If you’re thinking of going into computer programming or you just want to learn some new skills, being familiar with different types of programming languages can help you understand how computer programs are created and why certain languages work best for specific programs.
In this article, we explore a list of 10 programming languages and explain how they work.
What is a Programming Language
A programming language is a set of instructions that can be used to communicate with and control a computer. These languages are used to design websites, create apps, develop operating systems, control spacecraft, and analyze data. Programming languages are vital because computers can’t understand Engish. Programming languages bridge this gap by helping programmers translate their commands into something that the computer can understand and execute.
Who uses programming languages?
Computer programmers use programming languages to code website functions, edit the appearance of web pages and organize data. Some jobs that use programming languages include the following professionals:
- Web developer: A web developer is a programmer who develops World Wide Web applications using a client server model.
- Web designer: Web designers create the visual aspects of websites.
- Video game developer: This type of software developer concentrate in the design and creation of video games using coding for graphics and interactivity.
- Computer systems engineer: An individual in this occupation develops and tests software for personal computers.
- Software quality assurance engineer: This quality assurance professional oversee the development process for software function and design.
- App developer: This type of programmer designs and creates applications for computers or mobile devices.
If you’re thinking of getting a job in computer programming or another technology field, being familiar with these programming languages can help set you apart from other candidates. Below are 10 types of programming languages you can learn:
1. Procedural languages
A procedural language is a computer programming language that follows, in order, a set of commands. Examples include Ada, BASIC, C/C++ and JavaScript.
2. Functional languages
Functional languages make use of stored data to carry out recursive functions, which execute a process and then repeat it to solve any errors that arise during programming. Examples include Agda, Cuneiform, PureScript and APL.
3. Machine language
Machine language is the language understood by a computer. It is very difficult to understand, but it is the only thing that the computer can work with. This is because machine language is simply the language of machines—bits. All programs and programming languages eventually generate or run programs in machine language.
4. Object Oriented Programming Languages
The object oriented programming language was introduced in the late 1960s, but now it has become the most well known approach to develop software.
These days, most popular and commonly used object oriented programming (OOPs) languages are C++ and Java.
In object oriented programming, the software is developed by using a set of interfacing object. An object is a component of program that has a set of modules and data structure. The modules are also called methods and are used to access the data from the object. The modern technique to design the program is object oriented approach. It is not difficult approach, in which program designed by using objects. Once an object for any program designed, it can be re-used in any other program.
5. Document formatting languages
Document formatting languages specify the organization of printed text and graphics. They fall into several classes: text formatting notation that can serve the same functions as a word processing program, page description languages that are interpreted by a printing device. Examples include TeX, PostScript and SGML.
6. World Wide Web display languages
World Wide Web are used for displaying languages, text, graphics, and audio retrieved over the desired functions, such as page retrieval through links. Examples include HTML, XML and CGI.
7. Front end coding languages
Front end development languages are used to code the visual aspects of websites, games, software and apps. Examples include HTML, CSS and JavaScript.
8. Database programming languages
Database programming languages assist to create databases and manipulate the way data is stored inside them. Examples include C++, COBOL, Java and Perl.
ML, or Extensible Markup Language, encodes documents in a way that can be able to read and understood by both people and computers and exists across the internet. Examples include Apache Ant, MXML, ECMAScript for XML and XQuery.
9. Syntax handling languages
Syntax handling languages generate analyzers that convert character sequences to token sequences that have specified meanings for context-free grammar. Examples include ANTLR, lex, Prolog and JavaCC.
10. Interpreted languages
Interpreted languages allows programs to be carry out from source code with the help of an interpreter, rather than being put together. Examples include Apache Ant, JavaScript, PostScript and Windows PowerShell.
