2022 is on its way, and as a new year start, we all have goals that we wish we can achieve. Whether you already are a programmer or you're looking to become one, there's a lot that you can learn to expand your knowledge or grow in your career.
In this article, I'll share some programming languages and frameworks you should consider learning in the upcoming year based on what's trending in the tech world. These are programming languages that can help you land a new job or just grow as a programmer.
Please note that although this article will include programming languages and frameworks that can be used for different apps and platforms, my main focus as always is web development. So, most of the languages and frameworks listed here are related to web development.
If you're interested in learning any of these programming languages, be sure to check out these websites that can help you learn and practice different programming languages.
Programming Languages
Python
According to PYPL, Python is the #1 popular language as of December 2021. Python is widely known for its ease of learning and use. If you're not familiar with Python, Python is a programming language that focuses on making the code human-readable. Using Python, you can create websites, apps, games, servers, and more types of projects for different platforms.
Python is one of the highly demanded skills among job postings. On Glassdoor, you can find over 14k jobs that require Python. By learning Python, you have a higher chance of finding a job or upgrading your job.
JavaScript
JavaScript keeps rising in popularity over the years, as its possibilities keep expanding. It currently is the #3 popular language according to PYPL, and according to Statista, it's the #1 programming language used by developers worldwide in 2021. Started as just a frontend development language to add client-side functionalities to websites, it now can be used for many purposes. JavaScript can be used to create both the frontend and the backend of a website, making it a full-stack development language. JavaScript can also be used to create mobile apps, desktop software, CLI, and more.
JavaScript is another programming language that's popular in job postings. On Glassdoor, you can find over 11k job postings that require JavaScript.
Java
Java is a programming language that has been popular for a very long time, and its popularity doesn't seem to be decreasing with time. Ranking #2 in popularity on PYPL, Java is a programming language that first appeared on May 26, 1995 (before I was even born). It's an object-oriented programming language that can be used to create servers, desktop software, android apps, and more.
As for job postings, Java is fairly popular as well among job postings. On Glassdoor, you can find over 8k job postings related to Java.
Swift
If you're interested in developing iOS apps, Swift is what you need to learn. Ranking #8 on PYPL, Swift is a programming language created by Apple in 2014 and that can be used to create apps for iOS, iPadOS, macOS, tvOS, and watchOS. It's described as an intuitive and powerful language.
By learning Swift, you open your doors to becoming an iOS developer. Currently, there are over 2k jobs for iOS developers on Glassdoor.
Frameworks/Libraries
React
React is the most used web development framework worldwide in 2021 according to Statista. It's a JavaScript library that allows you to create fast and reactive websites easily. It's easy to learn and using React you have unlimited possibilities when creating websites.
React's popularity has been increasing among job postings. At the moment, it has over 5k job postings on Glassdoor.
Flutter
Flutter is a framework to create cross-platform apps. Using Flutter, you can create apps for mobile, desktop, and the web. It's a framework created by Google in 2017 and has been gaining a lot of popularity. According to Statista, it's now the most used cross-platform mobile framework in 2021.
Flutter uses Dart as a programming language, so you'll need to learn it as well. At the moment, Flutter has over 500 job postings on Glassdoor.
Tailwind CSS
Tailwind CSS has gained so much popularity in the past few months. It's a CSS framework that aims to help create reusable components with minimal CSS code. Also, using its tree-shaking method when creating a production build of your code, the size of your CSS bundle will decrease based on what you are using in your website.
At the moment, you won't find a lot of jobs that require knowledge in Tailwind CSS. However, with the amount of popularity it's gaining and the framework's potential, I recommend learning Tailwind CSS as it's a big step up from other CSS frameworks.
Express
If you're looking into becoming a backend developer, Express is a good place to start. Express is a JavaScript library that helps you create a web server. By learning Express, you can become a backend or full-stack developer. Currently, there are almost 3k full-stack developer jobs on Glassdoor.
React Native
React Native is another cross-platform mobile development framework. Based on React, React Native was developed to create cross-platform apps using React. According to Statista, it's the #2 most used cross-platform mobile framework among developers in 2021. At the moment, React Native has over 5k job postings on Glassdoor.
Laravel
Laravel is a PHP framework that's used to create websites. Laravel follows the Model-View-Controller (MVC) architectural pattern. Although PHP's popularity keeps decreasing, Laravel is a great backend framework that keeps evolving with time. It now can be paired with popular frontend technologies like React, Vue, Tailwind CSS, and more, allowing you to have the best of both worlds stack. At the moment, there are over 600 job postings on Glassdoor that require Laravel.
Vue.js
Vue.js is another popular JavaScript framework. According to Statista, it's the fifth most used web framework in 2021. Vue.js is a front-end framework that's easy to learn and can be used to create a wide variety type of websites. It currently has over 700 job postings on Glassdoor.
Conclusion
When choosing to learn a new programming language, you need to focus on the programming language that will help you grow as a developer. Focus on what goal you have as a developer, whether a new one or an experienced one, then see what programming languages and frameworks can help you achieve these goals.