Open Thread: What’s Your Favorite Programming Language?
While perhaps only our geekiest readers have a favorite programming language, it’s a useful question since so many web workers do know how to code, even if it’s just hacking up JavaScript and PHP on a WordPress installation.
Java, the choice of enterprise IT shops everwhere, isn’t feeling much love online these days: first InfoWorld calls it the new Cobol. Then two professors emeriti say it’s ruining computer science education.
Meanwhile, Ruby-based web framework Ruby on Rails doesn’t seem quite so hot this year as it was last January, Scala’s getting some laughs, and people have been wondering why Erlang’s so buzzy.
So geeks: share your own programming language opinions here. What programming languages do you use right now? Which ones do you love? Are there any you want to take a closer look at? And what programming languages suck, in your (surely humble) opinion?
C# in ASP.NET
After 10 years I still love CFML.
F# http://research.microsoft.com/fsharp/fsharp.aspx
I code a lot in PHP, but I love Python and Ruby. I know Ruby somewhat better than I do Python, so I use it a (lot) more, but I think they are both fine languages. Java … Well, I use it for some things (more because I have to), but I don’t really like it that much.
Steve Yegge has an essay for what he believes to be criteria for the Next Big Language. Personally I feel like ECMAScript might be that language. Steve has been using Rhino at Google. I hope it does well–I’ve been in love with ActionScript and JavaScript for years.
My favorite is whatever my client pays me my hourly rate to develop in. Over the past thirty-plus years, C has been the most profitable, a portable assembly language mostly for systems/real-time work. Despite what folks are saying, I still like Java as a language, although I find its multitude of frameworks are both its biggest strength and weakness. I think the future is in domain-specific languages and multi-language applications, e.g. C for the system and device drivers, Java for the enterprise application layer, and languages like Python and Ruby (neither of which I’ve used) in the user-facing layer.
It’s gotta be CFML under Railo.
C# in ASP.NET
Since no-one has ever suggested that I might be part of a group of ‘humble’ people before I couldn’t resist responding. My favourite is Python (which is not to slight Ruby since I haven’t learned that). If it appears that I might be cornered into using Java then I try to get away with using Jython. :) With some of the lovely new libraries making their appearance I’m coming to like Javascript.
10 years with Perl and I still think C and C++ are pieces of crap!!! I have better things to do than manage memory. That’s the job of the CPU!!!
@Bill: I’ve noticed that people are usually quite humble when talking about their programming language preferences ;)
I like Python too, though have only played around with it. I don’t program these days, but I was happy enough with C++ when I did. At least I could do pretty much whatever I wanted with it, object-oriented or not as I pleased.
Use right now: Objective-C, C# Love: C++ Want to take a closer look: Ruby Suck: not going to touch that one
After 10 years of development, still CFML. I use CFML, PHP, ActionScript, and RoR on some level and CFML still to me cant be beat.
I’m personally all about PHP / MySQL / CSS / XHTML. Always found with this set of technologies + Apache & Mod Rewrites its guaranteed success when link building and research is applied :)
Using Java and PHP right now (with a fair amount of Javascript in the mix too).
Hard to say what my favourite programming language would be. C++ could be called my “first love”, and I still love it for its strong typing, which to my mind is an asset and not a liability.
Certainly prefer Java over PHP. I want to learn Ruby as I think it looks interesting.
PHP (a lot) and (have to admit it, please don’t laugh) LotusScript (somewhat similar to VB), as well as C/C++.
Will never touch/consider/try: RoR and Java.
Would like to dig deeper into: Perl and ActionScript.
//Michael.
Coldfusion (CFML)’s my money maker
ColdFusion all the way. Simple but powerful. I really think that’s the way the world of programming is heading. All of these overly complex languages…yeah, they get the job done, but why use them when you can do the same thing in a LOT less time with ColFusion/RoR/Python?
Ruby, definitely. :)
Ludwik
I’m surprised at the number of Coldfusion followers here, I had no idea it was still an option..
I’ve been “hacking” in PHP for the last 10 years. I say hacking because I can’t code at all, but I can modify the crap of things to make them work for my purposes.
“Meanwhile, Ruby on Rails doesn’t seem quite so hot this year as it was last January, Scala’s getting some laughs, and people have been wondering why Erlang’s so buzzy.
Ruby on Rails is a FRAMEWORK, not a language. Sorry to be pedantic, but I see this on blogs way too many times. People constantly conflate the language with the tool. That leads to even more fanning of the flames of the “my language/tool/OS is better than yours” wars.
That said, I like Ruby and Python but currently Ruby has the edge, especially with 1.9 available as a development release. Maybe the availability of the new VM will start to address the performance issues everyone loves to complain about…
PHP
Been using ColdFusion for 10 years and love it. The recent release of ColdFusion 8 takes the language in a very positive direction.
Came from a Perl background and have tried PHP, Java/JSP and others like Ruby on Rails along the way but none have clicked for me the way CF has.
Not getting in to which ones suck — every language has strengths just find the one you like.
This is hardly a language wars post, Kevin, so your concern about “fanning the flames” seems unwarranted. I’m aware that Rails is a web framework, but it’s the way many people actually experience Ruby, and the post I linked to was about Ruby on Rails not Ruby itself.
Apology for your pedantry accepted, in the future no need to YELL.
@Anne: I wasn’t yelling. I actually agree with you that most people experience Ruby via Rails. And, maybe that’s the problem. Ruby the language is actually pretty good on its own, but people only really pay attention to it in the context of Rails. Then, when people read stuff like Zed’s rant, criticism for one thing gets applied (sometimes, unfairly) to the other.
I only pointed this out due to the fact that all your other examples were specifically languages. I hope you don’t think I was accusing you of fanning the language wars; definitely not the intent.
@Kevin: you “sounded” like you were yelling because you put FRAMEWORK in all caps.
I didn’t think you were accusing me of fanning the flames of the language wars — I thought you were accusing me of not knowing what I was talking about. It happens, of course, more often than I’d like, but in this case I just didn’t write clearly.
RoR seemed like the right thing to cite given it’s how most people experience Ruby and it does seem to be waning in hype if not actual use.
Python is my favorite, but use perl & php also.
-Jeff http://edmodo.com
Ruby, Java
Python: clean, high-productivity, versatile, and doesn’t come and go with marketing or fashion (because it’s never been favored by either). I’ll use C, C++ or Javascript when I must, but always Python when I have a choice.
Alex
I note that a bunch of the posters are replying as to what language makes them money. That’s kind of missing the point – Anne asked what is your favorite programming language. I ask this on interviews, and sadly 80% of the people name Java as both the one they use the most, and their favorite.
My thought on this matter is Java is a pretty piss poor language. Never having used C#, I’m not sure how much better it is over Java.
I like C++ because of the challenge factor – it’s a difficult and finicky language and if you master it, you have accomplished something.
However in terms of fun languages, I think Python is pretty high up there. Objective C is neato, but actually it’s AppKit that is the best part.
Ruby and Erlang are nifty, but both lack Unicode support. I guess if you never need to understand the strings you are dealing with it’s ok. Erlang lacks programming in the large and multiple code and data organization methods. Modules work, but don’t seem powerful enough.
Javascript works, but dealing with the prototype based OO is a little confusing to many people. Just doing straight forward inheritance is tricky, luckily it’s a feature you rarely need.
With Stackless Python, I’m going to put my money in the Python camp vs the Erlang camp. Sorry guys.
Whatever language solves the problem quickest and most efficiently. I love Python, and I like Ruby. I tend to be doing more Java at the moment. PHP is the language I most want to forget though, but the one that I end up falling back on to get things done quickly.
Add my vote for CFML. Simple and after 10 years or so now I still haven’t run into anything it can’t do…
Honestly, I am a C# ASP.net afficionado; although that may be because of the marketability of the langauge platform.
In terms of pure enojyment, I think C++ offers me the biggest challenge and therefore the most enjoyment.
I just got a book on Erlang. I’m not done with it yet. Some interesting ideas, but I’m not sure functional programming is my cup of tea. Might just take some getting used to a different way of thinking about problems.
I like the code I write in Ruby better than the code I write in PHP, but either way the job can get done. The only thing that drives me crazy with Javascript is trying to debug it, especially on Internet Explorer.
ColdFusion for me as well. Before that (I started web dev around 93) it was Perl.
ColdFusion baby!
Javascript (ecmascript) great language in itself, and always a fun challenge to work with the different implementations of the DOM.
Being primarily a print designer, and having no coding skill whatsoever, I’d have to go with Postscript.
Coldfusion and Java, theres not much you can’t do using both together.
Python.
I really should learn python… So nice and neat.
Maybe my affection for it isn’t a functional love in this case, but more like a stalker-like fetishisation (If that is a real word…). Most probably based on idealised notions that prove false when I actually eventually begin using it.
Rails has been getting some bad press lately, but anyone that has spent any time at all with it quickly realizes that it isn’t Rails that is so amazing, but Ruby the language it is written in. I started back in the day with ASP/VB Script and Perl. I switch to C#/.NET and even got some ugly php and Java in there.
When all is done and said, nothing compares to Ruby. It is so flexible and yet powerful. I enjoy coding again, which .NET nearly destroyed. Hands down the best language at present moment. Although like anything industry this can change.
Great to see the ColdFusion crowd out in force. I currently use ColdFusion whenever I can for web projects. It’s quick and easy to develop in and has a bunch of very powerful tags for working with everything from images to PDF’s (as you’d expect from Adobe) and rock solid deployment on Java middleware.
I actually love Ruby as a language. It’s a little Perly for some peoples taste, but everything being an object and the support for metaprogramming makes it a real hackers language.
Python is incredibly clean. I prefer Ruby conceptually, but it is nice to be able to program without angle brackets and Django rocks.
I will code in Java or C# (for my money, C# is the more interesting language, although I hate being limited to Windows for deployment if you ignore mono). I find both tedious enough that I’m more likely to generate than write the code and am probably more likely to pass than to accept the contract.
Haskell is on my “to learn” list as knowing a functional language is good for anyone, and I like some of the ideas in Smalltalk, although I probably wouldn’t use it for a project.
All that said, I still get more done more quickly in CFML!
Oops = for “angle brackets” read “curly brackets”.
ColdFusion rocks.
Java is what’s paying the bills here. I also like RoR and have done several things with VB.
I used to like Delphi a lot, but haven’t used it for years.
Coldfusion! :D
I started out with PHP/MySQL in 2000 and still use it daily … my bread-n-butter. In recent years, I’ve relied more and more on CSS and Javascript. Now I love mootools as its allowing me to create Flash-like animation effects with regular HTML pages. For years I did remote scripting using IFRAMES. Mootols makes AJAX much simpler.
OK I know, I’m a geek but I love semantic XHTML. So simple and yet so powerful.
For similar reasons (simplicity and power) I’m also a fan of CFML.
That’s CFML not ColdFusion – I use Railo.
Asking people what their favourite programming language is, is like opening a can of worms!
Anyway, to answer the question, I have to say that I really like C++. It’s powerful and expressive, and memory management is not an issue if you use constructors and destructors properly, or use standard containers.
For web stuff, I currently prefer PHP, though I’ve not used Ruby-on-Rails. I’ve heard good things about RoR, so I intend to learn more about it.
Java has been paying my bills for more then 10 years but recently I’ve been using Python and I really love it. Python has compact but explicit grammar, a great community and community process and a wealth of open source libraries and frameworks. It is not surprising that companies like Google and YouTube is using it a lot.
I was, am, and will be using C++.
However, I am starting to like scripting languages more and more.
Two favorites: Lua and Python.
I love php because his ease of use. I’ll never forget javascript, it was my door to OOP, really intuitive.
ColdFusion Markup Language – Syntax ease of HTML and JavaScript with the power of Java.
I would have to say ColdFusion. It has just about everything built in (if you’re using Adobe’s version), and if something’s missing, You have but to state your wish and chances are it will get included in a later version.
I like how the syntax is structured, making it easy to read, especially since I started out with HTML. I’ve tried a bit of Perl, but I can’t quite get used to the way the code looks. i’d like to try PHP and Ruby at some point, just to see how these work.
Favorite on the level of actually having fond memories of learning it – Z80 assembler.
Favorite on the level of making me buckets of money right now – Ruby. With the Rails framework, to be precise. :)
Sinclair BASIC, programmed on rubber keys, in my dressing gown with a glass of milk.
Since it hasn’t been mentioned yet, I’ll share my dark secret: I’m a big fan of Tcl (http://www.tcl.tk/). It’s close enough to LISP to be quite powerful, but close enough to shell scripting to be useful for even simple tasks. Plus, it’s the primary language that’s used in AOLserver (http://aolserver.com/). :-)
I started with PHP and now switched to Ruby (and Rails). Now that I’m used to Ruby I can’t (and won’t) go back to PHP. For other things I use C++ and starting to switch to Java.
I started many years ago with Basic and then progressed to Pascal and Assembly. I’ve used Python, Ruby, C++, PHP, and Java to pay my bills.
My favorite language, the one I’m doing all my extra-curricular hacking in is Erlang, though. I love it’s conciseness and easy support for concurrent and distributed programming.
My vote for language that sucks the most is PHP. I’ve used 4.x and 5.x and have to say its inconsistent implementation makes it a real PITA to use.
ColdFusion, especially version 8, is so simple and fun, yet powerful and versatile enough for enterprise development. I enjoy being able to rapidly develop high-performance, fault-tolerant, robust web software without necessarily being forced into Object-oriented complexity to get the “best bang for the buck”.
Also, with easy Web 2.0 integration (AJAX and Flex/Flash come to mind), I can concentrate on code logic with a fraction of the lines of code I’d have to write with C#, Java, etc.
And if you find the high-end clients who need senior-level CF developers, you have virtually no competition on job interviews (at least in Texas ;-)
For what little coding I do anymore, I use PHP since I’m running WordPress-powered blogs. But my favorite language of all time remains Perl. The syntax is idiosyncratic, the regex tools incomprehensible, the packages indispensable. Still, what a fun language. I was never much of a coder and even less of one now. But when I think in code, that code is Perl.
ColdFusion, all the way!
coldfusion is teh bollx
When I have my choice I love to use ColdFusion. My paycheck requires that I use ASP.NET C# which is sucking the life out of me.
ColdFusion definitely is my favorite especially version 8. It gets better every release.
C# 2.0 ( for Business Applications) / C++ (for low level programming)
I have plenty of reasons to love it :) Primarily since UI management is neat … It doesnt take forever to make a decent and usable , neat , windows compatible UI and secondly there is a hell lot the compiler or the IDE does for you , Neat Memory management , a very fine implementation on object oriented programming can be achieved.
what i love about the ColdFusion world is the total spontainaity of the community, their independence of mind and their absolute refusal to let anyone – ANYONE – tell them what to do.
for instance, just to pick a random example, if someone were to write a blog post which called on CF developers to furtively ballot-stuff an utterly inconsequential online poll in a desperate attempt to claw back some sense of relevance….i’m SURE they wouldn’t do it.
PHP and SQL are my Batman & Robin. Perl is great to get things done quickly and dirty. Rexx is cool when you can find it. Java, no thanks.
I like using 1s and 0s
I will go with C++ any day. It’s versatile, it’s trusted and proven, it’s fast,it’s cross platform. Lots of people using it, so lots of help, user forums, source code available.
If I have to do some quick scripting, test out, prototype, I will go with Python.
Currently I use C#, PHP, VB.net, never done java before and I don’t think I am going to touch it.
I still love COBOL.
I am a wizard at it.
JonRowett – if that’s true then I’m delighted to see the CFML community finally promoting itself the way other languages have for years.
There’s languages I enjoy, and languages I love. Python is in the latter, but I enjoy working with C#(I wish it was officially supported on linux), javascript, and even (oddly) xslt.
Oh! I’d add that as D matures, I could get heavily into that on the client side. (F# also looks interesting.)
PHP is great as its the only one that runs on all OS’s but it still lacks a proper visual dev environment. Codebase tried but it cannot cope with large projects. Javascript is only surviving because thats all the browsers support though I agree its improving with the no of libraries. We need a proper dev environment for it too (in IE anyway…I know FF has some plugins that do this)
All programming languages suck.
Throughout my career I’ve seen the rise and fall of COBOL, Java (a couple of times!), REXX, and a myriad little buzzy languages.
The two that remain in solid demand, and in which I continue to be able to solve every problem I’m presented with, are Perl and C/C++ (in that order, no less).
OK, I may be the sole voter for this, and I just might reveal my age-bracket, but I’ll go with FORTRAN, and by that I mean FORTRAN 77. Give me those GOTO statements any day over pointers !
Dammnit, a splog actually linked to a comment? of mine? What gives? I know this fellow is scraping my blog, but comments is just crazy. I whoised the villian, and I am sorely tempted to post his contact info right here.
…
For what its worth his site is running on php.
I love AREXX. I have been using it since my c-64 days with .NET I am able to code faster and more efficient than anyone I know. Dead languages are the best security too.
VIVA AMIGA !!!!
………openspan
Because it allows me to easily write a program using a drag and drop interface which helps make sense of all the other programs which have ever been written.
It’s the crazy glue that holds the big bag of sh?? together.
Excel and QuickBasic (Ahhh…..Basic with a compiler).
~AoB
Also used Fortran 77 a lot…
My favorite is my favorite PHP. Especially now that I’ve been using the CakePHP framework.
………Openspan
Not many people using it yet however, this guy put Openspan #1 on his list of top 10 I.T. companies to watch in 2008.
http://havemacwillblog.com/2008/01/06/10-it-companies-to-watch-in-2008/
I started out as an artist and visual designer.. now forging ahead with some programming. ONly ever tried PHP.. but I have to admit I hate it.
What’s the easiest, most intuitive programming language to learn? Is there a better thread for this?
Python! Without question :-) I’ve been coding since 1981 and have worked with and coded in numerous languages. For the past 9 years, python has remained at the top of my list. For the past 5 years, I’ve made a living just being able to write in the highly concurrent async networking framework of twisted python…
It’s not a job nor a language: it’s a passion.
PowerBuilder! It still rocks.
Perl mostly using CGI::Application framework with the rest of LAMP pack and of course JavaScript for AJAX stuff.
Must admit that I have loads of fun with C# (apart from Halo and keyboards – only good thing from M$) on college.
I’ve done a lot of work in Progress 4GL over the last several years and have really enjoyed it.
I use PHP the most now. It’s handy for web stuff, but I don’t like it very much. My favorite of all times is Perl. This is the language that I truly love and use any opportunity to program in. Beautiful.
With that, I have to admit, that it’s been a long while since I learned a new programming language. Back in college days it wasn’t a month without playing with something new, but these days I don’t have the time (and sometimes I lack the will too). I wish I experimented more.
Lisp no doubt ..its fun in a way…. Java to pay bills :)
@JonRowett FWIW I am a long time WWD reader and have even have my applications (Spot-On to be precise) mentioned on WWD (written in ColdFusion none the less). I read the blog post and added my 2 cents… only later to see someone had posted it to their CF blog and invited some people to add their 2 cents. Far from ballot stuffing and if you would like go tell a few people on your blog to post here also.
Better late than never. Another ColdFusion programmer checking in. Can’t beat it for R.A.D. and the Framework & RIA community is so awesome it can be overwhelming!
i do coldfusion, php, asp and c. but i love more coldfusion…
i love using C# with ASP.Net and ofcourse i am going to learn and focus on using f# as well that is coming out from Microsoft
CFML
cfml.
I’ve been working for ‘The Protium Project’ for about two years now and have done serious stuff in Compaq Visual Fortran, Microsoft C/C++, ObjectAda and GNAT, MASM32, Perl (with ActiveState’s PDK), VB6, and VBScript.
I really like Protium itself. Very powerful and expressive.
I’ve always has a soft spot for SNOBOL. Newer languages aren’t necessarily better and SNOBOL’s pattern matching will always make Regular Expression look lame.
Other favourites: Modula-2, Tcl, Mouse, Clipper (I still do maintenance programming in that), Euphoria (now open-source with a translate-to-C option) and SIL’s CC.
I’d like to learn (not in any order or priority): Forth, Dylan, Eiffel, Mumps, D and xblite.
I don’t think any languages suck. Mind you, I haven’t found a good use for most eso-langs. And for some weird reason, I’ve always found Java impenetrable.
xBase (Clipper / (x)Harbour). Simple & powerfull.
The only two real programming languages: solder and assembly code. Why assembly code? Memory is the most expensive part of an embedded microcontroller. Assembly code miminizes that. Processor speed uses up power. Low-power equipment uses less power if you write code in assembly. The difficulty in writing assembly code encourages fast, tight code resulting in fast applications.
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