The best programming language(s)?
We often hear the programmers argue, “[insert your favourite here] is the best programming language!” Sometimes, they even get territorial.
What are the common characteristics of popular programming languages? I’ve worked with 3 of them so far: Ruby, Python, Javascript. Let’s find out what they have in common.
Interpret instead of compile
This is probably the most important common trait.
An interpreted language is ready to run as soon as you’re done typing. In contrast, you must manually write scripts/makefiles and invoke relevant commands for compiled languages. With Ruby, Python, and Javascript, you can save some of elbow grease.
Source:
https://medium.com/@astermanuelg/blurred-lines-is-ruby-an-interpreted-language-2d3d6bca3d37
A nice command line interface
Just type the commands `ipython`, `irb` into your terminal, it gives you a nice interface to test some simple code snippets without opening a whole new IDE.
Ruby: https://cache.ruby-lang.org/pub/media/irb_improved_with_key_take3.mp4
For Javascript, you can just head to your browser’s console.
For Python: ipython https://ipython.readthedocs.io/en/stable/_images/ipython-6-screenshot.png
An ecosystem
These are great platforms for anyone to publish their software packages and install other packages. This ecosystem enables companies and individuals to build quickly instead of reinventing the wheel.
Applications and Frameworks
All three languages have frameworks to build fully functional websites. In contrast, some obscure languages (ever heard of Ocaml?), despite having interpretability and command line support, struggle on this front. Javascript has even been extended into building mobile apps!
Conclusion
Programming languages are popular for good reasons. Programmers aren’t just yelling at the cloud, they’re probably advocating for the features they love.
