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Programming, best languages to know

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  • 14-12-2014 4:00pm
    #1
    Jamezzyboyoo
    Registered Users Posts: 66 ✭✭


    Hey all!

    I'm a first year Computer Science student in DCU, at the moment I have a good grip on java and know the majority of the language. Could anybody recommend other languages I can look at on the side (apart from C++, learning this next sem.) so I can go into the workplace with a good knowledge of languages!

    Thanks!


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    #2
    moc moc a moc
    Registered Users Posts: 1,299 ✭✭✭moc moc a moc


    Python is getting very popular, both as a scripting/glue language and as a programming language in its own right. If you plan to ever work with server or network administration (including cloud-based services), Python will come in handy.

    Mightn't be a bad idea to do a bit of C as well, as it will tie in to some degree with your C++ study.


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    #3
    braddun
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 1,221 ✭✭✭braddun


    http://www.sitepoint.com/best-programming-language-learn-2014-mid-year-update/



    https://www.udemy.com/blog/best-programming-language/


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    #4
    syklops
    Closed Accounts Posts: 18,966 ✭✭✭✭syklops


    Python ++


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    #5
    Jamezzyboyoo
    Registered Users Posts: 66 ✭✭Jamezzyboyoo


    moc moc a moc wrote: »
    Python is getting very popular, both as a scripting/glue language and as a programming language in its own right. If you plan to ever work with server or network administration (including cloud-based services), Python will come in handy.

    Mightn't be a bad idea to do a bit of C as well, as it will tie in to some degree with your C++ study.

    Thanks very much for that moc! I already know a small bit of python! So at the moment would java, c++ and python be the big 3? :)


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    #6
    bonzodog2
    Registered Users Posts: 6,220 ✭✭✭bonzodog2


    Be no harm having a bit of familiarity with Bash and Windows scripting, HTML/CSS, XML/XSL, Perl, Javascript, SQL, PHP (In no particular order). If you've time!


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    #7
    Javan
    Closed Accounts Posts: 265 ✭✭Javan


    Jamezzyboyoo wrote: »
    Hey all!

    I'm a first year Computer Science student in DCU, at the moment I have a good grip on java and know the majority of the language. Could anybody recommend other languages I can look at on the side (apart from C++, learning this next sem.) so I can go into the workplace with a good knowledge of languages!

    Thanks!

    I know this is a boring, predictable answer but ...

    It depends.

    You could say the best language to learn is the one you find easiest to learn. Once you learn one imperative language and one object oriented language you will be able to pick up any other imperative or OO language later. Add SQL or some set-based language to round out your education and you will have the basis for most programming jobs.

    If you know the sort of work you want to do already then you can be more specific. There are specific languages for data specialists, systems admins, network admins, enterprise app programmers, games programmers, UI programmers, ...
    If you have an idea where you want to specialise then you can pick a language appropriate to that speciality.

    The first languages I learned (many, many years ago) were BASIC, PASCAL and some assembly (Z80, 6502, 6809). Since then; Perl, PHP, shell scripting, Jscript, Java, C#, SQL and a few other bits and pieces. Whatever you learn in college, be prepared keep learning new languages constantly.


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    #8
    jimgoose
    Registered Users Posts: 20,177 ✭✭✭✭jimgoose


    Another ay for Python here. Ruby/Ruby on Rails is also quite widespread.


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    #9
    LeinsterDub
    Registered Users Posts: 8,229 ✭✭✭LeinsterDub


    Jamezzyboyoo wrote: »
    Hey all!

    I'm a first year Computer Science student in DCU, at the moment I have a good grip on java and know the majority of the language. Could anybody recommend other languages I can look at on the side (apart from C++, learning this next sem.) so I can go into the workplace with a good knowledge of languages!

    Thanks!

    Unless you where studying Java for years before college you've either much under estimated the size and scope of the Java API , concepts and knowledge needed or you've grossly over estimated your knowledge


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    #10
    c_man
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,436 ✭✭✭c_man


    Jamezzyboyoo wrote: »
    Hey all!

    I'm a first year Computer Science student in DCU, at the moment I have a good grip on java and know the majority of the language. Could anybody recommend other languages I can look at on the side (apart from C++, learning this next sem.) so I can go into the workplace with a good knowledge of languages!

    Thanks!

    Great to see such enthusiasm in first year! But I think you need to slow down a bit. If you've been studying Java just for the last semester, I highly doubt that you know all of it. For instance, there are 33 (or is 32?) keywords in C. If I memorise them, then would you say I know C? :)

    While it's great to play around with lots of different languages, there is so much more to them than knowing how to declare a class, read a file etc. How are your debugging techniques/familiarity with tools? Do you know what actually happens when I call a function in code i.e. the callstack and all that jazz? Able to talk about design patterns?

    Don't worry if you haven't heard of some of those above, it's early days yet. I think you'll be much better off getting a grip on some of those kind of concepts, than running off learning a little of lots of languages.


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    #11
    Jamezzyboyoo
    Registered Users Posts: 66 ✭✭Jamezzyboyoo


    LeinsterDub wrote: »
    Unless you where studying Java for years before college you've either much under estimated the size and scope of the Java API , concepts and knowledge needed or you've grossly over estimated your knowledge

    lol Sure look I'm only first year! I have a good grip on the basics of Java is the way I should have worded that! But even people that reckon they know it all can over-estimate their knowledge, but that's what gives them the confidence to expand it.
    c_man wrote: »
    Great to see such enthusiasm in first year! But I think you need to slow down a bit. If you've been studying Java just for the last semester, I highly doubt that you know all of it. For instance, there are 33 (or is 32?) keywords in C. If I memorise them, then would you say I know C?

    While it's great to play around with lots of different languages, there is so much more to them than knowing how to declare a class, read a file etc. How are your debugging techniques/familiarity with tools? Do you know what actually happens when I call a function in code i.e. the callstack and all that jazz? Able to talk about design patterns?

    Don't worry if you haven't heard of some of those above, it's early days yet. I think you'll be much better off getting a grip on some of those kind of concepts, than running off learning a little of lots of languages.

    I'll admit it no bother, yeah I am leaping ahead of myself after you saying that! I have been told about callstack and that in another module but I can't remember! Where would be a good place to start learning from the bottom up?

    From what you've said regarding the Keywords in C, point taken :) Thanks for that! I have started to debug, but only fixing errors with other people's code, so only a small level like!


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