onto CSS, and for good reason too.
Pros
- HTML and CSS are dead easy. You won’t find any languages easier to pick up than HTML and CSS.
- For any kind of web programming, you need HTML. It’s the core of any website, so it makes sense to learn it first.
- CSS lets you create all kinds of visual effects with minimal effort.
- If you learn HTML and CSS first, you can create something tangible from the start and you won’t have to look at raw code all the time.
Cons
- HTML and CSS on their own aren’t enough to create an interactive website – only a static one. To make your website dynamic, you’ll need JavaScript.
- HTML and CSS aren’t real programming languages. HTML is a markup language, and CSS is a style sheet language. If you want to learn computer science, HTML and CSS won’t be much help to you.
Learn JavaScript first?
JavaScript is a front end and back end scripting language used to add interactivity to websites. It’s quickly becoming one of the most popular languages around.
Pros
- JavaScript lets you learn the basic concepts of a programming language like functions and objects.
- JavaScript is easy to implement on a website, and you can create something tangible fast.
- If you learn JavaScript first, you can become comfortable with programming concepts first, and then use those skills to build a website. Two birds, one stone!
Cons
- JavaScript on its own is not enough to build proper programs. You also need HTML, and ideally CSS, to create something tangible.
Learn Python or Ruby first?
Python and Ruby are popular and modern languages which are used to program on the web and also offline. Some people might like to think of these as ‘real languages’ compared to HTML, CSS and JavaScript.
I say Python or Ruby, but this category can also include languages like C, C-Sharp, C++, Java, the list goes on.
Pros
- Python and Ruby are designed to have simple, readable syntax (more so than JavaScript) and are perfect for beginners.
Cons
- It’s not so easy to create something tangible with these languages, like it is with HTML, CSS and JavaScript.
Learn SQL first?
What? Wasn’t expecting that, were you?
SQL is probably one of the least recommended programming languages to learn first. But perhaps it should be.
Pros
- SQL boasts natural syntax which mirrors the grammar of the English language. If you feel like you might be intimidated by code syntax, SQL is a nice easy way to start.
- SQL deals with tables, which is an easy concept for anyone to understand. If you find that most programming concepts are a bit too abstract for your liking and make you think ‘yes, but what is all this for? What’s the usefulness of it?’, try SQL.
Cons
- SQL on its own is kind of useless. You need HTML, PHP, and ideally JavaScript and CSS to be able to get the most out of it.
- Because it’s not as popular, there aren’t as many good resources out there for learning SQL as there are for the other languages I’ve listed.
Decide for yourself
The most important deciding factor is what you want to learn. Don’t let others sway you into learning a language you don’t really want to learn.
Also, think about what your motivation is. What do you wnat to get out of coding? Do you want to become a software developer, or learn computer science, or just build a website? These are the things you should think about when making the decision.
What language are you going to learn? Tell us in the comments!
