Which programming language to choose?

[mindrust]

Good day everyone!

I am thinking to start learning some programming/coding language just to better understand what is going on behind blockchain/smart contracts and crypto in general. What is more, coding skills are also useful for financial analysis and this is what I started to do recently.

Some of the choices I have came across: Python, C++, Java, JavaScript, (any other ones?);

Taking into account coding/programming for both blockchain and financial analysis, which you guys could recommend me to start learning and why? Which one is the best for a beginner with very low technical skills and no coding skills? Could I start with one of them and later start using other one or the transition between these could be difficult?

Really appreciate the help! Cheers!

Matas

All programming languages are pretty similar. (except for the C family. Pointers can be hard to comprehend) The concepts are mostly the same. If you are going to develop crypto, you should probably learn C.

Python is more like a general use language which you  can use on almost anything but not without a cost. It is slow. When you learn some other language other than python, you'll learn the whole language in 30 mins.

Javascript is mostly about web/mobilephone stuff.

Java is... java. You can do anything with it. You can do anything with any of those languages. (I've seen people running linux on a browser using javascript wtf) The thing is there are certain libraries which you can find for Javascript and won't be available for C. So...

If you are sure that you want to be a crypto/blockchain guy, then C should be your choice. If you hate C, you can always go back and become something else.  

[1715154330]

1715154330

[Stalker22]

There are many disagreements regarding which programming language is the best choice for developers. Some people argue that all are equally good for developers, but this discussion is rarely taken seriously. That is because there are many different arguments about which language is best.
Most people end up picking their favorite and go on to learn it well. The developers who learn Java, JavaScript, and Ruby will end up far ahead of those who pick C++, for example. However, I believe that choosing a programming language is too important to get wrong. More important, I think that the choice of programming language has a significant impact on the development process and the initial requirements of a project. This impacts the design, building and quality of the initial product. It also affects how the product should be kept up to date with new developments.

There is an interesting article on this topic from Columbia Engineering Boot Camps which I think is good to read: Best Programming Languages for Finance & FinTech in 2022

1. Python

Python is a popular fintech language because it’s simple, flexible, and one of the easiest coding languages to learn — especially for beginners. Professionals use the language in a variety of industries and, as a result, more than 51 percent of hiring managers look for candidates who know Python, according to HackerRank.

2. Java

Java is the top-ranked programming language in finance, according to HackerRank, for reasons that mirror its general cross-industry popularity. The language has a friendly learning curve, can handle significant amounts of data, and boasts rigid security features.

3. C++

C++ is considered very fast, in part because it is a compiled language, meaning that a compiler translates its code to machine language. Since the computer requires less translation to understand the code you’re writing, it operates more efficiently.

4. C#

C# is an important language for companies that build applications on Microsoft’s .NET development framework. The language was created specifically for the framework, making app-builds easy and secure. It also benefits from a huge user community and library of tools.

5. Ruby

Ruby is a free, open-source language that launched in 1995. Ruby’s popularity grew with the development of the Ruby on Rails framework, which is used widely in developing web applications.
Ruby shares many programming traits important to fintech — notably speed, security, and flexibility.

source: https://bootcamp.cvn.columbia.edu/blog/best-programming-languages-finance-fintech/

[PawGo]

Maybe he should start with learning "programming", not learning "programming language"?
I mean - learn how to build a algorithms, how to construct/define loops and conditions.
Maybe it would be useful to buy a "toy" robot to assembly, with it's native programming based on blocks and UI on smartphone/tablet?
Something like: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hJiEoOvvIlk

[Stalker22]

Maybe he should start with learning "programming", not learning "programming language"?
I mean - learn how to build a algorithms, how to construct/define loops and conditions.

Maybe you have a point. While the OP mentioned that it had very little technical skills and no coding skills, I believe everything can be learned with the right approach. There are some programming languages that are more suitable for beginners without prior programming experience. For example, Python and PHP are ideal languages for beginners and very easy to learn.

[cryptoQueez]

I suggest you to choose python programming language. Because it's easy than any other language that haven't done before.