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FAQ: Which Language Is The Best To Learn.

(can someone with the relevant powers make this sticky?)

This is a question which comes up time and time again. To advoid people asking the same question again and again, I decided to make list of languages and what they are good for. There is no best language to learn. They are all different and used for different reasons (hence, so many of them). This is as much of an exhustive list as I can think of. If you want to add to the list, be my guest:

Assembly (ASM):
You'll typically want to use MASM or NASM for this (compilers). Assembly is a pnumonic form of the core 0s and 1s the CPU directly understands to carry out instructions. It requires alot of instructions, typically, to do anything obviously useful. The use of assembly is virtually obsolete now, what with higher-level language compiler technology so good nowadays, there is no need to use assembly (a new C super-compiler exists, apparently, that even knocks hand-written+optimised assembly into a hat!). You would want to use assembly for very efficient code (because the instructions allow complete manipulation of the CPU). What is typically used, are Assembly directives in a C program (so you can write the bulk in C - alot easier - and the bits that need to be optimised, in assembly). Although good higher-level-language compilers do exist, they are very expensive (so this C/ASM approach is still an option). Good only for very complex projects, due to the difficultly in learning and using assembly.

C:
This is a higher-level-language than ASM. This means, that each instruction does more (so less has to be written, and it's easier to debug). C has become the de-facto standard for ALOT of companies. This reason is historical (and that, as a result, more people know C than any other language), and not necessarily a good one. Learning C is good if you want to write something on a CV you'll know be useful for a lot of computing jobs. C, however, allows alot of dirty tricks and has poor memory management. This basically means, its very easy to insert a bug which exists only because the program has allowed an action to take place that shouldn't be allowed to happen. The latter means a thing known as "memory leak" happens frequently, which is where over time the program fails to deallocate memory it used. The syntax of C also makes it a hard language to get into C. However, C is both very fast and very flexible (its possible to use the "dirty tricks" for clever programming). Both free ANSI compilers, and paid for Borland and Microsoft compilers are typically used to compile C. (Integrated into Unix. Therefore very easy to write a C program for, say, Linux)

C++:
Same as C, but with OOP added (among other things). OOP (object orientented programming) is a very big trait used in programming today, especially for large projects. It is a useful thing to know, and hence alot of people skip to learning C++, without bothering to learn C first. Same pros+cons as C apply for C++. The only thing to remember is, C programs are typically faster than C++ programs. But this is due to C++ programs usually containg objects. On the flip-side, the use of OOP allows for programs that would be tricky to do in C, and not likely be as efficient.

Ada95:
Very strict language. Similar syntax to C (well, closer still to Pascal, but i don't really know anything about that language). It forces good programming technique, by inforcing strict rules on what you can and can't program. This takes away some of the flexibility, that would be visible in a C program; this isn't a problem, however, since problems are worked around, and are more likely to work. It is used for safety-critical systems, where it is a necessity the program doesn't crash (e.g. the software used to control a nuclear-power-plant). For this reason, its not often learnt by the layman, but is still good to consider, if you think you might want to extra discipline to help in learning good programming practise. Free compilers can be found on the net easily. Contains OOP. (infact, is the only language officially supporting OOP.) Typically not as fast as C, but apparently, frequently beats similar C++ code in speed.

Visual Basic:
OK - my knowledge of VB is fundamental at best, but it is supposedly a very easy language to learn. It also used in macros in Office apps, but also as a variant called VBA or Visual Basic For Applications. VBA is the language to learn if you want to integrate and manipulate Microsoft Office Documents and MS Access Databases. Contains OOP. Another variant of this (Simialr to how Java and Javascript are) is ASP or Active Server Pages.

ASP: Like PHP, this is a scripting language and is not compiled prior to being run. It is interpreted at run time. This generally causes a performance hit because the code is being interpreted as it is "read" into memory by the server when the page is requested. This is object oriented. All variables are of type VARIANT which again causes a hit because they are not specifically declared as a "string" or "integer" etc. ASP is a dynamic language that allows dynamic content,database driven applications and websites to be made much like PHP. ASP has the ability to call ActiveX components that perform specicif functions based on parameters passed to the ActiveX Object that is instantiated when called. ActiveX components can be written in C/C++ , VB or .NET. ASP can only be run on Microsoft IIS though there is an emulator for *nix, it is very slow.

Java:
Cross-compatable code. Compile once, and it should work on any computer with a Virtual Machine. Used everywhere, mobile phones, PDAs, Web-sites; the list goes on. It is useful, because you can learn one language and be able to code for your PC, but also for your mobile phone. SImilar syntax to C. Supports OOP. Not as fast as the aformentioned languages, due to having to run on a VM. However, my argument for that is: I suspect there are very few people, who want to program, that will ever write code that absolutely requires that extra bit of speed. If your program is too slow, its because you've written it badly, not because the language is a bit slower. Free and Pay-for compilers available.

PHP:
A back-end language for web-applications and services. It allows dynamic content for a web page (e.g. a forum, you click the same link, but the page content will vary depending on whats on the database). Supports OOP, and has alot of nifty features that allow for some pretty powerful code. Using the Zen pre-processor (i don't think it counts a fully fledged compiler) can be faster than all the other currently available back-end languages. Its free, and requires no compilation (since it runs natively on the server's software).

JavaScript:
A cut down, and slightly modified version of Java. Used for web-page wizardry (e.g. when you choose an item from a drop-down menu in a form, and the form changes slightly: thats JavaScript doing that). This allows the site to be dynamic once its downloaded to your browser (rather than generate a dynamic page). Basically, anything that wants to move on your site (unless its done in Flash or is an animation file) has to be done in JS. Its pretty essential to learn, therefore, if you plan on making web-sites.

HTML:
Hyper-Text-Markup-Language
This is the "language required" to build the body of any web page. This is an absolute must if you plan on getting into web-design. Though HTML isn't really a language, it is mostly for formatting web pages for display purposes.

XML:
Extensible-Markup-Language
This is pretty cool to learn. It can be used in web pages, but can be used in any program really. It (much like HTML, which are basically the same thing. HTML can be expressed in XML.) is parsed, meaning the syntax of the language is checked, and any semantic meaning behind a tarticular tag results in code being executed. (It's no great surprise, the parser is typically written in C). The domain for use of this is fairly specific, I would say. Learn, only if you have to (or want to). (Eg someone says, oh, yes, XML would be good for that.)

Others:
Prolog, Lisp:
These are declerative types of language. (Excepting XML and HTML, all languages mentioned so far are imperative). The main difference is an imperative language describes how to do something, a declerative describes what do to. It can be difficult at first to get your head round, but it allows for very powerful (it not for consumer programs) programs. Prolog is typically used to write AI. Don't get excited, however, and think that you should learn Prolog. It requires a shed load of mathematical knowledge to use correctly, and even then is only used for AI you almost certainly won't be writting. "AI" for games, for example, is just a series of clever tricks (and hence, written in C usually). The "AI" that prolog writes is WAY to complex for a normal computer to handle alongside graphics, sound, etc etc.
Free compilers can be found for both.

FORTRAN is still alive and cooking.

FORTRAN (Formula Translation): {definition is taken from http://www.yourdictionary.com/}: A high-level programming language for problems that can be expressed algebraically, used mainly in mathematics, science, and engineering.

A good source for information and links to other useful sites can be found at:
http://www.nsc.liu.se/~boein/fortran.html

Quote:

You'll typically want to use MASM or NASM for this (compilers).

There's no such thing as a an ASM compiler, they're called Assemblers because the code is so much like binary it doesn't have to be compiled. Oh, and NASM rocks, free and mostly now adays MASM is dated and not-free, it also isn't cross-platform and nor does it support as many binary formats or options as NASM does.:) :)

Quote:

Assembly is a pnumonic form of the core 0s and 1s the CPU directly understands to carry out instructions. It requires alot of instructions, typically, to do anything obviously useful. The use of assembly is virtually obsolete now, what with higher-level language compiler technology so good nowadays, there is no need to use assembly (a new C super-compiler exists, apparently, that even knocks hand-written+optimised assembly into a hat!).

Not possible, the power of assembly over powers any language, even ELF format, it can create 45 byte binaries instead of 4 kilobyte C binaries that are optimised because interrupts' are better then whole libararies, and the control. You can hand custom binaries.

reason that compiler can sometimes do betetr optimizations, is the sheer number of instructions for any given processors. Would take the palest gremling form intel to list em all :P

Say again, I just dont' see how compielr that can't possibly optimize as well, the only way I can see it beating the Assembly is for a big program where optimization is hard and "functions" (just calls :)) start to be used to save space.

Ya tahts what i mean. Try optimizing 10 trillion liens of ASM. the sheer voluem of the task is why compiler can do it better, as you will eventualy make mistakes.
Its posible to beat one the compiler, if you have that much time to do it in a large application.

You could probably write you own functions and make it nicer and possibly beat C because they are in assembly and not C which isn't a space issue, but for large apps C is the only way to go =/

when it comes to that extremely nice C++ compiler that does that "knocks hand-written+optimised assembly into a hat", can i ask ya what compiler it is??? thanks!

Turns code into binary, it actually turns into Assembly and then binary... For example gcc -S will create an Assembly file of your code.

hes asking what compiler will make better then hand written assembler code.
I dont know personaly, and i doubt it can be done on a oen for one basis <ie take two programs of equal size, and hand written one will be better, although will have taken longer>

Hi guys.

Ummmm, firstly: sorry for the delay in replying; haven't been on the boards for a while :D

OK - so quick responses:

firstly masm and nasm ARE compilers. Both of these provide pre-processing commands, and syntax checking. The process of converting pnemonics into binary also comes under compilation.

There are two primary parts to compilation: front-end and back-end

Front-end is lexical and syntactic checking.
Backend is optimisation and code-generation.

Whilst there is no optimisation possible when writing ins assembly, all the other parts take place.

Also - with regards to ASM coding (sorry I skipped out most of your conversation, just hoped I picked up on the gist :)) vs C etc coding.

Firstly, no. High-end compilers now-a-days will knock hand assembly into a hat. The primary reason for this, is that they can have a much more global perspective of the system. Even your basic app could easily have 1 mil instructions in assembly. The sheer volume of code, and inter-relations between eg. far/near jumping, code-reorganisation, memory optimisation etc etc etc etc (and goodness me, even more etc) means that the human mind really cant take all this into consideration. At most you would be given a module to code, of maybe 100 to 500 thousand lines, and then, even with abstraction of code, optimisations between modules are possible. And a final point, not many people both understand the hardware system AND the OS system that they code for SO well, that they could optimise for it completely.

Im not saying that on a small scale, with say a few thousand lines of code *only*, a human couldn't match (or **maybe** beat) a high-end compiler, but you wont find many projects where this is a reality, and software now-a-days just doenst come in packages that small.

But I supose I should clarify (also in response to who asked which compilers achieve this). There IS a difference in compilers. That's why you might pay a few hundred for MS's Visual compilers (actually the GNU compilers, which are free, are quite respectiable for this class of compiler) aint gonna match to a enterprise IBM compiler costing 10s of thousands of pounds/dollars/euros. ;)

Quote:

Originally Posted by ChViRuS

firstly masm and nasm ARE compilers. Both of these provide pre-processing commands, and syntax checking. The process of converting pnemonics into binary also comes under compilation.

MASM is an assembler. That is why Microsoft called it MASM (Macro Assembler).
Compilers translate high-level languages into machine code and assemblers convert assembly language programs into machine code.