Best computer languages to learn

[Naerron]

So, I am looking for a way to work from home to keep a job while I persue grad school. Have done a little SQL work years ago, but I know most jobs in that field require or at least benefit greatly from knowledge of more languages. And I guess anothet question I have that dove tails with my original question is about entry level jobs be in website maintainer or what have you that would be good in my situation. Thanks for any help and sorry for sloppy grammar on my phone.

[Nirgon]

Java, SQL, Javascript, HTML (And CSS if you want to do it like a civilized practitioner of the arts)

Combining Java/SQL you will want to learn Hibernate and Spring.

Trust me.

As far as good programming styles, get used to the Sun standard of code formatting (aka something that is cleanly readable by most) and naming conventions all around on the above noted.

Learning how to make code that does stuff and code that is maintainable is another matter. Once you've nailed the basics and practiced them a bit, learn some design patterns like Factory, MVC, Observer, State and maybe Singleton.

Good Javascript stuff to learn would be Sencha (EXTJS) and jQuery (powerful, maybe a little challenging).

It's a marathon not a race. Stack Overflow is your friend... and of course... practice, practice, practice.

PM me if you don't know where to start bud.

[DOPE]

There isn't a 'best language to learn'. All depends on what you're trying to accomplish.

[SamwiseRed]

Malbolge is an excellent 'first' language. Can't begin to tell you how useful it is.

[Naerron]

So just a little update, and i would love any suggestions as well. I started learning SQL by going thru this website http://cli.learncodethehardway.org . Currently i am learning python as a building block, had to learn command prompt as well. I am about halfway thru with the python lessons and wondering if this is a good route to be taking or should i diverge at all? Also, any tips or tricks for self teaching or good resources for self teaching would be wonderful. THanks guys.

[skacat]

There isn't a 'best language to learn'. All depends on what you're trying to accomplish.

This is the right answer.

And since you said what you want to do is maintain websites, I'd recommend PHP. You'll probably pick up a little JavaScript on the way too to make things a little shinier.

In reality, you'll learn a bunch of languages if you get into programming, and the first one will simply be the first one you learned. Learning additional programming languages is not like learning spoken languages.

Once you've learned one language enough to feel like you 'know how to program', learning the next one is more like learning a new dialect. A few new vocab words, a few new idioms, and you're set. This is not 100% true for every single programming language, but it is as far as "useful" and popular ones go (Python and C/C++ and Java and JavaScript and Ruby and Go and the like).

I don't personally use PHP at all, but if your goal is to make a first step into making a few dollars maintaining websites, I have to imagine it's the shortest route from little-to-no-experience to $.

Scope out some tutorials and try setting up a site backed by a DB for something you're into. Even if it's absurd, just get something up and running online.

Currently I'm mainly doing iOS, did web programming and research stuff in the past. Programming is not 'for' everyone and it takes awhile (years?) to really wrap your head around it. You can be productive before that, but just don't give up, and accept some ambiguity in things you don't understand, and just keep crackin.

Good luck and feel free to ask me questions.