What are the different coding languages?

[penguincube]

Okay, I have to admit that I'm a n00b when it comes to making computers work. I've used them forever, and spend lots of time on them, but I'm just now getting into all the coding and things like that. I'm starting to learn HTML (reading a book, coming to forums/learned codies when I have questions), and I hope to one day be greasy code slaves (and I mean that in the most admirable way possible) just like some of you.

But I was wondering, I know my school has a class ('Computer Programming') which teaches BASIC (my freind took it), then there's HTML, and I guess things like C+

What are all the languages, and what do they all do? Are they all for Web sites, or for like games....and which ones are beneficial to learn? Just any info for a n00b would be helpful to get me started.

Thanks!

[kstatefan40]

There are so many different languages out there it is hard to count them all. There are three that are the main PROGRAMMING languages, which are Visual Basic, Java, and C++. C++ is generally known as the most powerful of the three, Java for its portability, VB for its ease of use. Keep in mind that HTML is a markup language, and not a true programming language. I started out learning HTML, and am now begining Java, and some other web languages. It really depends on what you want to do. Could you provide a little more information about what you intend to do? Whichever language you decide, get a GOOD book, read up, and program, program, program. You will eventually get the hang of it. HTH

[colecifer]

There is also pearl, php and a town more that i probably haven't even heard about. I learned some visual basic last semester in school. It was a fun course, it helps to familiarize you with coding, thats all i would recommend it for. It is a pretty simple language that isn't really used all the much. I geuss there could be more advanced stuff we didn't have time to cover in a sememseter though. I think install prorams run in vb, key generators do and the i love you virus did. i'm taking java next year its way better than vb. And a agree that C++ is probably the most powerful language out there today. But the a real haas programs in binary.

[AerynSedai]

if you wanna learn graphics and games learn OpenGL or DirectX. Most everyone does DirectX because people only buy Microsoft stuff and complain that they have no choice. go figure.

while OpenGL is basically C libraries, the actual programming is not as intensive as actual C. you don't need to weigh yourself down with all the crap involved with normal C.

you can easily find books for both also. plus Maya has a free edition, so you can make some pretty neat things with both with relatively little experience.

AS

[xbenjix72]

learning C will get you far in life. it is the base or all the computer base languages. it is what computer NEED. now on the other hand if your going web based or graphics based later on there is VB (visual basic which i might add is a very simple course), Java, Pearl, PHP (easy), HTML ( easy), flash (becoming obsolete) , cobal (ha still used today, its slowly dying, my dad still uses it as he is a programer at a mainframe bank.) but if you really wanna go big learn linux, as more companies are moving that way. and dont forget C as that will come in handy. remeber if you go with that open gl and direct x you will have to take visual classes proabably like a designing art class (eh i had to do it at least and it sucked i might add)

[mairving]

A couple of corrections;
Pearl->Perl
Cobal->Cobol
Flash->Not Language and Not Obsolete
Linux->Operating System

The key thing if you want to learn to program start out with a language like C. Once you learn it, it makes it quite easier to learn other languages. VB is not a good language to learn with because it can teach some bad habits.

[DarkHorse]

The main thing about programming is learning the logic behind the languages, that way you can use any language once you know the syntax that particular language uses. If the programming logic is the same, you just need to use the correct words.

BASIC is a good enough language to learn syntax, especially as you have a class that teaches it, but don't go too far or you'll be spoiled when you start using another language. I should know, I learned BASIC around 6th grade and only just recently made the jump to C++; I'm much happier because of it, but I was whiny for quite some time starting off.

Download a free compiler like Dev C++, get a C++ book , and fool around with it.

[Sharif]

Since when is Flash becoming obsolete? People are just starting to make use of it, and they just release a new version of Actionscript (2.0)...

[enhanced08]

there are too many languages to learn them all! lol personally i only know a few. HTML, Java, some PHP, and i'm learning VB and C++. i also agree that C++ would be one of the best to learn. its used in many places and forms. HTML and PHP i use for my websites. i don't use Java at all and C++ and VB i use for program prgramming. lol

just buy a book or look up tutorials online. best of luck to ya!

[Lain]

http://cui.unige.ch/langlist
http://cui.unige.ch/OSG/info/Langlist/intro.html

There are many many lanaguages that exist, some for different purposes than others, with different syntax. Some languages evolved from other languages simplifying them or improving on them.

The most basic language is Machine Code.

The next level is Assembly.

After that you get into your high level programming languages.

The most common of these today are:
C++
Java
Visual Basic

There are also tag languages such as HTML.

There are also languages that are meant to do more specific tasks, like doing server-side processing of client input, such as from a form on a webpage like this. Those langauges would be PERL, PHP, ASP, ASP.NET, etc.

If you want to get into web design I would probably suggest learning HTML, CSS, PHP, JavaScript/JScript. You might even want to research things like XML.

If you want to focus on Microsoft products, you can learn ASP.NET and C#.

[sym]

"[VB] It is a pretty simple language that isn't really used all the much"

Um.... It's the most used language there is in the business world.

If you are going to be just learning programming, I would go with Java or the .Net platform.

VB 6 -> easy to learn and powerful enough when you really learn it, but not object oriented, so a lot of programming concepts can't be expressed in it.

C++ -> very difficult to learn well. So large of a language that it is easy to get lost. Very complex to create GUI's in compared to the other languages. So many different libraries and systems that it can get confusing. You have to deal with so many low level details in the language that it can be difficult to see the higher level concept that you are working on learning.

.NET platform -> Excellent balance between power and simplicity. Completely object oriented and easy to use. Currently it only compiles to the MS platform (AFAIK), but it is definitely an up and coming thing. The downside is that to use the really excellent GUI, you need to buy the environment (starting around $200 I think). One note on the .NET platform: most people think that there is a real difference between VB.NET and C#.NET; there isn't, they use the same libraries, so it is only a minor syntax change to use either one of them.

Java -> Excellent balance between power and simplicity. Completely object oriented and fairl easy to use (the layout manager concept for creating GUIs is brilliant, but it does add a level of complexity). Most schools I see now a days are using Java to teach programming. The language and basic tools are free, and there are several excellent free IDEs.

I have delivered actual products in all of the above languages.

[Lain]

One thing about Java, it was never intended to be the language that it is today, the "definitive" OOP language.

Also I am fairly certain most Sun applications are coded in C and not Java. The only one I am aware of is StarOffice.

The entire .NET framework was written in C# which was developed by Microsoft. It shows Microsoft's confidence in their product. Also C# isn't being marketed as a replacement for C++ like Java is (and trust me Java is NOT a replacement for C++ by any means).

C# is also a OOP language. It will also enforce those same concepts, but as stated earlier is only compatible with Windows platforms currently.

If you want start with Java, so you learn the basic concepts of OOP, but once you understand OOP I would start learning C++.

Taking computer science as a career move, you have to be fairly flexible. .NET is not an industry standard, and it's not widely used at the moment. Companies are still using UNIX systems, and those sys admins are writing PERL scripts, and they are running software which was written in JAVA.

[Zick Boy]

Some languages are:

for web development: VBScript (trimmed down version of VB), Java, Perl, PHP, also you could make some CGI with C++. HTML, JavaScript are markup languages, not considered actual programming languages.

for games: the mostly used is C++, also a lot of companies ask that you know Assembly. Assembly is the most complicated of all because is a low-level language. And it changes with the type of CPU, hardware, etc.

for PC programs: well, there's VB, C++, C#, Java, COBOL (yes, COBOL), Assembly, and a lot more that I don't remember or know of.

DirectX is not a programming language, it is a tool (maybe not a tool, but I don't know what to call it) for programming multimedia. You can make games and multimedia applications such as video players, MP3 players and all that. You program DirectX applications with VB or C++ or JAVA (maybe something else that Microsoft supports).

Hope that helps.

[Lain]

JavaScript isn't a markup language. HTML, XHTML, and XML are markup langauges that use "tags" to encode data.

JavaScript, JScript (Microsoft implementation), VBScript and a few other "scripting languages" can be used to implement "client-side" code on webpages.

CGI with PERL script, ASP, ASP.NET, PHP, Java Scriptlets, Cold Fusion are ways to implement "server-side" code when an event is handled or a post is made from a webpage.