Overview
Python, Go, Rust, C, PHP, JavaScript, Java, Ruby—there are so many different options, and it can be overwhelming to figure out which one to actually pick. So today, let's break down the most popular backend languages and which one of them is the is best for you.
Java
Let's dive right in with Java. Now, Java is ideal for the enterprise-level developer. Think about building large-scale enterprise software like banking or financial services. Now, Java can be used for a ton of different things, but typically you'll be doing large-scale development. You may be working on Android apps or dealing with big data technologies.
Now, Java developers are always in high demand, especially in the enterprise sector, and compared to a lot of other languages, they have very high job stability. Overall, you should choose Java for its enterprise-grade applications due to its robust performance, scalability, and vast ecosystems of libraries and frameworks.
Python
So now we move on to Python. Now, Python is typically best for newcomers due to its readability and simplicity. It's used for web applications, data science, machine learning, and automation. Now, you can use Python for a ton of different things, but typically when it comes to getting a job with Python, you need to be really good in a specific framework or area or have some other languages under your belt as well.
If you're just looking for some hobby projects, Python is great to pick up, but if you want a long-term career, you need to be really good in a specific area or potentially learn some other languages as well. Now, overall, you should opt for Python if you value developer productivity and versatility with extensive libraries for web development, data analysis, and machine learning.
JavaScript (Node.js)
So now we move on to JavaScript. JavaScript, or Node.js, is best for those of you that want to be full-stack developers. That's because, with a single language, you can write code on both the front end and the back end. JavaScript can be used in a lot of different places, but typically it's going to be used for building web applications—in this case, web backends or real-time applications like chat apps.
With that in mind, if you're a JavaScript developer, you're going to have a lot of prospects for startups or earlier-stage companies because they're typically using JavaScript for their entire stack. They don't want to hire seven different developers that know all these different languages—they want one that can write on both the front end and the back end. Overall, you should select JavaScript or Node.js for full-stack development in real-time applications, benefiting from a non-blocking I/O model and a unified language across the client and the server.
Ruby
So now we can move on to Ruby. Now, Ruby is for the rapid app developer—those of you that want to push products to market as quickly as possible. It's really popular in the e-commerce space, with websites like Shopify, for content management, and for database web backend applications.
Ruby is obviously used with Ruby on Rails, and anyone who's really good in Ruby is always going to have job prospects because a lot of tech firms are constantly looking for Ruby on Rails devs. With that in mind, you should use Ruby on Rails for rapid development cycles and startup environments where time to market and convention over configuration are prioritized.
PHP
So now we can discuss the dreaded PHP. Now, everyone loves to hate on PHP, but the truth is it's very useful, and it's really used all over the web. It's very popular for small business websites, blogs—think things like WordPress, which is completely built on PHP. That means that it's in pretty high demand. A lot of new developers aren't learning it, and if you know PHP, you're going to be able to pick up a lot of jobs, especially servicing old sites, which a lot of companies need, and working with platforms like WordPress.
It's big for e-commerce, and it actually is pretty fast in terms of building web apps. Overall, you should go with PHP for a wide range of web development needs, particularly effective in content management systems and sites with dynamic content.
C Programming Language
So now we get into C. Now, C is ideal for those of you invested in the Microsoft ecosystem—Windows, Xbox, etc. It's very popular for enterprise-grade level backends, building games (think frameworks like Unity), and for desktop applications as well. C always has high job demand. People are always looking for experienced C developers—again, especially in that enterprise sector where you're building larger and larger applications. Now, overall, you should choose C for robust desktop and enterprise applications within the Microsoft ecosystem, leveraging the .NET framework's extensive capabilities.
Go (Golang)
So now we get into Go, or Golang, Go is used for building highly performant and scalable systems. It's really used for building distributed systems, microservices, and large-scale cloud services. It's increasingly popular in the data streaming space as well as the cloud services space and really for those that need the utmost performance. Overall, you should pick Go for concurrent applications and microservices where performance and efficiency are critical, thanks to its lightweight goroutines and out-of-the-box scalability.
Rust
Finally, we get to Rust. Now, this is ideal for developers that need absolute control over system resources without compromising on performance, especially when safety and concurrency are of utmost importance. Now, Rust can be used for so many different things—I'm just going to list them out here: network services, simulation engines for things like virtual reality platforms, game engines, and really anything that's performance-critical.
You can build so many different types of applications in Rust, and a lot of people are migrating to Rust now because of how much they love the language. Rust is constantly growing in demand, especially when it comes to high-performance computing, and it's also used for things like cryptocurrency platforms and embedded systems. Overall, you should select Rust for system-level programming where safety and performance are paramount, offering memory safety without garbage collection.
Summary
So there you have it. Those are the eight most popular backend languages I covered in this list. There are some more, but these are the most popular, and hopefully, this helped you make the decision on which one you want to pick. If you want to become a software developer.
Thanks for reading to the end, and have a good day! 🚀
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