What Is a Programming Language?

A programming language is a system of notation that instructs a computer on how to execute

specific tasks. Made up of symbols, punctuation and keywords, they use syntax to dictate how code
is written and structured. Over time, programming languages have moved away from machine-level
instructions and have incorporated more natural language and human-readable elements, creating a
more intuitive development process.

Types of Programming Languages

1. Machine Languages

Machine language, or machine code, is the lowest-level programming language. Because it is written
in binary code, it’s the only language a computer can directly execute without the need for
translation. It’s written in numeric strings of zeros and ones, where zeros represent an “off” state
absent of an electrical signal while one indicates an electrified “on” state. These inputs directly
manipulate a computer’s operations at the hardware level, including data movement, arithmetic and
logic. Machine language is near impossible for a human to read and write, and is tailored to the
architecture of each computer.

Examples of instruction set architectures for machine language: ARM, x86, RISC-V

Use cases: Controlling a computer’s CPU and hardware

2. Assembly Languages

Assembly programming language is a low-level language that is closely related to machine code,
providing a way to write instructions that a computer can directly execute. It’s essentially a human-
readable version of machine language that’s made up of built-in or user-defined mnemonic codes.
Because assembly languages specifically correspond to a particular computer architecture, they offer
more control and speed compared to high-level languages but require detailed knowledge of the
underlying hardware in order to write them.

Examples: ARM A64 assembly language, x86 assembly language, MIPS assembly language

Use cases: Systems programming (i.e. embedded systems, real-time systems), low-level software
development

3. Procedural Programming Languages

A procedural programming language follows a series of functions to perform actions or solve a
specific problem. In this low-level style, developers write procedures — or reusable blocks of code —
that contain step-by-step instructions that manipulate data in a systematic way. It is commonly used
in medium-sized applications and embedded systems where straightforward logic and control flow
are essential.

Examples: C, C++, Java, Pascal, BASIC

Use cases: Systems programming (i.e. operating systems, embedded systems, device drivers), high-
performance applications, game development

4. Functional Programming Languages

A functional programming language uses functions to perform tasks, treating everything like a math
problem without changing values or states. It encourages writing predictable, maintainable code
that is easy to understand by using pure functions and immutable data. It is often used for projects
that need to handle massive volumes of data or run multiple tasks at once, as seen in data science,
financial modeling and real-time distributed systems.

Examples: Scala, Erlang, Haskell, Elixir, F#

Use cases: Data science and data manipulation, mathematical computations, distributed systems

5. Object-Oriented Programming Languages

An object-oriented programming (OOP) language turns everything into objects. Each object — which
is a unique piece of data — is defined by its attributes and methods, and assigned to a particular
class. Rather than designing a language around functions and logic, object-oriented programming
allows developers to directly manipulate data. These languages use principles like inheritance,
encapsulation, polymorphism and abstraction to model real-world entities and relationships, making
code more modular, reusable and easier to maintain. It’s frequently used in software, web and game
development as well as simulation modeling and artificial intelligence applications.

Examples: Java, Python, PHP, C++, Ruby

Use cases: Large or complex software applications, web development, AI applications

6. Scripting Languages

A scripting language is designed to automate repetitive tasks, manage dynamic content and support
processes in larger applications. Unlike traditional programming languages, scripting languages are
often interpreted rather than compiled, making them ideal for writing quick, small scripts for specific
tasks. They have a simplified syntax, which makes them easy to learn. Due to their ease of use and
flexibility, scripting languages are commonly featured in web development, system administration
and software automation.

Examples: PHP, Ruby, Python, bash, Perl, Node.js

Use cases: Web development, system administration, software automation

7. Logic Programming Languages

A logic programming language creates a paradigm that is based on formal logic. By presenting a
system of facts and rules, it lets computers solve computations on their own without the need for
step-by-step instructions. In these languages, developers define rules and relationships typically in
the form of clauses. The program then performs computations based on those rules using logical
inference. This allows programmers to define problems using logical relationships and constraints
rather than direct commands. Logic programming languages are often used in fields like artificial
intelligence and computational linguistics for tasks that involve pattern matching and knowledge
representation.

Examples: Prolog, Absys, Datalog, Alma-0

Use cases: Database management, predictive analysis, AI applications (i.e. machine learning, natural
language processing)

Bonus: Markup Languages

While technically not a programming language, markup languages are text-encoding systems that
are used to define structure, presentation and organization of page content. Made up of symbols,
markup languages annotate text to enhance its formatting and layout, primarily for display in web
browsers or other applications.

Examples: HTML, CSS, XML

Use cases: Web development, UI design/UX design, document formatting

Related Reading

New Programming Languages to Learn

Other Ways to Classify Programming Languages

Programming languages can be categorized in multiple different ways based on how they operate or
what they’re used for. Aside from the types listed above, here’s a few more common ways to classify
programming languages.

Low-Level vs. High-Level Programming Languages

A low-level programming language is one that operates closest to computer hardware and its
instructions, while a high-level programming language is one designed closer to natural human
language. Low-level languages are used to directly manipulate hardware with little abstraction; they
are more machine-friendly and memory-efficient, but can be difficult to understand. High-level
languages, on the other hand, allow humans to write software without needing to know the specifics
of a computer’s hardware; they are understandable for both humans and machines and can be
easier to use, but are less memory-efficient.

Examples of low-level programming languages: Machine languages, assembly languages

Examples of high-level programming languages: Python, C++, Java, JavaScript

Compiled vs. Interpreted Programming Languages

Compiled programming languages are converted into machine language before being executed,
making them faster to run (but slower to edit). Meanwhile, interpreted programming languages are
interpreted line-by-line and executed directly without having to be converted into machine language
first, making them more flexible and platform-independent. A compiled language is processed by a
compiler program and an interpreted language is processed by an interpreter program, both of
which work to convert a high-level language into machine language to make it understandable for a
computer system.

Some programming languages — like Python and Java — can be considered both compiled and
interpreted, since they are first compiled then interpreted when run.

Examples of compiled programming languages: C, C++, Golang, Rust

Examples of interpreted programming languages: JavaScript, Ruby, Perl, PHP

Front-End vs. Back-End Programming Languages

In programming, front-end and back-end refer to areas of development for a website or software
application, with front-end meaning user-facing aspects (like UI, UX and layout) and back-end
meaning server-side aspects not seen by users (like APIs, databases and system architecture). Front-
end programming languages are used to control the front-end development of an application, and
back-end programming languages are used for back-end development. Both front-end and back-end
languages communicate with each other to make a website or application function as intended.

Examples of front-end programming languages: HTML, CSS, JavaScript, Swift

Examples of back-end programming languages: Python, Java, JavaScript, PHP

Related Reading

Pseudocode: What It Is and How to Write It

Most Popular Programming Languages

Several factors contribute to a programming languages’ success. They can gain wide acclaim for their
ease of use, open-source accessibility, cross-platform functionality or extensive libraries. They gain
credibility as online communities adopt and implement them, and become a sought after skill the
more in demand they are by employers. Below are some of the most common programming
languages in use today.

Python

Python is a high-level, object-oriented programming language known for its beginner-friendly

simplicity and ease of learning. It’s great for web development, data science, automation and
software development, and has been increasingly featured in artificial intelligence and machine
learning applications. Python stands out for its versatility, as it’s adaptable across multiple technical
fields, and bolstered by numerous frameworks and libraries that extend these capabilities.

JavaScript

JavaScript is a high-level, object-oriented programming language that transforms static content into
dynamic, interactive websites. With JavaScript, developers can manipulate HTML or CSS-based web
elements to produce shifting background colors, dropdown menus, video embeds and pop ups, for
example. Known for creating engaging user experiences, JavaScript is primarily used for the purpose
of web and app development.

Java
Java is one of the oldest and most widely used programming languages in the world, released by Sun
Microsystems in 1995. It’s a general-purpose, object-oriented programming language that’s known
for its reliability and platform independence. With a Java Virtual Machine, it enables developers to
write code that can run on any device, making it widely used for web, desktop and mobile
applications — especially those developed for business and Android platforms.

C++

C++ is a general-purpose, object-oriented programming language designed for large-scale

applications. It’s used for developing high-performance software, including operating systems,
animation, video games, browsers and machine learning tools. Despite its age — computer scientist
Bjarne Stroustrup at Bell Labs created it around 1980 — C++ remains relevant for building complex
systems like Google’s search engine, medical technology such as MRI machines and safety-critical
applications.

C#

C#, pronounced “C-sharp,” is an object-oriented programming language that runs on open-source

platforms and Microsoft Windows .NET architecture. Developed by Microsoft, C# combines the
computational power of C++ with the simplicity of Visual Basic. It’s ideal for game development, web
apps, desktop software as well as business-oriented applications thanks to its scalability. Although
it’s not the easiest language to learn, its wide range of use cases and strong community support
make it a valuable skill to know.

Ruby

Ruby is a general-purpose, object-oriented programming language known for its simplicity and
productivity. Developed by computer scientist and software programmer Yukihiro Matsumoto in the
mid 1990s, its Ruby on Rails framework revolutionized web development by reducing repetitive
coding tasks, which made it easier for developers to build scalable websites. It’s commonly used in
web development, DevOps automation and data analysis. Thanks to its intuitive syntax and powerful
libraries, it’s also useful for static site generation, web servers and web scraping.

PHP

PHP is a general-purpose scripting language that’s commonly used to develop interactive and
dynamic websites. As one of the first scripting languages embedded in HTML, PHP — which originally
stood for “personal home page tools” — started in 1993 as a way computer programmer Rasmus
Lerdorf would track visits to his online resume. It provides server-side functionality without needing
external data files. While newer frameworks like Node.js and AngularJS have become popular
alternatives, PHP remains prevalent due to its simplicity, open-source nature and extensive support
for various frameworks.