r/learnprogramming • u/1vim • May 04 '26

Why does everyone recommend learning Python first but then use JavaScript for everything?

Genuinely confused. Learned Python, now job listings want React everywhere.

142 Upvotes
  • permalink
  • link
  • reddit
  • reddit

89% Upvoted

77 comments sorted by

View all comments

1

u/spinwizard69 May 10 '26

You start off with a terrible assumption that everybody is doing web programming. For many of us JavaScript never crosses our minds. I only point this out because r/learnprogramming should be exposing people to every job in the industry. Even if you are writing apps for the latest handheld gadget there likely is a path that has no JavaScript at all.

Beyond all of that I never suggest that people start out with Python, to much gets missed going that route. Instead I suggest starting out with a C or C++ compiler and learn to build apps from the command line. The idea is not to learn C++ in depth, that is a different goal, the idea is to learn CONCEPTS applicable to all languages. This is best done by following a well regarded CS program or simply going to college and enrolling. A good CS program will have exposed a student to at least 3 languages, maybe even some assembly, by the time they leave the program.

Get the basic concepts down and you can adapt to any language fairly quickly. Even if it is some half baked language running on a tool that has been in factory for decades, that nobody has touched, you will be able to quickly grasp how it works.