Choosing Your First Language

There are hundreds of programming languages, and new learners often spend weeks reading arguments about which one is "best". The good news is that the core ideas, such as variables, decisions, loops and functions, are almost the same in every language. Once you learn them in one language, the second language is much easier.

In this lesson you will see why so many languages exist, what the popular ones are used for, why this course uses Python and JavaScript, and how to choose your next step later.

Why are there so many languages?

Languages were created at different times, by different people, for different jobs. Some were designed to run very fast on small devices. Some were designed to be easy to read. Some were made for one place only, such as web browsers or databases.

Think of vehicles. A scooter, a tractor, a bus and a train all move people or goods, but each one suits a different job. Nobody asks "which vehicle is best?" without asking "best for what?" Languages are the same.

Popular languages and their usual jobs

You do not need to learn all of these. Most working programmers know two or three languages well and read a few others.

The same idea in different languages

Here is a small program that works out a cricket team's run rate (runs scored divided by overs played). First in Python:

team = "Lucknow Lions"
runs = 172
overs = 20
run_rate = runs / overs
print(team, "run rate:", run_rate)

Lucknow Lions run rate: 8.6

Now the same program in JavaScript:

const team = "Lucknow Lions";
const runs = 172;
const overs = 20;
const runRate = runs / overs;
console.log(team, "run rate:", runRate);

Lucknow Lions run rate: 8.6

The steps are identical: store the team name, store the runs and overs, divide, show the answer. Only the small details change. JavaScript uses the word const when it stores a value and ends each line with a semicolon, and its programmers usually write names like runRate instead of run_rate.

Some languages need more setup around the same idea. Here it is in Java, which you cannot run on this page:

public class Main {
    public static void main(String[] args) {
        String team = "Lucknow Lions";
        int runs = 172;
        int overs = 20;
        double runRate = (double) runs / overs;
        System.out.println(team + " run rate: " + runRate);
    }
}

Lucknow Lions run rate: 8.6

Java asks you to wrap the code in a class and a main method and to say what type each value is (int, double, String). This extra structure helps in very large programs, but it is more to learn on day one.

Why this course uses Python and JavaScript

• Python reads almost like English. It has few brackets and symbols, so you can focus on the idea instead of the punctuation.
• JavaScript runs in every web browser. You already have everything you need to run it, and it is the language of the web.
• Both are free and very widely used, so you will find plenty of help, books and practice problems.
• Both run on this site. Every example has a Try-it button; you do not need to install anything until you are ready.

Seeing the two side by side also teaches you something important: a programmer thinks in ideas, and the language is just the way of writing them down.

Choosing your next step later

After this course, choose a language by your goal, not by what is popular this month.

You will look at these paths in more detail in Where to Go Next.

Common mistakes

• Waiting for the perfect language. There is no perfect first language. Python and JavaScript are both excellent starting points.
• Choosing only by what friends say is "hot". Choose by what you want to build.
• Thinking you must start over with each new language. Your second language reuses almost everything you learned in the first one.
• Mixing up Java and JavaScript. They are completely different languages with similar names.

Key points

• Languages exist for different jobs; ask "best for what?", not "which is best?".
• Core ideas such as variables, decisions, loops and functions are shared by almost all languages.
• Python is easy to read; JavaScript runs in every browser; both are free and widely used.
• Some languages, like Java, need more structure and stated types for the same program.
• Choose your next language by your goal, then stay with it long enough to build real things.

team = "Jaipur Jaguars"
runs = 165
overs = 20
run_rate = runs / overs
print(team, "run rate:", run_rate)

Jaipur Jaguars run rate: 8.25

const team = "Jaipur Jaguars";
const runs = 165;
const overs = 20;
const runRate = runs / overs;
console.log(team, "run rate:", runRate);

Jaipur Jaguars run rate: 8.25