Why Does Every Programmer Need To Learn JavaScript?

Jun 9, 2021

5 Min Read

It is very noticeable that programming is a lucrative career path. It may not be the highest-paid position in the company (not the worst by any means), but there is a huge demand for programmers in the job market.

According to a forecast, JavaScript will grow more rapidly in the coming years. Even amid the Covid-19 crisis, there was no shortage of demand for programmers. Whether you are learning to program or are already a programmer, you are in the right place. Want to open your horizons to learning new languages?

To start, select one out of the many languages ​​and platforms that exist on the market. Wondering which to choose or where to start? C++, Ruby, JavaScript, C#, Java, Objective-C, PHP, or Python?

What about the other Languages?

Well, there are sure as many options as people you ask. Ruby is super-cool. Many people use PHP. C# allows cross-platform mobile development and is everywhere in many tech companies. Java seems to be in demand in many large companies. Concerning Python, people talk a lot about its highly simplified syntax and not complicated usage.

Some old school programmers would even tell you that you are a complete “loser” if you don’t learn C++. Well, with the criterion of experience, JavaSript is the language recommended to every programmer to learn.

Thinking of programming for the Web, mobiles, automate the operating system, or desktop applications? JavaScript is still a language you should know. Having a good base of HTML and CSS is essential.

Although it is not about programming with the possibility of performing complex algorithms, in the conventional sense, they are markup languages. Here are the reasons why every programmer needs to learn JavaScript:

Easy to start programming with

Since there is no configuration or installation of any kind, there is no programming language today at the fingertips of anyone. The browser you use has everything you need to start testing JavaScript. To prove this, press the F12 key right now.

The fundamentals of the language are simple and allow you to write code without complicating your life beforehand. If you intend to learn a framework such as .NET, Ruby on Rails, or Java, you have to understand many things before you can write the first line of code:

  •  The architecture and components of the platform
  •  The development tools
  •  Project conventions
  •  Object-oriented concepts, and more

While in JavaScript, you can write your first simple code approximately 2 minutes after you start studying it. It is encouraging and acts as a lubricant. It helps to learn with less friction between you and the language.

Generally, the best way to learn to program is by programming. The self-discovery of concepts, being able to progress little by little from the first moment without worry about unnecessary details, helps a lot.

There are a series of questions and concepts that are universal and used in all programming languages: variables, arrays, strings, methods and functions, loops, conditionals, objects, inheritance, and understanding the logic behind any program. These fundamental concepts are transversal to all languages. When you master them in one, they serve you for life in any other language you decide to learn. That’s why the sooner you study them, the better, and JavaScript allows you to code quickly.

Versatility

Compared to other languages, JavaScript is much easier, but it does not mean it is that simple or unsophisticated. One of the beauties of this language is that it does not restrict you to a single programming style. Thus, JavaScript is multi-paradigm and is both:

  •  A traditional procedural language
  •  A functional language
  •  Imperative
  •  Dynamic in terms of types
  •  Event oriented
  •  Object-oriented

In this way, it does not limit you when choosing a specific programming style. It allows you to learn, embrace, and use many of them with other languages or on other platforms. It is a great learning base to change later if necessary.

JavaScript is everywhere

JavaScript is present today in practically any field:

  •  Databases
  •  Internet Servers
  •  Operating System
  •  Mobile Development
  •  Gaming Platforms
  •  DIY Hardware
  •  System Administration, both in Linux and Windows

The scope is incredible. The promise that Java made more than 20 years ago (“Write once, run everywhere”), no other language has come as close to achieving it as JavaScript. Not even Java itself, which has nothing to do with each other.

The Web is eating the world. Soon, HTML, CSS, and JavaScript will be everywhere. With JavaScript, you can use it as your only programming language from the client to the server through the database. The famous MEAN Stack (MongoDB + Express + AngularJS + NodeJS) uses JavaScript as the only language.

Nowadays, it is clear that the language bias is more towards the Web, increasingly covering more areas, and soon becomes a universal language. JavaScript is exploding as a general-purpose programming language.

Highly Demanded

If your goal is to work as a programmer, choosing another language that offers the same job opportunities as JavaScript might not take you far. The position of web programmer is one of the most demanded in the job market. And you can’t be a web programmer without mastering JavaScript.

Based on the labor market trends, JavaScript and related technologies (jQuery, HTML, and CSS) are among the most needed languages ​​by many companies today. For example, in the US, it is assumed that JavaSript is the most demanded language by startups.

Well, it does not come with knowing only JavaScript. If you want to be a front-end developer, you can build a professional career with only HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and jQuery.

Because, like it or not, you will end up using it

As a professional programmer, it would be strange if you don’t have to use JavaScript at some point and in the coming years.

The Internet is already part of EVERYTHING. You can dedicate yourself to creating low-level device drivers or something similar. If not so, you will still end up doing something that involves the Internet.

For example, what do you have to use an API to communicate with a service?:

 JavaScript. A scalable, high-performance NoSQL database?

 JavaScript. A multi-platform mobile version of your management application created in a short time?

Almost everything is JavaScript!

You can close your eyes and ignore it, but the world around you increasingly revolves around JavaScript.

Summary

Note that JavaScript is not the only language you should know. You can also learn other languages. On the other hand, it is a language that every programmer should know well. Even if you stay in the orbit of HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, you will need to learn other languages. You can also pick up jQuery, Angular, SPAs, and Mobile web development in this area. If you already dedicate yourself to programming professionally, learning JavaScript will be helpful. Sooner or later, you will need it, and you will be able to take advantage of its versatility. In that case, the job market is demanding it.

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