For any beginners who have just started to learn how to code or for anyone who would like to start it can be a little bit daunting! There are many different programming languages to choose from and sometimes it can be difficult to choose which one to start with or which one would suit you.
If you can find a coding club here or see what CoderDojo projects we provide to freely learn programming languages here.
JavaScript
JavaScript is another language which is in high demand at the moment, but it is not to be confused with Java! Java is a programming language while JavaScript is a scripting language. It is relatively easy to learn but perhaps not as easy as something like Python. It runs on every single platform and is already in your browser for you to start learning which means you do not need to install it. If you want to build anything for the web then JavaScript must be on your list of programs to learn.
You can start using JavaScript straight away to start building websites and games for the web. It is one of the fundamental technologies which the web we know of today is built on. It is dynamic and is flexible to use on object-oriented programming. It derives much of its syntax from The C Language (discussed below).
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Python
Python is one of the most widely-used high-level programming languages. This is mostly because it is simple, readable and you can use fewer lines of code to express a concept than you would have to with other languages. It is a scripting language which allows you to produce a lot of code in short periods of time.
It is opensource and free and there are a lot of tools and documentation available for learning Python. There are some great official tutorials which are easy to follow and there is less of an emphasis on syntax which would suit beginners. It is a good stepping stone for moving on and learning other object-oriented languages.
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Ruby
Ruby is a dynamic, object-oriented scripting language that is used in the development of websites and mobile apps. It is similar to Python in that it is simple and readable. It is usually focused on web-based applications. It is the language that powers their framework, Ruby on Rails, which is behind websites such as Twitter, Groupon and GitHub.
It is easy to learn with a helpful 20 minute quick start guide on the official Ruby website. It is straightforward and easy to read with a large community behind it of programmers willing to answer questions. There is a lot of documentation available as well as great resources which will help you to grasp Ruby from the very beginning.
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Java
Java is one of the most popular programming languages in the world. Java 1.0 was released in 1995 on the principle of ‘Write Once Run Anywhere’. It is a class-based, object-oriented language which is designed to be portable which means that you can find it on all platforms, operating systems and devices.
Java has been used for so long that there is lots of information about it on the web. This is ideal for beginners because this means that almost certainly any question you have has already been asked and answered by someone else in the Java community. It has an incredible toolset and great editors which let you know straight away if you have any errors. Java programming is a highly sought after skill and knowledge of it opens a lot of doors in terms of employment.
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Blockly
Blockly is a free program that is a basic, visual language. It can be used by everyone, old or young. The user learns to write programs by putting blocks together to create simple functions. Each visual object is also a code object.
The aim of Blockly is to use the blocks to generate readable code which could be in JavaScript or Python etc. This means that once beginners have mastered it they can then move onto more complicated programs. It’s straight forward drag and drop function can help you to very easily build apps. You can then export what you make and apply it to actual programming languages.
It’s simple set up means that you don’t have to worry about things like syntax errors which can make deciding to learn to code a little less daunting. Blockly is definitely a useful program for anyone who is a bit intimidated by the other languages mentioned.
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Computer programming is quickly becoming a huge necessity within our lives. CoderDojo is a global community of free and open coding clubs helping kids create cool and fun things with technology. You can find a great coding club for kids or to volunteer at here, or see all our great lessons and projects to learn these languages here.
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