According to statistics, JavaScript is currently the most commonly-used programming language in the world (>65%), followed by HTML/CSS (>55%), SQL (>49%), Python (>48%), and TypeScript (>34%). They are the most preferred languages among developers. However, choosing a programming language for app development depends on its purpose. What platform or app will it be used for? The best iOS app development language would be Objective-C or Swift. Java could be the way to go if you develop an Android app.
What is a programming language?
A programming language is a set of instructions written to accomplish a specific task. Essentially, an application is a converted code. And a programming language is a tool to create this code. It is made of a series of symbols that allow translating thoughts into instructions computers can understand.
There are hundreds of programming languages, but each of them has its own syntax and purpose.
What are the types of custom mobile app development?
There are three types of mobile apps: Native, Hybrid, and Web. Let’s quickly go through them.
– Native Mobile Apps. Native mobile apps are designed to be “native” to one platform. So, they fit a specific operating system like iOS, Android, Windows, etc. You can perform with the same functions and design, but it will be different programs. The development process takes more time and budget. Native services are faster and use less battery power and memory. WhatsApp and Spotify are one of them.
– Web apps. They are adaptations of sites, scaled to fit the different screen sizes of mobile devices. However, they cannot access users’ hardware like a native one. And need to be downloaded and installed. Facebook and Pinterest are examples of web apps.
– Hybrid Mobile Apps. It is something between native and web apps. They have limited access to hardware and need an internet connection to download content. But the design does not adapt to different screen sizes, which affects performance speed. At the same time, it saves time and resources. These services operate on a small amount of information. The most famous examples are Gmail and Twitter.
– Cross-platform mobile apps. Cross-platform app development allows creating solutions for both iOS and Android at once.
How to choose a language for different types of apps?
Different types of app development require different languages:
– For native mobile app development, developers use Java to fit the Android operating system, and Objective-C or Swift is used for iOS app development.
– To develop a hybrid or cross-platform mobile app, choose a simple language that works with web and mobile technologies. It can be HTML5, CSS3 or JavaScript.
– For developing a website app, you need language compatible with web browsers. The most popular are PHP, ASP.NET, and Ruby on Rails.
– Desktop applications’ programming language should compare with your operating system. Some popular choices for this type of development include C++, C#, and Go.
– The best language to develop an AI/ML application would be Python, R, and Lisp, which are compatible with artificial intelligence and machine learning algorithms.
– Secure applications need a language with built-in security features like SQL, Python, and HTML.
The most preferred language to start in mobile app development
Let’s define the most common programming language, its pros, and cons. The prime choice of developers all over the world became JavaScript. It smoothly runs in other environments outside of browsers and can be compiled from various programming languages. It is also considered the simplest coding language to learn for app development. Its pros:
– It doesn’t need to be compiled and works faster on client-side browsing.
– Versatile and flexible.
– Easy to control.
– No set standard and plenty of room for variation.
However, JavaScript has some cons like:
– Vulnerability.
– Support issues.
– Server-side scripts provide the same output, and client-side is unpredictable.
