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The best programming language does NOT exist

Here's the translation of the article into US English: ---

When I started programming, I did it with a programming language called Visual Basic, and at that time, it seemed to me to be the best. Then, I learned C++, and now C++ seemed to be the best to me. Then, once again, I learned another language (Java), and again, it seemed to be the best to me. And I could surely continue with the list because ultimately, the language that was most comfortable for me was the one that seemed better than the others.

Now, just because a programming language seems comfortable to me doesn't imply that it is for another programmer (actually, it shouldn't), so knowing which is the best programming language is NOT possible. That's right, it is NOT possible to know which programming language is the best, and in fact, there are many other reasons why it is not possible. Here I tell you about them.

The "battle" of programming languages:

You might be thinking right now, "but for me, programming language 'X' is the best," or "my programmer friend has told me that such programming language is better than the others." Well, that battle between programming languages, and indeed, among programmers themselves, has always existed. However, it is a meaningless battle that will never have a winner because it all depends on the eyes with which you look at it and the approach you give it; because a good programmer eventually realizes that the programming language is the least of it. What really matters is their ability to find suitable solutions to problems, and the technology or programming language to use for it is secondary. Many times, the type of problem or need defines the programming language to use because there is NO programming language that fits to solve any type of problem.

Now, of course, there are programming languages that adapt more to certain problems than others. Python, for example, often has more simple instructions that allow complex actions to be performed through the use of a few functions, especially for data analysis; Ruby is more flexible and adapts very well at runtime; on the other hand, there are stricter languages that care about good practices, almost obliging the programmer to do things right, as is the case with Java or C#, but they do so by sacrificing some versatility and thus making some things take longer to be implemented; PHP, on the other hand, is more flexible and allows many things that in other languages could never be done or would take much longer. However, PHP is designed for the web and therefore does not apply in other scenarios. There are also other flexible languages, but because they are so flexible, many programmers used very bad practices in their beginnings, which gave them a bad image.

Concluding on the best programming language

In view of the above, it becomes clear that the important thing is not only the programming language but the problem to be solved and that it is also always good to know your possibilities and understand the fact that at some point, you will have to use another language for some reason. Of course, you don't have to master all existing programming languages because you should strive to work with the one with which you feel you have greater productivity and comfort. Saying which is better and which is not, just because you feel more comfortable with that language or because it is the one you know, makes no sense. They are all good or bad depending on the hands that use them and the problem being solved. So what should concern you is perfecting your skills in your favorite language (even if many say it's not the best - and they will -) and you'll be able to build beautiful solutions. However, do not deny the need or possibility of building solutions in other programming languages, as things change constantly, and you must adapt to it.

Finally, a good programmer is aware that any technology in good hands is very effective, so ALWAYS apply the best practices and think carefully about your solutions before proceeding to implement them (regardless of the language). The programming language is just the tool, not the solution. The solution is proposed by the programmer; and if it's bad, then perhaps something went wrong with their process, not with the programming language. And beware! Because that problem-solving process may even involve choosing the right programming language.

This article was updated 5 months ago

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Juan David Meza González

JuanDMeGon

Magister, Ingeniero, Desarrollador
Web & Instructor

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