Guide To Programming Languages PDF

11/14/2019 Guide to Programming Languages | ComputerScience.
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Computer Programming Languages

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What are Computer Programming Languages?
Computer programming languages allow us to give instructions to a computer in a language the

computer understands. Just as many human-based languages exist, there are an array of computer
programming languages that programmers can use to communicate with a computer. The portion of
the language that a computer can understand is called a “binary.” Translating programming language
https://www.computerscience.org/resources/computer-programming-languages/ 1/22
11/14/2019 Guide to Programming Languages | ComputerScience.org
into binary is known as “compiling.” Each language, from C Language to Python, has its own distinct
features, though many times there are commonalities between programming languages.
These languages allow computers to quickly and e ciently process large and complex swaths of
information. For example, if a person is given a list of randomized numbers ranging from one to ten
thousand and is asked to place them in ascending order, chances are that it will take a sizable amount
of time and include some errors.
There are dozens of programming languages used in the industry today. We've compiled overviews of
the 12 most important, relevant and in-demand of these languages below.
Python
Python is an advanced programming language that is interpreted, object-oriented and built on exible
and robust semantics.
WHO USES IT?
Professions and Industries:
Python developers, software engineers, back end developers, Python programmers
Used by employers in information technology, engineering, professional services and design
Major Organizations: Google, Pinterest, Instagram, YouTube, DropBox, NASA, ESRI
Specializations and Industries: Web and Internet development (frameworks, micro-frameworks

and advanced content management systems); scienti c and numeric computing; desktop
graphical user interfaces (GUIs)
WHAT MAKES LEARNING IT IMPORTANT?
Python lets you work quickly to integrate systems as a scripting or glue language. It’s also suited for
Rapid Application Develop (RAD).
The game Civilization 4 has all its inner logic, including AI, implemented in Python.
NASA uses Python in its Integrated Planning System as a standard scripting language.
Features:
Simple to learn and easily read
Associated web frameworks for developing web-based applications
Free interpreter and standard library available in source or binary on major platforms
WHERE DID IT START?
Python was developed in the late 1980s at CWI in the Netherlands and rst released to the public in
1991.
FORUMS
Stack Over ow
Python community
Devshed Network (Python Programming Forum)
TRY IT OUT!
Create a dice rolling simulator at
KNIGHTLAB
Java
Java is a general-purpose, object-oriented, high-level programming language with several features that
make it ideal for web-based development.
WHO USES IT?
Software engineers, Java developers
Used by employers in communications, education, nance, health sciences, hospitality,

retail and utilities
Major Organizations: V2COM, Eclipse Information Technologies, eBay, Eurotech
Specializations and Industries: Internet of Things (IoT), Enterprise Architecture, Cloud

Computing
Java is used to develop enterprise-level applications for video games and mobile apps, as well as to
create web-based applications with JSP (Java Server Pages). When used online, Java allows applets to
be downloaded and used through a browser, which can then perform a function not normally available.
Programs that use or are written in Java include Adobe Creative Suite, Eclipse, Lotus Notes,
Minecraft and OpenO ce.
Java is the core foundation for developing Android apps.
Features:
Application portability
Robust and interpreted language
Extensive network library
WHERE DID IT START?
Originally known as Oak, Java was developed in 1990 at Sun Microsystems to add capabilities to the
C++ language. Java was developed according to the principle of WORA (Write Once Run Anywhere).
The language was introduced to the public in 1995 and is now owned by Oracle.
Forums
Stack Over ow
Java Community Space Forum
TRY IT OUT!
Create a City Classi ed and Search application or choose another project through
JAVATPOINT
Ruby/Ruby on Rails
Ruby is an open-sourced, object-oriented scripting language that can be used independently or as part
of the Ruby on Rails web framework.
WHO USES IT?
Ruby on Rails developers, software engineers, data science engineers

Used by employers in technology, engineering, professional services, design, science and

quality control
Major Organizations: Github, Scribd, Groupon, NASA Langley Research Center, Blue Sequence
(part of Toyota Motor Manufacturing), Motorola, Google (SketchUp)
Specializations and Industries: Web App Development, Robotics, Networking, System

Administration and Security
Ruby is used for simulations, 3D modeling, and to manage and track information.
Basecamp, Amazon, Twitter and Groupon were all created using Ruby on Rails.
NASA uses Ruby to conduct simulations.
Features:
Free to use, copy, modify and distribute
Intuitive and exible language
Completely object-oriented (ability to use method chaining)
WHERE DID IT START?
Designed in 1995, Ruby’s creator described it as “simple in appearance, but it is very complex inside, just
like our human body.”
FORUMS
Stack Over ow
Ruby User Groups
Ruby Forum
TRY IT OUT!
Write a small program that formats a user’s input through
CODE ACADEMY
HTML (HyperText Markup Language)
HTML is the standard markup language used to create web pages; it ensures proper formatting of text
and images (using tags) so that Internet browsers can display them in the ways they were intended to
look.
WHO USES IT?
Web developers, technical editors, email designers, software engineers
Used by employers in Information Technology, Engineering, Design, Professional Services,

Management, Marketing, Customer Services and Sales
Major Organizations: Apple, CyberCoders, Apex Systems, CareerBuilder
Specializations and Industries Where HTML is Used Most: Web Development, Email
Programming
HTML is used to create electronic documents (pages) displayed online. Visit any page and you will see
an example of HTML in action.
The diversity and complexity in the structure and appearance of today’s sites is made possible
with HTML.
Features:
Easy to use and learn the basics of HTML
Free and accessible
Multiple versions available
WHERE DID IT START?
HTML was created by physicist Tim Berners-Lee in 1990 to allow scientists to share documents online.
Before then, all communication was sent using plain text. HTML made “rich” text possible (i.e. text
formatting and visual images).
FORUMS
Stack Over ow
HTMLforum.com
TRY IT OUT!
Write a recipe using HTML or pick another project at
CODER PROJECTS
JavaScript
JavaScript is a client-side programming language that runs inside a client browser and processes
commands on a computer rather than a server. It is commonly placed into an HTML or ASP le. Despite
its name, JavaScript is not related to Java.
WHO USES IT?
JavaScript developers, Web developers, software engineers
Used by employers in Information Technology, Engineering, Design, Marketing, Finance and

Healthcare
Major Organizations: WordPress, Soundcloud, Khan Academy, Linkedin, Groupon, Yahoo and
many others
Specializations and Industries Where JavaScript is Used Most: Front End Website
Development, Gaming Development
JavaScript is used primarily in Web development to manipulate various page elements and make them
more dynamic, including scrolling abilities, printing the time and date, creating a calendar and other
tasks not possible through plain HTML. It can also be used to create games and APIs.
The agency Cyber-Duck in Britain uses public APIs, created with JavaScript, to pull in data about
crime and enables users to review a local area.
Tweetmap, created by Pete Smart and Rob Hawkes using JavaScript, represents a world map that
is proportionally sized according to the number of tweets.
Features:
Basic features are easy to learn
Multiple frameworks
Users can reference JQuery, a comprehensive Javascript library
WHERE DID IT START?
JavaScript was designed by Netscape and originally known as LiveScript, before becoming JavaScript in
1995.
FORUMS
Stack Over ow
Javascript on Reddit
CodingForums.com
TRY IT OUT!
Make a simple website with an image gallery or image slider at
HTML-TUTS
C Language
C Language is a structure-oriented, middle-level programming language mostly used to develop low-

level applications.
WHO USES IT?
Software developers, computer engineers, business and systems analysts, IT and Web
content administrators, embedded software engineers
Used by employers in Information Technology, Engineering, Management, Healthcare and

Professional Services
Major Organizations: Microsoft, Apple, Oracle, Cisco, Raytheon
Specializations and Industries Where C Language is Used Most: Embedded Systems, Systems
Programming, Arti cial Intelligence, Industrial Automation, Computer Graphics, Space Research,
Image Processing and Game Programming
C Language is used to develop systems applications that are integrated into operating systems such as
Windows, UNIX and Linux, as well as embedded softwares. Applications include graphics packages,
word processors, spreadsheets, operating system development, database systems, compilers and
assemblers, network drivers and interpreters.
Facebook’s TAO systems is programmed mostly using C language.
Most device drivers are still developed using C Language.
Features:
Simple to learn; there are only 32 keywords to master
Easy to write systems programs such as compilers and interpreters
Foundational language for beginners
WHERE DID IT START?
The C Language was developed in 1972 at Bell Labs speci cally for implementing the UNIX system. It
eventually gave rise to many advanced programming languages, including C++, Java C#, JavaScript and
Pearl.
FORUMS
Stack Over ow
Cprogramming.com
Go4Expert
TRY IT OUT!
Create a tic-tac-toe game using
OPENSOURCE CODE
C++
C++ is a general purpose, object-oriented, middle-level programming language and is an extension of C

language, which makes it possible to code C++ in a “C style”. In some situations, coding can be done in
either format, making C++ an example of a hybrid language.
WHO USES IT?
C++ software engineers, C++ software developers, embedded engineers, programmer

analysts
Used by employers in Information Technology, Engineering, Professional Services, Design,

Quality Control and Management
Major Company and Organization Users: Google, Mozilla, Firefox, Winamp, Adobe Software,
Amazon, Lockheed Martin
Specializations: System/Application Software, Drivers, Client-Server Applications, Embedded

Firmware
The C++ language is used to create computer programs and packaged software, such as games, o ce
applications, graphics and video editors and operating systems.
The Blackberry OS is developed using C++.
The newest Microsoft O ce suite was developed using C++.
Features:
Often the rst programming language taught at college level
Quick processing and compilation mechanism
Robust standard library (STL)
WHERE DID IT START?
Released in 1983 and often considered an object-oriented version of C language, C++ was created to
compile lean, e cient code, while providing high-level abstractions to better manage large
development projects.
FORUMS
Stack Over ow
CPlusPlus
CodeGuru
TRY IT OUT!
Create a student database or other similar system through
CODE IN CODE::BLOCKS
C#
Pronounced C-sharp (not C-hashtag), C# is a multi-paradigm programming language that features

strong typing, imperative, declarative, functional, generic, object-oriented and component-oriented
disciplines.
WHO USES IT?
C# developers, automation test engineers, software engineers, senior .net Web developers
Used by employers in Information Technology, Engineering, Design, Professional Services,

Management and Quality Control
Major Organizations: Microsoft Intel, Hewlett Packard
Specializations: Windows-based platforms
C# helps developers create XML web services and Microsoft .NET-connected applications for Windows
operating systems and the internet.
Used to develop a wide range of software applications that accompany Visual Studio IDE.
The only language used by the Windows Presentation Foundation (WPF).
Features:
Similar to Java in capabilities
Ideal for beginners
The go-to for working on Microsoft apps
WHERE DID IT START?
C# was developed in 2000 as part of Microsoft’s release of .NET framework; in 2003 it became an ISO
standard. C# was based o of C, C++, and Java languages.
FORUMS
Stack Over ow
Code Project
Dream.In.Code
TRY IT OUT!
O ers a free, extensive course in C# fundamentals
MICROSOFT VIRTUAL ACADEMY
Objective-C
Objective-C is a simple, general-purpose and object-oriented language. It uses a system of message

passing borrowed from the language Smalltalk; when an object in Objective-C is sent a message, it can
choose to ignore or forward to another object, rather than return a value.
WHO USES IT?
IT and Web content administrators, iOS and Android mobile developers, software engineers
Used by employers in Information Technology, Engineering, Management, Healthcare and

Design
Major Organizations: Apple, CyberCoders
Specializations: Software development
Objective-C is primarily used by developers to create apps for iOS and OS X.
From everything to Twitter and Facebook to Wells Fargo and Mint, objective-C is the most
commonly used language to write programs for apple products.
Features
Increased exibility with dynamic typing
Often used alongside a framework such as Cocoa or Cocoa Touch
Great rst language for beginning programmers
WHERE DID IT START?
Objective-C was developed at Apple in 1983 to address de ciencies (speci cally lack of object-
orientation) in C language. It was licensed by NeXT in 1988.
FORUMS
Stack Over ow
ClassroomM
CodeProject
TRY IT OUT!
Build a simple iPhone App with an open source tutorial at
CODING GROUND
PHP (Hypertext Preprocessor)
PHP is an open-source scripting language designed for creating dynamic web pages that e ectively
work with databases. It is also used as a general-purpose programming language.
WHO USES IT?
PHP developers, PHP software engineers
Used across industries, to include Information Technology, Engineering, Design, Professional

Services, Healthcare, Management and Finance
Major Organizations: Facebook, Yahoo, CyberCoders, NextGen
Specializations Where PHP is Used Most: Web Application Development, Server-Side Scripting,
Command Line Scripting
PHP is primarily used alongside dynamic data-heavy websites to collect form data. It's also used in app
development to generate dynamic page content.
PHP is part of the LAMP platform used by Facebook and Yahoo.
Platforms such as Joomla, WordPress and Drupal use the PHP language.
Features:
Easy to learn (as simple as embedding code inside HTML)
Free and opensource
Can be used on all major operating systems and web servers
WHERE DID IT START?
PHP was released in 1995 as a server-side scripting language, which is processed on a server to become
a website in plain HTML.
FORUMS
Stack Over ow
PHP Freaks
PHP Builder
TRY IT OUT!
Build a PHP/MySQL-powered forum using a free tutorial from
TUTS+
SQL (Structured Query Language)
SQL is a database query language (not a development language) that allows for adding, accessing and
managing content in a database. It is the language that allows programmers to perform the common
acronym CRUD (Create; Read; Update; Delete) within a database.
WHO USES IT?
SQL server developers, database testers, software developers, database administrators
Used across industries like Information Technology, Engineering, Design, Management,

Professional Servers, Business and Finance
Major Organizations: SQL is used by most companies and organizations that gather data.
Examples include Robert Half Technology, Nigel Frank, CyberCoders and UnitedHealthCare.
Specializations Where SQL is Used Most: Data Analysis and Big Data Mining
SQL interacts with the backend database of web application. It is the “de facto standard” database
language, always used in conjunction with another programming language. SQL programs are
implemented as a way for businesses and organizations to access and manipulate information stored in
their databases.
Relational database management systems that use SQL include MySQL (by Oracle), Sybase,
Microsoft SQL Server and others.
Features:
Simple syntax
Free and easily accessible
WHERE DID IT START?
SQL was developed at the IBM Research Center in 1974 and originally known as SEQUEL. The rst
commercial version was introduced in 1979 by ORACLE.
FORUMS
Stack Over ow
SQL Team
SQL Server Central
TRY IT OUT!
Build a PHP/MySQL powered forum using a free tutorial from
TUTS+
Swift
Swift is Apple’s newest open-source, multi-paradigm programming language for iOS and OS X apps.
Swift integrates Objective-C’s named parameters and object-oriented model, while including an
advanced compiler, debugger and framework infrastructure.
WHO USES IT?
Swift Platform Developers, iOS Mobile Application Developers, Software Developers, Senior
Programmers, Data Engineers
Information Technology, Engineering, Design, Management and Professional Services
Major Organizations: Apple, Getty Images, Slack, Dow Jones, Playlist Media
Specializations Where Swift is Used Most: Software development
Swift is primarily used by developers to create apps for iOS and OS X.
Dow Jones is rewriting sections of its mobile Wall Street Journal app using Swift.
Getty Images built its consumer-facing app, Stream, using Swift.
Features:
Supports ‘playgrounds,’ a feature that lets programmers experiment and see immediate
results
Easy to understand syntax
Ideal for writing production-ready code
WHERE DID IT START?
Swift, which is based o of the Objective-C programming language, was introduced at Apple’s 2014
Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC). The newest version, Swift 2, was released as an open-
source language in 2015.
FORUMS
Stack Over ow
Swift Language Google Groups
TRY IT OUT!
Build a minesweeper app or choose another mini project at
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11/14/2019 Guide to Programming Languages | ComputerScience.

Computer Programming Languages

2 Computers & Technology

What are Computer Programming Languages?

Computer programming languages allow us to give instructions to a computer in a language the

WHO USES IT?

Professions and Industries:

Python developers, software engineers, back end developers, Python programmers

Used by employers in information technology, engineering, professional services and design

Major Organizations: Google, Pinterest, Instagram, YouTube, DropBox, NASA, ESRI

Specializations and Industries: Web and Internet development (frameworks, micro-frameworks

WHAT MAKES LEARNING IT IMPORTANT?

Simple to learn and easily read

Associated web frameworks for developing web-based applications

WHERE DID IT START?

Devshed Network (Python Programming Forum)

Create a dice rolling simulator at

WHO USES IT?

Professions and Industries:

Software engineers, Java developers

Used by employers in communications, education, nance, health sciences, hospitality,

Major Organizations: V2COM, Eclipse Information Technologies, eBay, Eurotech

Specializations and Industries: Internet of Things (IoT), Enterprise Architecture, Cloud

WHAT MAKES LEARNING IT IMPORTANT?

Java is the core foundation for developing Android apps.

Robust and interpreted language

Extensive network library

WHERE DID IT START?

Java Community Space Forum

WHO USES IT?

Professions and Industries:

Ruby on Rails developers, software engineers, data science engineers

Used by employers in technology, engineering, professional services, design, science and

Specializations and Industries: Web App Development, Robotics, Networking, System

WHAT MAKES LEARNING IT IMPORTANT?

NASA uses Ruby to conduct simulations.

Free to use, copy, modify and distribute

Intuitive and exible language

Completely object-oriented (ability to use method chaining)

WHERE DID IT START?

Ruby User Groups

Write a small program that formats a user’s input through

HTML (HyperText Markup Language)

WHO USES IT?

Professions and Industries:

Web developers, technical editors, email designers, software engineers

Used by employers in Information Technology, Engineering, Design, Professional Services,

Major Organizations: Apple, CyberCoders, Apex Systems, CareerBuilder

WHAT MAKES LEARNING IT IMPORTANT?

Easy to use and learn the basics of HTML

Free and accessible

Multiple versions available

WHERE DID IT START?

Write a recipe using HTML or pick another project at

its name, JavaScript is not related to Java.

WHO USES IT?

Professions and Industries:

JavaScript developers, Web developers, software engineers

Used by employers in Information Technology, Engineering, Design, Marketing, Finance and

WHAT MAKES LEARNING IT IMPORTANT?

Basic features are easy to learn

Users can reference JQuery, a comprehensive Javascript library

WHERE DID IT START?