11 Most In-Demand Programming Languages in 2021 - Berkeley Boot Camps
11 Most In-Demand Programming Languages in 2021 - Berkeley Boot Camps
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Berkeley Boot Camps (/) » Coding (https://bootcamp.berkeley.edu/blog/category/coding/) » 11 Most In-Demand Programming Languages in 2021
You don’t want to waste your time. If you’re going to put aside the time and energy needed to learn new programming languages, you
want to make sure, without a doubt, that the ones you choose are the most in-demand programming languages on the market.
After all, if you’re trying to start (or advance) a career in software development (/blog/software-developer-career-path/), you’ll need to
be at the front of the metaphorical class. You’ll need to know which programming languages are popular, which are useful and which
are up-and-coming on the market — and then set yourself up to learn them (/blog/how-to-become-computer-programmer-education-
requirements/).
Not sure where to start? Don’t worry; we’ve already done the heavy lifting for you, and looked through developer and market data from
the past several years to identify trends and draw conclusions that will help you plan for your programming education. In this article,
we’ll walk you through the 11 most in-demand programming languages and give you a few pointers on how to learn them.
But before we get started, let’s recap how we built this list in the �rst place. When we sat down to �gure out what the most in-demand
programming languages for 2021 might be, we had two primary research questions:
You can probably guess the rationale behind our �rst question. While following trends isn’t always the best way to �gure out which
languages to prioritize, a language’s popularity can indicate its prominence in the market. Here’s a general rule of thumb for you — the
more used or common a language is, the more likely it is that a developer (i.e., you!) will need to deal with it at work.
Next, we considered which skills are poised to become the most sought-after programming languages on the market. To do so, we dug
into Stack Over�ow (https://insights.stackover�ow.com/survey/2020#most-popular-technologies)’s developer surveys from the last two
years and focused on:
▪ The languages that developers report they use and want to continue using
▪ The languages that developers aren’t using yet, but are interested in using
By looking at these trends, we aimed to gain a better understanding of which languages will become popular in the years ahead.
We found that Rust, Python and Typescript all topped Stack Over�ow’s list for the most-loved languages in 2019
(https://insights.stackover�ow.com/survey/2019#most-popular-technologies) and 2020 (https://insights.stackover�ow.com/survey
/2020#most-popular-technologies), with only slight shu�ing across years. Similarly, Python, JavaScript and Go ruled the top three of
Stack’s Most Wanted lists for both years. Given their prevalence in developers’ minds, the odds of these �ve languages increasing in
popularity is high — and are therefore worth including on our list.
However, where we ranked each language depended on other factors. For example, because Python has consistently held a top-�ve
spot on Stack Over�ow’s most commonly-used, -loved and -wanted lists, we chose to rank it higher than Rust, which, while ranking #1
on Stack’s most-loved list (https://insights.stackover�ow.com/survey/2020#most-loved-dreaded-and-wanted), languishes at #19 on the
organization’s common-languages list (https://insights.stackover�ow.com/survey/2020#most-popular-technologies).
Now that we’ve covered our process, let’s start answering the question at hand: What are the most in-demand coding languages for 2021?
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Do you want to take your coding skills to the next level? With Berkeley Coding Boot Camp, you will build a strong foundation in some of the
most popular programming languages.
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1. JavaScript
What this language is used for:
▪ Web development
▪ Game development
▪ Mobile apps
▪ Building web servers
JavaScript is the most common coding language in use today around the world. This is for a good reason: most web browsers utilize it
and it’s one of the easiest languages to learn. JavaScript requires almost no prior coding knowledge — once you start learning, you can
practice and play with it immediately.
Moreover, because the language is so ubiquitous, there are countless communities, courses and avenues of professional support
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available online. This support, in addition to the language’s top-notch usability, makes JavaScript number one on our list of the most in-
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demand programming languages.
Additional Resources:
2. Python
What this language is used for:
As one of the more easy-to-learn and -use languages, Python is ideal for beginners and experienced coders alike. The language comes
with an extensive library (https://www.infoworld.com/article/3204016/what-is-python-powerful-intuitive-programming.html) that
supports common commands and tasks. Its interactive qualities allow programmers to test code as they go, reducing the amount of
time wasted on creating and testing long sections of code.
That said, even advanced users would bene�t from adding Python to their mental catalog of programming languages; with over 50% of
hiring managers (PDF, 2.4MB) (https://info.hackerrank.com/rs/487-WAY-049/images/HackerRank-2020-Developer-Skills-Report.pdf)
seeking candidates who know the language, Python is easily one of the most marketable and in-demand programming languages of
2021.
Additional Resources:
3. HTML
What this language is used for:
▪ Web documents
▪ Website development
▪ Website maintenance
HTML (http://www.simplehtmlguide.com/whatishtml.php) stands for HyperText Markup Language. Don’t let the complicated-sounding
name fool you, though; HTML is one of the most accessible stepping stones into the world of programming.
Technically, HTML is a markup language, which means that it is responsible for formatting the appearance of information on a website.
Essentially, HTML is used to describe web pages with ordinary text. It doesn’t have the same functionality as other programming
languages in this list and is limited to creating and structuring text on a site. Sections, headings, links and paragraphs are all part of the
HTML domain.
As of 2020, HTML shares its #2 spot on Stack Over�ow’s list of the most commonly used languages in the world with CSS.
Additional Resources:
4. CSS
What this language is used for:
▪ Web documents
▪ Website development
▪ Website design
CSS (http://www.simplehtmlguide.com/whatiscss.php), or cascading style sheets, is usually applied in conjunction with HTML and
governs the site’s appearance. While HTML organizes site text into chunks, CSS is responsible for determining the size, color and
position of all page elements.
CSS is convenient, too; the cascading part of the name means that an applied style will cascade down from parent elements to all
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children elements across the site. This feature means that once users determine aesthetics for the main parent, they won’t have to
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manually repeat their code across a website. Moreover, the delegation of site organization to HTML and aesthetics to CSS means that
users don’t have to completely rewrite a web page just to change a color.
CSS is an approachable language that allows beginning programmers to dip their toes in the metaphorical coding pool. If you’re new to
coding (https://bootcamp.berkeley.edu/blog/what-is-coding-key-advantages/), there’s no reason not to learn CSS before tackling more
complex languages!
Additional Resources:
5. Java
What this language is used for:
▪ E-commerce
▪ Finance
▪ App development
Java currently ranks as the third-most sought-after programming language for hiring managers globally (PDF, 2.4 MB)
(https://info.hackerrank.com/rs/487-WAY-049/images/HackerRank-2020-Developer-Skills-Report.pdf) and has held the #5 spot on Stack
Over�ow’s list of the most commonly used languages (https://insights.stackover�ow.com/survey/2020#most-popular-technologies) for
two years (https://insights.stackover�ow.com/survey/2019#most-popular-technologies).
Java’s popularity is for good reason; this language is relatively easy to learn and use (/blog/best-way-to-learn-java/), boasts incredible
security and can handle massive amounts of data. These features make Java an ideal language for the online �nance sector, and it is
often applied in industries such as banking, billing and the stock market.
The versatility of the language, however, is what learners �nd really appealing. Touted as a “write-once, run-anywhere” language, Java
can e�ectively run on any operating system, regardless of which OS was used to write the original code. It is thus ideal for writing apps
not only for mobile phones and computers, but also remote processors, sensors and a variety of other consumer products.
Additional Resources:
6. SQL
What this language is used for:
▪ Database management
▪ Sales reports
▪ Business management
SQL (https://www.techopedia.com/de�nition/1245/structured-query-language-
sql#:~:text=De�nition%2520%252D%2520What%2520does%2520Structured%2520Query,or%2520data%2520stream%2520management%2520systems.
or Structured Query Language, is a language that allows programmers to query and manipulate databases. As a domain-speci�c
language, it is designed mainly for managing data within an RDBMS (relational database management system). Put simply, SQL can
locate and retrieve data from a database, as well as update, add or remove records.
While SQL is highly functional, it tends to work better with small databases and doesn’t always lend itself to managing expansive ones.
That said, SQL still ranks as the third-most-used language in the programming industry (https://insights.stackover�ow.com/survey
/2020#most-popular-technologies), with over half (54.7%) of surveyed developers reporting that they use it.
Additional Resources:
7. NoSQL
What this language is used for:
▪ Database management
▪ Sales reports
▪ Business management
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Remember, SQL utilizes relational database/stream management systems that keep data in tables and allows users to manipulate and
extract data. NoSQL databases, on the other hand, don’t use tables and can be more useful than their predecessors for speci�c
applications, such as storing data in a hierarchical network or supporting large-scale, cloud-based applications.
Because these languages are both so versatile, they rank high on our list of the most in-demand coding languages.
Additional Resources:
▪ Hands-On NoSQL: A Practical Guide to Design and Implementation with Technical Case Studies (https://www.amazon.com/Hands-
NoSQL-Practical-Implementation-Technical/dp/1119657393) — Arsames Qajar and Dan Sullivan
▪ NoSQL Databases Explained (https://www.ibm.com/cloud/learn/nosql-databases) — IBM Cloud
▪ SQL & NoSQL Databases: Models, Languages, Consistency Options and Architectures for Big Data Management
(https://www.amazon.com/SQL-NoSQL-Databases-Consistency-Architectures/dp/3658245484) — Andreas Meier and Michael
Kaufmann
8. C#
What this language is used for:
▪ Game development
▪ Desktop/web/mobile apps
▪ VR
Also stylized as C Sharp, this language belongs to the object-oriented family of programming languages. C#
(https://www.techopedia.com/de�nition/26272/c-sharp) was released in 2002 by Microsoft and stands today as a much-loved
improvement on the C++ coding language.
As a general-purpose language, C# is growing in popularity for developing web and desktop applications; according to HackerRank,
roughly one of every �ve hiring managers (PDF, 2.4 MB) (https://info.hackerrank.com/rs/487-WAY-049/images/HackerRank-2020-
Developer-Skills-Report.pdf) is looking for a developer that can code with C#. There’s no denying that it is one of the most in-demand
coding languages for the upcoming year; however, there are other reasons to have this skill on your radar.
As with other popular languages, an enormous community works with C# and o�ers support to new learners. Because of this, learning
C# may be easier than attempting to learn some of the newer and less-documented languages. Plus, C# is ideal for building ever-more-
popular mobile apps and games. There’s little doubt that this language will continue to be useful in the coming years.
Additional Resources:
9. Rust
What this language is used for:
▪ Operating systems
▪ VR
▪ Web browsers
According to Stack Over�ow, Rust has consistently ranked at the top of the most-loved programming languages, with 86% of users
claiming that they were interested in continuing to develop with it.
However, Rust users only accounted for 3% of developers in the survey, which indicates that the vast majority of programmers are
unfamiliar with its usefulness. Rust (https://www.techopedia.com/de�nition/32591/rust-programming-language) is a “multi-paradigm”
programming language, which means that it allows developers to work in a variety of programming styles. In syntax, it is comparable to
C++, though it supports more wide-ranging applications.
If you’re looking for faster compilation, better cross-platform capabilities or just better career prospects, Rust is a great language to
pick up.
10. Perl
What this language is used for:
▪ System administration
▪ GUI development
▪ Network programming
Perl isn’t the most commonly used language on the market. In fact, just 3.1 percent of developers used it in 2020
(https://insights.stackover�ow.com/survey/2020#top-paying-technologies), and it didn’t even make Stack Over�ow’s commonly used
languages list for 2019 (https://insights.stackover�ow.com/survey/2019). However, we are recommending it for a reason. If you’re
already well into your career, learning Perl could signi�cantly boost your earnings potential.
According to HackerRank, developers who know Perl tend to make 54 percent more than the average developer (PDF, 2.4MB
(https://info.hackerrank.com/rs/487-WAY-049/images/HackerRank-2020-Developer-Skills-Report.pdf)). That said, it is worth noting that
most of the people who know these are senior developers, who tend to make more at a baseline — thus, attempting to quantify the
“bonus” that a programming language provides may be somewhat tricky. That said, learning a language like Perl may still make a junior
developer better suited for a promotion or raise.
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perl) — or Perl, for short — is a scripting language that is commonly used to extract information from a text �le and create a report.
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While many programming languages are compiled languages — wherein a target machine translates the program — Perl is an
interpreted language, wherein a third “interpreting” machine locates the code and executes a task. Usually, interpreted programs
require more CPU, but because Perl is such a concise language, it creates short scripts that can be processed quickly.
Additional Resources:
11. Go
What this language is used for:
▪ System/network programming
▪ Audio/video editing
▪ Big Data
Though it uses a similar syntax to C, Go is a standout language that provides top-notch memory safety and management features.
Additionally, the language’s structural typing capabilities allow for a great deal of functionality and dynamism. Moreover, Go is not only
high up on programmers’ most-loved and most-wanted lists — it also correlates to a 33% salary bump (PDF, 2.4 MB)
(https://info.hackerrank.com/rs/487-WAY-049/images/HackerRank-2020-Developer-Skills-Report.pdf).
Additional Resources:
Final Thoughts
Whether you are an established coder or just starting to look into the industry, learning a new language is one of the best ways to
advance your programming career. But how can you start your educational journey?
Your �rst step depends on you, your schedule and the resources you have at hand.
A college program, for example, will provide you with a comprehensive education in the theory and practice of programming —
however, the typical undergraduate program also demands four years of full-time study and tens of thousands of dollars in tuition
funding.
If you want a faster and less expensive educational experience that focuses on skills-based learning, you may want to consider a coding
boot camp (/coding/). Coding boot camps equip you with the hands-on skills and language pro�ciencies you’ll need to land an entry-
level job in the �eld — all within three to six months.
If you’re looking for the cheapest educational course and don’t mind taking on the responsibility of self-teaching, you may want to
consider learning necessary coding skills (/blog/learn-to-code/) via tutorials, books and online courses. Keep in mind that while this
route o�ers tremendous �exibility and opportunity for low-cost learning, it may not be a �t for students who need external motivation.
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