Coding has become one of the most sought after hard skills. But delve a little deeper and you will find a vast array of programming languages and coding courses at your disposal that all do very different things.
If you’re thinking about picking up a coding skill whilst you have some free time, you need to understand what the different programming languages do, how they can complement your existing skills and learn a programming language to obtain work.
Programming languages can all solve the same problems but they have different ways of thinking about how to solve those problems. As such each programming language has its strengths and weaknesses in a particular sector compared to others.
How do I start coding for creating a website?
Web development is still booming, partly due to the need for an online portfolio for businesses, big or small, as well as the
For building a website, you must distinguish between front end and back end web development. Front end, as the name suggests, concerns all the representations on your screen when you open a website. Back end is the code that makes the website function properly, and is the raw programming part of it. Whereas front end is more creative, back end can be a bit more technical.
Examples of front end coding languages include CSS and HTML. Although these are not programming languages but mark-up languages they are useful to know! Back end developers also try Ruby, PHP, Java and even Python for other tasks associated with the website and speeding it up.
You can follow courses that you can accredit for your CV on web development which allows you to understand these things.
How do I code for a video game?
The video game industry has grown considerably in market value and does not show signs of stopping. With more spare time and better technology, video game development is now a lucrative industry.
Knowing which language to code in for video gaming depends on what kind of video game you are making. You can make very simple games in languages such as Python. But you will be expected to know a language such as C++ or equivalent. These programming languages enable a computer to take make operations on at a same time. As is often the case though, a lot will depend on the company you join too. Some will have their own standards set.
What coding languages do I need for statistics and data analysis?
Knowing how to make quality data analysis is now a heavily sought after skill in many workplaces. Data is the new oil as they say, and you can be its refiner if you know how to operate a language that can present data in an interesting and aesthetically pleasing way you could be sought after.
Knowing how to code in R is one of the classics for academic research using data. Increasingly though, Python is catching up and used more often as it has great compatibility and a vast array of libraries.
What coding languages do I need for AI and Machine Learning?
AI and Machine Learning are considered to be the future of work in many respects. They allow automation, application of algorithms to complex problems in order to resolve them and make things easier for you in general. Needless to say AI skills are in increasingly high demand.
What you need to understand about AI and Machine Learning is that unlike the above competences you need a solid background in mathematics to truly master coding AI. Whilst online courses exist you will need to invest significant time and effort into mastering algorithms before you start learning the languages themselves.
Nevertheless, it is worth keeping in mind the most used language for AI remains Python, and that learning its principles in automation and problem-solving can help you get started on your quest to retrain in certain AI programs. More advanced coding languages for AI exist.