There are thousands of programming languages, with hundreds of them being more or less well-known. Developing a new programming language is not difficult; however, making a good one is. This is why there is a limited number of popular ones. When deciding which one to start with, only several dominate the market. Which programming language is better to start your journey with? What popular programming languages dominate the market today? What languages are universal? What are top-paying programming languages? And where to find high-quality online programming courses? I'm here to give you answers to these and other questions below.
I have divided this list of the top 10 programming languages into two parts. The fact is that there have long been mainstream languages in programming that are always in demand because they are time-tested and work in the largest projects. There are also innovative languages that are popularizing rapidly but don't always have an established ecosystem. For professional development, it is always optimal to have one or two main languages with which to do serious projects; plus, it is important to have at least a basic understanding of several other languages so that you can quickly pick up tasks in other areas if necessary or out of curiosity.
So, let's move on to the programming languages worth paying attention to this year.
MAINSTREAM LANGUAGES THAT ARE ALWAYS IN DEMAND
JavaScript/Typescript
JavaScript remains the "default" language for web developers. It has consistently been a leader on GitHub regarding code volume, and nothing has changed in 2025—it is essential for the web.
However, TypeScript (a JavaScript superset that adds static typing) has almost become a standard for serious front-end projects. More and more developers use TS as their primary language because static typing and advanced features make code more reliable and easier to maintain. Therefore, today, we can say: "JavaScript is a must-know, but if you want to work on modern web projects, you can't do without TypeScript."
Python
Python continues to be one of the leaders, and in terms of growth rate, it is even ahead of the rating leader. In recent years, it has gained even more ground in data analytics, artificial intelligence, and machine learning. Universities are still eagerly using it for teaching, and thanks to the popularity of cloud platforms (AWS, GCP, Azure) and the development of MLOps, the demand for Python developers is only growing. If you're looking for an easy-to-learn but incredibly versatile language to get started with, Python is still a win-win.
Java
In 2025, Java will steadily retain its leadership as a workhorse for enterprises and large high-load systems. Moreover, new versions of Java acquire syntactic abbreviations, and thanks to the development of GraalVM and WebAssembly, Java is trying to remain competitive not only in the "classic" backend. If you plan to work with large corporations, the banking sector, or any system that requires stability, Java is an excellent choice.
C#
C# remains the strongest language in the Microsoft ecosystem. It is popular in the enterprise, and game developers rely on it (thanks to Unity). The new features of .NET in the latest versions offer high performance and ease of development. Microsoft continues developing functionality and tools (Visual Studio, GitHub Copilot integrations, and others), so C# will remain a universal choice in 2025.
SQL
SQL is not exactly a "programming language", but the demand for knowledge of relational databases has not disappeared. The active development of NoSQL solutions has slowed down somewhat, and classic DBMSs such as PostgreSQL, MySQL, Oracle, or SQL Server are still used in a huge number of projects. Therefore, SQL is definitely worth keeping in your "arsenal", and you can even become a highly specialized database specialist and make it your main tool.
INNOVATIVE LANGUAGES THAT TAKE YOU BEYOND THE COMFORT ZONE
Rust
Rust is gaining popularity and will cease to be "exotic" in 2025. There are increasingly more projects where Rust replaces C/C++. It provides memory safety, high execution speed, and a developed ecosystem of packages (crates). Many startups and large IT companies rewrite performance-critical modules in Rust, so learning this language is a good investment in the future.
GO
Go (Golang) continues its triumphant march, especially in the cloud, microservices, and platform engineering ecosystem. In 2025, Go will further strengthen its position thanks to native scaling support and simple syntax. If Rust is more likely to "replace" C++, Go is often an alternative to Java/C# for those teams that want the lightest but most productive language for backend and DevOps tasks.
Kotlin
Kotlin has finally stopped being "just a language for Android" and has fully established itself in server-side development. More and more companies are choosing Kotlin due to its modern syntax and compatibility with Java libraries. If you're a fan of the Java ecosystem but want a more "agile" syntax, Kotlin is the perfect choice. In 2025, you will increasingly see its use in multiplatform development (Kotlin Multiplatform).
Elixir (and other functional languages)
Functional languages such as Elixir, F#, or Haskell are still niche in 2025, but many companies are interested in them because of their high scalability and reliability. Elixir based on Erlang/OTP is perfect for systems that require live communication and processing many simultaneous connections (chats, streaming, IoT). The demand for engineers who understand the functional paradigm is slowly but surely growing.
Solidity (and smart contract languages)
The hype around web3 and blockchain waxes and wanes, but the development of smart contracts in Solidity is still a promising niche. In 2025, many frameworks for testing and secure development of DeFi products appeared. Although the blockchain project market may be stormy, those who want to understand the principles of Web3 should still consider Solidity. Moreover, such expertise broadens the horizons and opens the door to innovative projects.
FAQ
What are the most difficult programming languages to learn?
Beginners often don't realize that all languages are about the same in complexity. The difficulty is not in the language itself but in the field of programming and the approach to it. That is why you need to learn programming as such. Algorithms and data structures are language-independent. The language only implements the tasks. However, of course, all languages do this in different ways.
There are high-level and low-level languages. In low-level languages, you have to solve many things yourself. For example, when working with C and C++, you must do many things yourself. It helps you understand how it works, and you can write fast code if you know what you are doing. However, it's difficult for a beginner—you need a lot of code to solve simple things. Also, it's not very productive if you need to create a solution quickly. Languages such as JavaScript or Python are popular because they are much faster to start writing code in. They are simpler because you can write minimal code, and it will work, unlike Java and C#, where you need to learn much more of the language before you can start doing useful things with it.
Functional languages such as Elixir or Scala are pretty challenging to master. A beginner can learn functional programming languages, but you need to understand why you are doing it. If you're looking for a job, you should know that Scala is most likely to be used by someone with a lot of Java experience. However, if you want to master the concept, it will definitely be a helpful experience that will broaden your horizons.
How many languages does a developer need to know?
A good developer learns several languages throughout their career and switches between them. There is a principle in forming a professional approach called a T-shaped person. It means you choose a direction where you become a narrow specialist while expanding your competence areas. For example, you can be a full stack developer: write the front end in JavaScript and the back end in Java or C#. This way, you have two active languages that you keep in mind and practice with. However, it's almost impossible to code in many languages, say, ten actively. It will be difficult for you to switch constantly, which will harm your productivity and results. Therefore, it is enough to learn one language and, at some point, learn the next one.
What are the most versatile programming languages?
JavaScript is the most widespread language that works on almost everything. It is used for both the back and front ends. Python is also used in various fields. The main advantage of JavaScript is that it was created for the browser. Accordingly, it works on all computers and smartphones. All other languages have only recently introduced a technology called WebAssembly, which allows transforming code and executing it in a browser, but it is not yet widespread enough.
However, I don't like to talk about universality in the context of programming languages. Language is a tool. Just like a handyman doesn't have a universal tool that does everything, let's say he doesn't have a screwdriver that opens all the screws or does all the work. It's the same for a developer—you must choose a specific tool for a particular task. All you need to do is learn and not be afraid to master new things.