Top 10 programming languages to keep you employed

Have you checked out the TIOBE index? It ranks the most popular programming language on a monthly basis based on a number of different criteria.

I visit it every now and again, and the turnover rate is amazing. Popular languages one month may be out of the top 20 the next. For someone looking to keep their skills current and learn a new useful language, the choices are overwhelming. If you start learning a language now, will it still be popular in a year or so when you’re finally good at it? Maybe not.

How can you know which language you should devote your time to learning? If you’re looking to keep your programming skills current, but can’t decide on a language, check out this article on eweek.com entitled, "Top 10 programming languages to keep you employed." It provides a nice list of languages as well as a brief description of each.

Interestingly enough, the article and the Tiobe index both agree on the top choice: Java. Not only has Java been widely used for years now, but usage is predicted to remain high in the near future. Frankly, I’m not surprised…Java is a very powerful language.

However, Java does have one big problem that I’ve heard mentioned quite often: The learning curve. It’s true…Java is complicated and difficult to learn. Learning Java can take anywhere from 6 months to a couple years.

So, if you wish to become a productive Java programmer in a year or two, you better start learning now. Or, you could do what this company did. They wanted a Java-based B2B web site, yet no one in their IT department knew Java, and they didn’t have time to learn. Instead, they built everything they needed using m-Power, and actually began learning Java by osmosis along the way.

If you've written off Java as too difficult, give m-Power a try. You’ll be developing Java web applications in no time, and might even learn Java in the process. To test m-Power out for yourself, check out our free test drive.