Top 5 Software Development Languages of 2022 – Newwave Solutions’ Guide to Developers

Before starting out, it’s better for you to understand which one is best for your project. Based on our survey with experienced developers, in the list of top 5 software development languages Python is the top, followed by JavaScript, Go, Java, and C++/ C.

The demand for software and web app development in recent decades is an upward trend that is predicted to continue without ceasing. The Software and Application Development Market was valued at 169 billion USD in 2019 and is expected to reach over 1,040 billion in the next 5 years (2021) with a compound annual growth rate of 25%. As a result, there is a growing number of tools, frameworks, and programming languages are being researched and developed to fulfill this increasing demand. 

Programming languages are the foundation of every web app and software that exists. You might be surprised to learn that there are over 9000 programming languages in the world, some of which have been developed since the very first computer was created in the 1900s. Among those, there are 150 programming languages that are commonly used. Yet, learning about 150 of them is exhausting. You might ask which programming languages are the most worth knowing about and which ones can empower your projects to adapt to the evolving demand of customers. In this article, we present the top 5 programming languages that are on the rise. Let’s get started!

1. Top 5 Software Development Languages of 2022

1.1. Python

In the list of top 5 software development languages, taking the first place is Python, which is an object-oriented, flexible, general-purpose programming language used by popular brands such as Instagram, Pinterest, Disqus, Uber, Reddit, Dropbox, Spotify, Google Search, and Youtube. The reasons for the popularity of this backend programming language are having a big community that supports developers both old and new to learn, and the ability to create applications ranging from AI software, games to web apps on multiple platforms. Its interactive features such as quick code tests help reduce the time of coding and deployment. Python is the most easy-to-use language as it comes with an extensive library and interactive features that support common coding tasks. 

1.2. JavaScript

Taking the second place of the top 5 software development languages is the front-end programming language – JavaScript, which is ideal to develop websites and gaming applications. It has built a strong and active community with diverse libraries and frameworks to build dynamic elements of software, and manage the behavior of the systems. JavaScript allows developers to create dynamic elements, including animated graphics, maps, buttons, and so on which enhance the user experiences in terms of navigation and readability. Another reason for its popularity is that it is so easy to learn. In fact, it requires almost no coding knowledge as you start learning which is also the reason why it is used by most web developers.

1.3. Go

Go is the programming language developed by Google in 2007 for developing web apps and APIs. This general-purpose programming language has clean syntax, simple-to-use, yet creates a reliable and efficient system. Go is being used by various popular brands like Google, Dailymotion, and Ubers due to several reasons: simple code for complex projects, more efficient while reducing risks of bugs, easy to maintain, designed for multi-core processors… In addition to regular web apps, Go is used to create artificial intelligence systems.

1.4. Java

Just a few years ago, Java was the first place of the most used programming language in mobile applications, web development, and even Big Data; however, the popularity of this well-known language is declining year after year. Despite the fact that it was the language used by many large corporations such as NASA, Netflix, Spotify, LinkedIn, Uber, and Amazon. People are asking the question “is java or python better?”. We don’t have a clear-cut answer for you as it depends on your projects and perspectives. Here are the advantages of Java for your consideration. 

Java is known for its platform-independent function, robust security features, and ease to use for both new and advanced developers. Java has been applied in virtually all networks of all industries- banking & financial, entertainment, gaming, retail, healthcare, education, and automotive, etc.

Java is highly accessible and can function well cross-platform which allows developers to view and modify easily. It has an in-built compiler, which translates the native build code into bytecode to run in a Java Virtual Machine (JVM) which helps developers to work on virtually any operating system. Besides, Java has been designed to reduce accidental data loss, code errors, and cybersecurity attacks thanks to its robust security features, including bug detection, garbage collection systems, and code management. With all the advantages Java might bring, it is obvious that we should know about it. 

1.5. C / C++

C is one of the oldest programming languages, and C++ is an extended version of C. Originated from C, other languages such as JavaScript and C# are derived. Brands that use this programming language are Google, LinkedIn, Meta, and Evernote.

This universal programming language is highly performant, and suitable for developing different applications and systems. The portability of this programming language allows developers to run and develop programs on different operating systems or interfaces at ease. C is an open-source language so it allows developers to modify and create libraries for public use based on specific needs, particular preferences, or problems they want to be solved. It also leaves room for optimization of every detail of structured programming language and gives total control over memory management with the help of DMA (Dynamic memory allocation) using pointers.

2. Final thoughts

We hope that this list of the top 5 software development languages will help you begin your journey to the digital transformation of your operation!

However, in case you are still not sure where to start, don’t worry, Newwave Solutions can do the heavy lifting for you and look through developer and market data from the past several years to identify trends and draw conclusions to make it easier for you to kick off. Reach out to us and let’s see what we can do for your business!