5 Programming Skills Every Business and Programmer Needs

can find great jobs by becoming fluent in them.

If you want to survive in this automated, globalized economy, you should understand programming, and there are no shortage of coding schools and websites where you can learn. But software development is a constantly changing field, and languages high in demand a decade or even five years ago can fall into irrelevance.

Fortunately, we know which languages are in the highest demand currently by looking at job websites and coding schools. Here are some languages which businesses need today and through which employees can get the job of the future by becoming fluent.

1. Python

If you are completely unfamiliar with programming, Python is probably the best language to start with. Python has a very simple syntax, with little boilerplate code which you can find in other coding languages. It is often the first language that U.S. universities teach programming students, as it automates much of the trivial stuff. Programmers in other languages have to spend hours constructing those areas to make sure their program does not collapse.

Despite, or perhaps because of its simplicity, Python is used in major, growing technological fields such as data science and machine learning. Yet it also possesses the versatility to be used in other areas such as web development and boasts a wide community of Python experts and amateurs who can help you learn. Python can have some issues scaling up, but it remains a great beginner language you can learn to get an idea of what learning a programming language is like.

2. Java

Some programming languages may become less important in a few years, but Java will not be one of them. Despite being over two decades old, Oracle loves to trumpet the fact that over 3 billion devices use Java, and Java continues to be the dominant language with Android devices and apps. No matter where you live, there are wanted ads for Java developers with Glassdoor reporting an average base pay of $93,570 per year.

Java is not quite as easy to read, and thus understand, as Python is, and there has been some noise about companies moving away from it, but it remains a great way to read large amounts of code at once. Its backward compatibility means that it will be used for years to come. If you are in engineering or working for a mobile company, Java should definitely be the first programming language you learn.

3. SQL

SQL is technically not a programming language, as it cannot be used to build applications, but it is arguably more in demand than any programming language. SQL is used for create, read, update and delete (CRUD) operations in regards to databases, and every business today relies heavily on databases. This means that you can use SQL to more readily find information in massive databases beyond hitting Ctrl+F. You can also spawn new databases and reorder data into a more accessible format.

SQL is much easier to learn than Java, as you just need to know how to tell the database system to find or update data instead of creating a procedure from scratch to do those tasks. Free tutorials are readily available at SQLCourse.com or Codecademy.

4. C++

Python and SQL are easy yet important computing languages to learn, and Java is not much harder. But if you want to try out a challenging language that is still important to learn, you should give C++ a look.

C++ is a programming language used for applications such as games and operating systems, drivers and iOS and Adobe development. It is an extension of C, one of the oldest programming languages. Because it's a difficult language, you can find a C tutorial to help you and your team to master it. Importantly, C++ scales up very easily, making it suitable for large projects and C++ developers can at times write their own ticket since it is more difficult to learn.

5. The ability to learn

Do not forget that while learning key programming languages is a necessary prerequisite, programmers need other skills as well. Even if you become fluent in the above four languages, a good programmer needs to stay inquisitive and keep learning.

Companies, both small and large, will rarely hesitate to train prospective programmers in new languages if the programmer can show a consistent ability and interest in learning. Furthermore, programmers also need soft skills such as the ability to make programming clear to those with less tech expertise and communication skills.

Take the time to learn these aforementioned languages, whether in classes or online. But do not think that you can rest on your laurels because you know Python or Java. You are competing against millions of potential programmers, and thus should seek to stand out in other ways beyond knowing languages.