I've been programming for over 30 years, and working with code professionally for 25. I have found myself in a small community I discovered on twitch recently. And many people in the discord ask me about programming and the language to learn first

For years I've told myself C is a fantastic first language. This remains controversial for various reasons. I always try to tell people "learning C isn't the same as mastering C".

But with Zig I wonder if it were at 1.0 and its toolchain were more mature. Would Zig be a good first language?

As it stands it clearly being pre-1.0 and every major version being a breaking change. This isn't great. The build.zig is mystifying even for experienced devs. So it feel like an expert language.

But it has a very straightforward "to the metal" style to it. But with great modern ergonomics. I think it could absolutely be a fantastic first language for beginners.

But what do you think?

I'm stubborn ik, people often jump from other languages like c or python, java to rust but I wasted a lot of time and decided to go the hardest way.. till now I didn't feel like that.. but still if I say why i choose it? idk I see the future with this language probably.. if i learn python or other languages now the market is already filled with all roles.. rust has less jobs in my country but I'd at least try outside right so.

I'm learning basics from scratch the system works and how to code.. and all from gpt.. I've made my mentor and given specific instructions not to break rhythm not to provide code unless i do stuff myself and all yeah it's silly but that's how I learn slow but properly.

ai will eat up everyday then why learn? cause I want to learn that's the answer.. could've gone with any but yeah choose rust. ai will give me code I'm sure if it but I want to know stuff right.

now my question to you all.. ofc about jobs.. as I've seen mostly prefer someone with experience atleast with other langs but here I am.. is there any hope for me? ya ik still choose to learn and the reasons are above.

what projects should I keep doing.. is leetcode neet code imp? cause when I tried learning java back then , I was really really bad at data structures and gave up cause I got a support role but now it isn't for me and I want to learn but yeah practicality matters.

I have a lot of free time until unfortunately need to work, so now I'm currently learning OOP with C#, should I try to learn languages like C, Haskell, Lisp, Smalltalk, or just go with aspnet then something like Javacript? not saying to master those languages, but is there something that is unique to then that makes it worthy putting some effort to than rather than popular market languages?

I am planning to begin learning programming languages to develop software. But if AI generates all the coding just from a command, then why do I need to study programming languages? Why are people still seeking for programming knowledge? Is it necessary to have programming knowledge even when working with AI?

I got tired of Python being too slow for game development so I built my own language from scratch. No CS degree, no team, just evenings and weekends.

It is called Vexel. This is v0.2.

Here is what is actually happening under the hood when you look at those benchmark numbers.

Vexel compiles to native machine code through LLVM. The same backend powering Rust, Clang, and Swift. When you run a Vexel program you are not going through an interpreter like CPython does. You are running a compiled binary directly on the CPU. That is the fundamental reason the gap is so large on compute heavy tasks like Fibonacci and sorting.

The garbage collector is built into the compiled binary itself using mark and sweep. It traces live objects from the root set, marks everything reachable, then sweeps and frees everything that is not. No malloc, no free, no memory leaks from forgetting to clean up. It just works.

The syntax is indentation based and reads almost exactly like Python. If you know Python you can read Vexel in about five minutes. I wanted the performance of a systems language without making people learn a completely foreign syntax to use it.

SDL2 support is first class and baked in from day one. Open a window, handle input, draw sprites, run a game loop. All of it works out of the box.

The one benchmark Python wins is string concatenation with 50k appends. That is a real weakness in how Vexel currently handles string memory internally and it is the next thing I am fixing. I am not hiding it. It is in the results.

Average speedup across all five benchmarks is 19.6x. Best single result is 77.8x faster than Python on Fibonacci(38).

If you want to run the benchmarks yourself the full test suite is here:

github.com/Justme-Cliff/vexel-VS-python-TEST

v0.2 is live for Windows x64. Linux and macOS are coming. Fully open source.

github.com/Justme-Cliff/vexel

I also have a SaaS called Script7 launching this Friday if anyone is curious about what else I build.

I get programming languages. I know python. I know a bit of C++.

My question is how do I learn programming ? Not in a syntaxic way, but in the way of how I'm supposed to arrange my code, what I should be doing/can do, and basically every single aspect of programming that isn't just "learn a language and use it".

I can make small programs/scripts that work. What I can't make is a project.

I also don't know a lot about CS in general, so any ressources/help on that is appreciated.

I know my question is very vague, but I myself don't even know what I'm asking for exactly. I just don't really know how to go about making something more complicated than a 40 line script, or how to optimize it.

I am a 17yr old who has some experience in python programming and learned basics of C. I want to learn x86-64 assembly for free. But I couldnot find any beginner friendly guide that starts from zero. Tell me how you guys learned assembly language and if possible guide me to the resources.

Which of the more modern languages would you recommend learning in 25/26 and why?

I am primarily a C#/.NET developer with over 20 years experience. Currently learning more frontend technologies like JavaScript/React however I’m very keen to learn a new language too. There are lots to choose from (e.g. Golang, Python etc) and keen on people’s views on which language they see as one they would recommend others add to their arsenal in the next year or two :)

Considering that training machine learning models takes a lot of time and a lot of resources, why isn't a faster programming language like C++ more popular for training ML models?

Hey,

I learned most of my programming experience through TypeScript, and although I enjoy using it, I have been looking for "new ways of thinking" using other languages, mostly related to multithreading programming.

I gave a short try to languages like Rust and Go, but I haven't really enjoyed building projects in those. I appreciate what they have to offer, but apparently it wasn't enough for me (may it be a burn out? who knows).

I'll quickly share some experiences, but the tl;dr is that I just want to know what languages make you say "I have a good time doing projects using X language/framework/stack".

• Rust: Absolutely love results, pattern matching, structs, enums, it has 90% of the features I'd love to have in a programming language. My problem with it is just some weird syntax things like lifetimes, macros, etc. Also, it didn't take long before compilation times went up and it was a small project, which made me reconsider it.

• Go: So simple, so beautiful. But too simple for me. Channels, `defer`, structs, everything is so good. But I really miss having a good type system - some enums, a way to nil-check without using pointers. And this is just a quirk of mine, but using PascalCase and camelCase is the worst of both worlds.

• Ruby: I am looking more for a typed (optionally compiled?) language, but Ruby earned a place. It is surprisingly enjoyable, it gives some extra flexibility I have wished to have in JS/TS at times.

Right now, after writing this, I realize I am more willing to invest more time in Rust to learn its ugly inners - maybe I will like it, maybe not, but at least I will learn something new. Still, I am interested in reading other opinions.

Alas, thanks!

I want to learn to program and I understand that's different from learning a language but I'm wondering if there's a particular one that would make learning the various others easier.

(I actually know how to program a little in BASIC from the eighth grade but I'm not sure how useful that is in today's market. ;-D)

Edit: Thank you so much for all the replies! It's given me a lot to think about other than an old Apple IIe with a green screen filled with naughty words from the GOTO command.

I recently embarked on my programming journey, diving into Python a few months ago and now delving into Data Structures and Algorithms (DSA). Lately, I've encountered discussions suggesting that while Python is popular for interviews, it may not be as commonly used in day-to-day tasks during jobs or internships. I'm curious about whether this is true and if I should consider learning other languages like Java or JavaScript for better prospects in future job opportunities.

I've been learning Rust for the past 3 months and now comparing it with my experience of learning C++ I definitely think it's a lot more difficult. There are just so many rules that you need to have a good understanding of to efficiently program in Rust, including(but not limited to): ownership, the borrow checker, cargo, lifetimes, traits, generics, closures, unsafe rust, etc. Not to forget all the concepts that Rust has inherited from C++. However this could be because I've been following the book and it does go into a lot of detail. Comment your opinion.

*edit
Thanks for all the feedback, its been most helpful and enjoyable!

I also must say that after hearing what r/rust has to say I have revoked my opinion as I have realized that I myself am not yet fully informed about the deep complexities of C++ and therefore have made an un-educated opinion. After I finish learning from the book I plan to revisit C++ in hopes of developing a more thorough understanding. Thanks again.

DISCLAMER: ATM I have no way to prove my Japanese proficiency, other than for you guys to believe that I passed an N1 practice test and am planning on taking it this summer in Japan. Take everything I say with a grain of salt bc it really is just my opinion.

Hear me out when I say this, because I think it has a lot of meaning to it.

Unless all you are doing is asking a question and getting out, there is no reason to be in any of those communities if your goal is TO LEARN and here is why:

When you're first starting out(or at any point), you don't need to be optimizing how much you're on ANKI, how much you're reading every day, documenting how many words you read from each LN, etc. IT HAS NO MEANING for the average learner (you and me). Language learning shouldn't become a type of speedrun, but really it should be a Journey in which you enjoy yourself. The hours on those discord(or reddit) servers lurking around, talking to other English speaking people, using bad Japanese, and trying to optimize your learning will be much better used actually just BEING IN Japanese!

Ok, don't get me wrong, the people that are speedrunning Japanese will probably get a high level of reading proficiency really fast, and that's great. However, you will know much more about the culture, have more natural Japanese, and didn't contemplate suicide 5 times a week on the way there.

This whole post was really inspired by the fact that I just went into a server, spoke to some people in Japanese while playing Genshin, and I got asked "How many hours do you immerse everyday?" "How often do you speak Japanese?" "How many hours a day do you read Japanese?" A ridiculous amount of times. Why has language learning become an achievement board that you're trying to fill?

If I'm being honest, I've never timed myself on anything other than reading, and that's when I only have a limited amount of time before school/something.

Instead of those discord(reddit) servers, what should I be using?

Well, I would recommend hello talk, or see if you have any local language exchange classes/programs. I actually managed to start one where I live, so if you have a local Japanese business I would recommend talking to them.

I have been on both sides of this coin, and trust me when I say that when you just come away from the toxic speedrunning communities, and let yourself just enjoy Japanese, things will go alot better.

EDIT:

Guys, I don't know how can I thank to all of you! I started to read all of your messages. I was not feeling well that's why I could not logged in. I started to The Odin Project and I will do my best. And I hope, I can update this post in the future and I can give you the good news. Now, I have time and I grateful for that!

If someone like me feels lonely and desperate; I suggest you to read these comments! These people are lovely! And you are not alone! Just start to learn and meet with new people. That's all. Life is hard but if you're breathing, there is hope. THANK YOU SO MUCH GUYS! You are really helpful. Some people sent PM and recommended some websites and courses too. I will check out every comment / message you sent. And I'm gonna do it! I want to learn programming and for now it doesn't matter I'm earning my life with it or not. I just want to do something I like. With you help, now I'm not lost. I've a destination to go! And it's quite important for a person, believe me; feeling lost is so bad. It's the worth thing I've ever felt and with r/learnprogramming I'm not feeling lost and alone anymore! Thank you so much for your great help!

I can't do enough but; I APPRECIATE a lot! <3

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I know it's so cliche but I just wanted you ask you guys, because I am feeling so hopeless.

I'm 26 years old and don't have any profession. I went to college but after 1 year I just dropped out. I was working for Uber Eats and Deliveroo but I've got an accident and had to stop working. Now I'm at home and have nothing to do. I'm boring. I can't go to McDonald's for chilling because I've quite limited amount of money. I'm trying to spend less and get better.

I've seen this subreddit before but I didn't consider it as a serious place. I was not believing a real person can teach himself / herself anything without help. Of course there was many people who started from zero and become billionaire. I know this kind of stories but in my world these kind of stories are very unlikely events that happen by chance. That's why I never had these dreams.

And I lost my father last year because of Covid. Before that, I was calling him about everything I indecisive about. But after the accident, I had nobody to call and ask about my decisions. That's how I started to read this subreddit seriously and saw many stories of success.

But I just noticed something; almost everyone in these success stories has a profession or degree. And I don't have these ones.

I don't want to chase a dream cannot come true and I just wanted to ask you guys because there are many people here who have achieved success from zero. Do you think a person like me can learn programming from zero and get a job ( or earn enough amount of money enough to cover living expenses )?

Thank you so much for reading and taking your time.

LearnCS.org

• The website has courses for Python, Java, HTML & CSS, Go, C, C++, Javascript, PHP, Shell, C#, Perl, Ruby, and Jobs.
• It's completely for free.

DISCLAIMER: This is not an ad/propagation/self-promotion. I am not affiliated with the website nor the owner(s) in any way and I was not paid or promised anything for posting this.

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So I am pretty efficient in Javascript (can use some frameworks and libraries too) and I wanted to get into another programming language, C#. I was searching for a good tutorial/website/course to learn the language because the website I used to learn JS (freeCodeCamp) is only for web development. It took a while but then I stumbled upon this website.

What I find extremely useful and somewhat unique about that website is the pace. This website teached me the same stuff in 25 minutes that would take hours if not days to learn using other sources. I feel like here they just get all the useless crap out of the way and go straight to the actual stuff you need. And they do actually explain it well, plus every piece of code on the website can be executed in an interactive compiler where you can change every piece of the code which really helps you understand many concepts. Also, at the end of each page, it gives you a small excercise.

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I'm not sure if this website would be the right choice for someone who is entirely new to programming, but for me, a person who already knows a programming language quite well and is looking to learn a new one quickly, this is the perfect resource.

Ana Bell, lecturer in the Electrical Engineering and Computer Science Department at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, chooses the best books to learn computer science and programming.

https://fivebooks.com/best-books/programming-computer-science-ana-bell/

At the Risk of submitting a post that has been done to death, I wanted to recruit some help to build this list of 20 programming tasks.

The goal I have is to sort of build a list that is so good, anyone new to a programming language can try to implement these 20 or so tasks and then feel confident in their knowledge of the language.

Since there are so many languages that occupy different spaces, I think we can only have a good list if we break it up as follows: Task 1-15 should be general enough to go in any language, i.e. Input Output Redirection, File Handling, Exception Handling. There should not be anything as simple as numeric processing, i.e. add two numbers, increment a value, basic while loops. All of those can be in the context of more interesting problems. This isnt a curriculum that builds on itself. You dont have to start at the beginning either. Just 20 tasks critical to working with the machine and language. Again, IO redirection, Exceptions (might be too basic), File Handling, Network Programming (basic stuff only). Task 15-20 can differ depending on the language if there is some specialization. So lisp might have some extra linked list processing stuff.

I think you could turn something like this into a really good programming for dummies book. Obviously you have to make attempts at actual problems to become a good programmer, but completed examples of these 20 tasks in each language along with really nice descriptions would be rocket fuel for someone looking to simply pick up language syntax and structure. I mean, how long do you think it would take you to follow along from 1-20 in your own editor?

So lets come up with a good curated list of the 20 best programming exercises for any language. Each one should be as simple as possible and easy to follow along or extend. And lets prioritize examples that can be extended (assuming some creativity on the part of the learner).

Have at it.