Comments on: Do You Need To Know More Than One Language?

By: Saeed Gatson

Saeed Gatson — Sat, 21 May 2016 18:10:00 +0000

Yea I agree. I’ve found that there’s a lot of overlap between most languages.

By: Saeed Gatson

Saeed Gatson — Sat, 21 May 2016 18:09:00 +0000

How many languages should you learn? That’s a good question. I’ll have to explore that a bit more. Sounds like you’re on to something.

By: Saeed Gatson

Saeed Gatson — Sat, 21 May 2016 18:07:00 +0000

In reply to Sean Mitchell. Yea that's a good point. There is hidden overhead to learning new languages.

By: Sean Mitchell

Sean Mitchell — Mon, 21 Dec 2015 15:26:00 +0000

Learning a new language is not that hard. It’s learning the ecosystem that really takes time. For example, an experienced C# programmer should be fairly competent in Java in a matter of a couple weeks. But learning things like the build tools, the IDEs, the libraries, and the frameworks where much of the real work gets done… that’s a good year.

By: Kevin O'Shaughnessy

Kevin O'Shaughnessy — Sat, 24 Oct 2015 21:23:00 +0000

In reply to Ryan Blackmore.

Yes I agree. If you learn the central programming principles well, its much easier to learn new languages. There are a lot of arguments over which language is best, if there was one language is rule them all, everyone would already be coding in it.

Different languages have been created to suit different needs and preferences. Learning a new language can help improve your programming skills in your original language as well. You’ll learn new techniques, some of which can be applied across many languages.

Also languages are evolving all the time and tend to borrow ideas off of each other. For example Java and C# have borrowed ideas from each other. This makes it easier to learn new additions to a language because the concept is already familiar

By: Kevin O'Shaughnessy

Kevin O'Shaughnessy — Sat, 24 Oct 2015 20:55:00 +0000

If you’re looking to break into the industry, then picking one language and learning it well is fine. For professional programmers however, you’re sheltering yourself if you don’t learn at least a second language. SQL hasn’t been mentioned, but there aren’t many sophisticated programs that you can write without an understanding of database technologies.

So for me, the question isn’t should you learn a 2nd language but how many should you learn?

Learning a new language isn’t necessarily difficult. For example moving from VB.NET to C# or vice versa isn’t too hard because you are still using the same platform and tooling. Moving to a different platform is usually much harder.

By: Slapout

Slapout — Wed, 14 Oct 2015 02:01:00 +0000

If you’re trying to learn a second programming language, I have an app that may help. It’s called “Coder’s Stone”. It’s a programming language cross reference.

You can use it to see the syntax of something — say a for loop — in the language you know next to the one you’re learning.

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/coders-stone/id1025387750?mt=8

By: Slapout

Slapout — Wed, 14 Oct 2015 01:51:00 +0000

I think it’s interesting to see how the same concept is implemented differently across languages.

By: Roxanne Reyes

Roxanne Reyes — Sun, 04 Oct 2015 20:08:00 +0000

I am also new to programming and wondered what language should I learn. Therefore, I chose C#.NET because it’s commonly used and what most employers want now days. Now I started doing Windows apps and Windows phone apps to help cement the skills I’m learning. After I create a few phone apps I plan to apply for a job. This way I show employers I have a solid understanding of C#.NET coding. I am so anxious to get working at a job right away, so I am wondering should I apply now since the job market might be slow.

By: Jethro Bodine

Jethro Bodine — Wed, 30 Sep 2015 00:39:00 +0000

Something else to consider is, how much you enjoy using a particular language. I’ve used a variety of languages over the years and there are some, I hope to never have to use again.