DEV Community

What's your 1st programming language & What you use today?

OM on November 17, 2020

Hey, Dev folks πŸ‘‹

What was the first programming language you learned?

And what are you using today?

Let's discuss how far we have come ....

.
.

Follow - Om Bharatiya on Twitter

Collapse
 
oguimbal profile image
Olivier Guimbal • Edited

Somewhat in order, since ~2000, omitting front technologies (JS, html, etc):

  • VBA
  • C++
  • BlitzBasic (an old 3D game thing)
  • PHP
  • ActionScript
  • C#
  • Java
  • F#
  • Fortran (Masters in a research domain... this one hurts)
  • Python
  • Typescript (node+front+deno),
  • Clojure(script)
  • Purescript & Haskell

I still use today:

  • Typescript
  • Purescript & Haskell
  • Python
  • C#
Collapse
 
ombharatiya profile image
OM

Wow ... 2 decades of tech bath! You started the same year ECMAScripts's first stable version was launched. And things have changed like war in these 2 decades. Your journey must have been amazing!

Collapse
 
oguimbal profile image
Olivier Guimbal • Edited

Haha pretty much, yes :) Web technologies were mostly out of my radar until 2004 though (except for Flash).
It wrote code mostly for pleasure and student money back then, and I still have some code I wrote 15 years ago that I'm not very proud of :D
Professionally, I only used C++, C#, Python, Java, F#, JS/Typescript/node.

That said, I'm pretty sure the techs I listed would appear as "modern stuff" to some. Year 2k is not that far away !

Thread Thread
 
ombharatiya profile image
OM

You're talking about the time when there were no StackOverflow and good documentations, no YouTube tutorials. Great to e-meet you :)

Thread Thread
 
jennrmillerdev profile image
Jen Miller • Edited

no stackoverflow!?
how in the world were you guys able to center a div in a div? :)

Collapse
 
sandordargo profile image
Sandor Dargo

If we don't count Logo, I started with Turbo Pascal. Today I mostly use C++ and Python.

Collapse
 
ombharatiya profile image
OM

Python really has come a long way. Nowadays I see folks starting with Python and staying Python forever.

And C++, unbeatable as always.

Collapse
 
_hs_ profile image
HS

C++ was introduced to me by my fathers cousin. I currently hang on JVM stack with Kotlin, Java and Groovy.

But let's put it in some order:

  1. C++ at 13 just the basics like loops, variables... then BASIC (not visual one) at school
  2. PHP at 15 or later just to explore Joomla at that time (and of course JavaScript, SQL ...), and Pascal for school which I have no idea about right now
  3. C to check out what's different from C++ at 19 when going to college (starting to understand a bit more now)
  4. At the same time C# and Java - I knew about Java before and liked it but never tried it (the OO hell :D)
  5. PHP again - for a job this time
  6. Java for a Job
  7. C# and a bit of Node.js and Java for Android
  8. Java and a bit of Scala
  9. C# again with TypeScript(Angular) for front
  10. Java, Kotlin, Groovy, C#, Python (simple scripts), (Cyher - if SQL counts so does Neo4j language :D)

And of course besides of mandatory ones for job or school, played with VB as a kid, later Ruby and Go. Planing on checking out more languages like Rust just for fun. I would love to write my own language following "Nand to Tetris" just to get an overview of the things I'm missing at some places :D.

Collapse
 
metalmikester profile image
Michel Renaud

BASIC on the C64, then GW-BASIC on the PC. But it's with Turbo Pascal that I started getting more into it.

Nowadays it's largely C# and JavaScript.

Collapse
 
ferceg profile image
ferceg

Similarly, C64/C16/C+4 BASIC + assembly, then Turbo Pascal on PC, i386 assembly, C, C++, then Java, JS, PHP, C#.
Nowadays working mainly in PHP, learning Rust and Dart for fun and for widening my sight.

Collapse
 
metalmikester profile image
Michel Renaud

I also did some assembly on 8088 and SPARC, but just for fun (8088) and university (SPARC). That never amounted to anything but a frozen PC (8088 assembly) - lol. I forgot that I do have a web site that uses PHP. I rarely need to change the code these days. My stalled personal project is to rewrite it completely using ASP.NET Core.

I also did some COBOL and Modula-2, but never outside of school. I did some C++ and C++/CLI at work.

Definitely forgot a lot earlier. I guess my coffee is starting to kick in.

Collapse
 
ombharatiya profile image
OM

Yeah, I started learning Turbo Pascal as well in the very beginning. But later moved to Java Soon, due to its demand.

Collapse
 
metalmikester profile image
Michel Renaud

Java didn't come out until nearly 10 years later in my case. So there was some C, xBASE languages (dBASE III Plus, Clipper, FoxBase+/FoxPro) in the meantime. And SAS. I've never actually worked with Java.

Collapse
 
shaijut profile image
Shaiju T • Edited
  • Overview of C , C++ , Java and C# in College.
  • Java project in Internship.
  • Now C# in work. I like it because, C# is making developer life easier with tooling support of Visual Studio and VS Code.
Collapse
 
tominekan profile image
Tomi Adenekan

Python was my first (not counting scratch πŸ˜‚). Python is what I use today.

Collapse
 
ombharatiya profile image
OM

Yeah, the same thing I was discussing with Sandor. It's a great language indeed.

Collapse
 
tominekan profile image
Tomi Adenekan

Exactly πŸ˜€

Collapse
 
jbryan11 profile image
Peek.A.Bo0 • Edited

Back when I was in high school, I remember my first language that I used was VB. After that I shift into C/C++, Java, ASM, VHDL(Idk if this counted as a programming language...) when I entered in college.

Recently I use Javascript (Nodejs and other frameworks), C# for game dev, C++ or Python for IoT/Embedded Systems.

Collapse
 
jennrmillerdev profile image
Jen Miller

hmm I started with Java in high school. Learned Java in University (also Python), and continued with Java and Javascript today.

I have never touched C or C++ other then for assignments in university. I always say it would be nice to dabble with C one day...but that day never happens...

Collapse
 
josuerodriguez98 profile image
JosuΓ© RodrΓ­guez (He/Him)

My first programming language was Java and today I'm mostly using TypeScript. Along the way (about 5 years I've been studying engineering) I've learnt C++, JavaScript, Python and a little PHP. I've got a long way ahead of me, but I'm staying positive 😁

Collapse
 
mandrewcito profile image
AndrΓ©s Baamonde Lozano

I started with PHP at 15, now profesionally, python and C#, for backend and frontend (javascript -insert random framework here-). And for my personal project projects python. If project needs a fronted ... vue is my preference

Collapse
 
brianfoley81 profile image
Brian Foley

My first language was BASIC back in the late 80s. I'm not completely sure what version of BASIC it was, but I remember making text adventure games with my sister and father on our home PC and having a lot of fun doing it.

The first language I learned that I still use today is Javascript, which I learned when it was new in the mid-90s when I was in high school. Naturally, I use it for much different things nowadays.

The first language I learned "the right way" according to some snobs I've worked with through the years (meaning I learned it in a college classroom) was C++. I never really used it after leaving college but learning it definitely opened my eyes to how programming works under the hood.

The first language I learned that I fell in love with while learning it was Python, which I learned in the mid 00's. I still love using it today even though its not something I use at work (unfortunately). It's my daily driver for my home projects, despite a lot of my programmer friends thinking you should be using JS for everything!

Collapse
 
jonrandy profile image
Jon Randy πŸŽ–οΈ • Edited

Since 1983:

  • ZX Spectrum BASIC (ZX Spectrum)
  • Z80 Assembly Language (ZX Spectrum)
  • QBasic
  • Powerbasic
  • C
  • Pascal
  • GFABasic (Amiga)
  • AMOS (Amiga)
  • VisualBasic
  • VBA
  • Javascript
  • PHP
  • Ruby
  • Python
  • Haskell

At the moment - mostly Javascript and Python, some PHP

All self taught from age 7

Collapse
 
ahferroin7 profile image
Austin S. Hemmelgarn

Rough order of what languages I β€˜learned’ (excluding data-only stuff like YAML or JSON and purely presentational languages like HTML and CSS):

  • Racket (back when it was DrScheme, I probably could not use it or any other Scheme dialect today even if my life depended on it)
  • C
  • FreeBASIC (like with Racket, probably could not use it today).
  • Lua
  • Python
  • MS-DOS CMD
  • Java
  • JavaScript
  • Lex
  • Yacc
  • Forth
  • AVR assembly
  • MSP430 assembly
  • POSIX sh
  • VimScript (and by extension ex and sed)
  • SQL
  • PowerShell
  • AWK
  • Elixir
  • M4

In theory, I’ve not β€˜learned’ but can still kind of understand most C family languages, Erlang, PHP, Ruby, Pascal, FORTRAN, ALGOL, PERL, and Go.

Of all of that, the only ones I actually work with regularly today are Python, POSIX sh, and more recently Elixir, though I still make occasional use of many of the others.

Collapse
 
dvlprmo profile image
Mohammad

I started using Java as a first programming language, but then I move fast to other languages specifically php and js. I haven't use Java at all since I got out of my two intro to programming courses at college. Today I am using js including its framework angular and RoR. I used C/C++ and Python. I have done some assembly and drRacket [dunno if it's spelled correctly]. Now, I am focusing on web development alot till i get myself mastered in it.

Collapse
 
yoursunny profile image
Junxiao Shi • Edited

My first general purpose programming language is Visual Basic 6.0. The first program I made on my own, excluding examples from books, is a typewriter game (2002).
Source code and binary: github.com/yoursunny/code2014/tree...
Screencast: twitter.com/yoursunny/status/82845...

Before that, I learned PC-LOGO and FoxBASE in elementary school (1997), but I did not realize that these were programming languages.

Collapse
 
thepranavjain profile image
Pranav Jain

I started with an educational programming language called logo in school. Didn't do much with that, just wrote code to make some doodles. Then moved to BASIC (again in school). I have forgotten both of them now.
Learnt Java, Python, C++ as they were part of some courses. Forgotten most of Java & C++ now as I haven't used them in recent years.
Currently using Nodejs and Typescript at work. I also have some experience in Golang.

Collapse
 
jacobboyd profile image
Jacob Boyd

Started with Java in College, but ended up using Php and JavaScript first job out of college. Then moved to Swift, objective-C, and Java for my next job. Sprinkle some Sql on both. Now i'm using JavaScript, C#, Python at my current position.

Collapse
 
tichif profile image
Dalzon Charles-Hebert

C++ was my first language. I use JavaScript actually

Collapse
 
ombharatiya profile image
OM

Yeah, typically we start learning Data Structures in C++ and then in job we tend to work on the on-demand things.

Collapse
 
tichif profile image
Dalzon Charles-Hebert

Yes, you're right

Collapse
 
andreidascalu profile image
Andrei Dascalu

Counting only languages that I really learned to the point of writing useful stuff with it (listing those I learned for academic purposes separately)

First was BASIC (gw basic), then Pascal and Assembly (wrote lots of cheats for games), then Java and C++ (in University, but of the two I also used Java for a later job), Delphi and Bash script (also in university, but only Bash I used professionally), then JS and PHP (during university but outside of it, they became my main languages). Now I mainly use Go and I also dabble in Python and Rust

Collapse
 
lavanyaraman20 profile image
Lavanya Seetharaman

First was C programming, then C++ , next java, c#,
Now I am working simultaneously on python, PHP, and javascript.

Collapse
 
Sloan, the sloth mascot
Comment deleted
Collapse
 
lorvent profile image
lorvent

what a lame comment,
how on earth you can decide what someone else do

and as a matter of fact, wordpress alone powering more than 35% of web

and if php is that bad, then why would most of the websites are in php?

i guess it has become a fashion for people to bash php (just like ppl used to do windows long back)

end of the day, what matters is what your employer/clients wants.... PERIOD

Collapse
 
filipparyz profile image
Filip ParyΕΌ

I started with HTML. It was fast and easy to see the results as I already had the browser installed. Then I found out about Arduino and met with C. Tried some C++ and desktop applications but my heart fell head first into embedded projects. Now I'm an embedded software developer and still use C and C++ with a little Python if needed.

Collapse
 
daviddalbusco profile image
David Dal Busco

If we don't count Turbo Pascal from the early days, I learned Java in Engineering School. Used it for a long time in my career but transitioned to the web last years and use now mostly JavaScript (Stencil, Angular, React, Typescript).

Collapse
 
amaralani profile image
Amir Maralani

I don't really think that PL/SQL is considered a programming language but it's the first one I used (in a job).

In the university, we were taught a bit of Pascal and C++, but it was never comprehensive.

I'm a Java developer now. I also use a bit of JavaScript of course (who doesn't these days?!).

Collapse
 
ericchapman profile image
Eric The Coder

First was Basic
next Turbo Pascal,
next Visual Basic,
next C#,
now mostly Python, PHP and some Javascript

Collapse
 
ombharatiya profile image
OM

Python & JS are the kinds of webdev today it seems from all the comments.

Collapse
 
fkkarakurt profile image
Fatih Küçükkarakurt

Hello. Actually I started with C because of the courses at the engineering faculty. Then I got very interested in game development. I started developing myself in C # because I used the Unity game engine. I continue my adventure as C, C ++ and C # respectively. Nowadays I am trying to improve myself in Python language.

Collapse
 
sasbibic profile image
sasbibic

Not counting early attempts with ZX Spectrum and Pascal.

From 1985 -> TODAY (earning money with it) :

  • Cobol (on VMS)
  • Basic (on VMS)
  • Macro32 (assembler on VMS)
  • Visual Basic (PC)
  • C (Linux)
  • C# (PC)
  • Java (Android)
  • Javascript (recently...)

Small trips to using: PHP, Python, C++,...

Collapse
 
alenpaulvarghese profile image
AlenPaulVarghese

Started with python, now using both python and go

Collapse
 
ombharatiya profile image
OM

Way to go!!

Collapse
 
igorasilveira profile image
Igor Silveira

My first real-world app-building programming language was C++.
Now I'm working mainly with JavaScript, front and back πŸ˜€

Collapse
 
ombharatiya profile image
OM

JS is not getting older any soon :D

Collapse
 
dhruvacube profile image
Dhruva Shaw • Edited

My first ever programming was Q-BASIC, Visual Basic which taught to me in 6th class then moved to javascript then to php and SQL then after few year PL/SQL then Now I am currently Python developer!!!!

Collapse
 
aminarria profile image
Amin Arria

Started with C++, but wasn't until 4 years later (during my CS degree) that I understood pointers

Now I'm using Elixir and Erlang

Collapse
 
cristiancastrodc profile image
cristiancastrodc

Started Computer Science in 2010 learning Pascal πŸ˜„
Now I'm happily coding C#, Javascript and PHP with .NET Core, Angular and Laravel.

Collapse
 
itstgr profile image
itsTGR

C and C++ at the very beginning.
Then LabVIEW.
Then C# for internship, later I usted a little of Java.
In the job I have used Python and some Bash Scripting.
I currently use Python.

Collapse
 
benjsoft profile image
Benjsoft

CLIPPER SUMMER 87

Collapse
 
szam profile image
Samuel Grasse-Haroldsen

C++
Ruby
JavaScript
I think Python is next on the list!

Collapse
 
dominikrapacki profile image
DominikRapacki

Started with JS and used some PHP for WordPress development and some e-commerce software

Collapse
 
eomm profile image
Manuel Spigolon

I worked 10 years with Java, I'm playing with Node.js since 3 years ago

Java teaches me fundamentals
Node.js gives me the enjoy to don't get crazy for every line of code: it is flawless for me

Collapse
 
ombharatiya profile image
OM

I wrote my first Hello World in C++.

Today ... I do Java, Python & JavaScript. πŸ˜…

Collapse
 
devoresyah profile image
DeVoresyah ArEst

Javascript, I learn it when I was Elementary School. Since then, I change my goal from being a doctor to be a programmer.

And now I become Fullstack Javascript πŸ”₯πŸ”₯πŸ”₯

Collapse
 
qmenoret profile image
Quentin MΓ©noret

First was C, before studyimg computer science. Now it's mostly node.js / react / ruby on rails.
Love ruby for the speed of development but definitely stronger with node πŸ™‚

Collapse
 
trollboy_j profile image
Jacko

Python, JavaScript, HTML/CSS, Java, and where I’m at today: C#. I hopped from a lot of different categories πŸ˜…

Collapse
 
winstonpuckett profile image
Winston Puckett

I started with SmallBasic as a kid. Now it's C# mostly.

Collapse
 
alex_takitani profile image
Alex Takitani

Started with GWBasic and now I use mainly Ruby

Collapse
 
lucastrvsn profile image
Lucas Trevisan

Started with C and now I work with Rust and Javascript (Typescript).

Collapse
 
untungso profile image
Untung So Andryanto

Learned CPP, Python, PHP, Javascript
Using Typescript and Golang

Collapse
 
alvinb profile image
Alvin Bryan

Flash and PHP ha ha #old

Collapse
 
azzenabidi profile image
Azzen Abidi

My first programming language is Pascal.

Today I mainly use python and Ruby.

Collapse
 
danytulumidis profile image
Dany Tulumidis

I guess it was C now its Javascript/Typescript and i love it <3

Collapse
 
ilphryn profile image
Jean Emmanuel KOFFI

first Visual Basic and now mostly JavaScript, TypeScript and JAVA

Collapse
 
fuuijin profile image
Mattias Ross

QBasic, today its javascript and rust.