What Are the Best Programming Languages to Learn in 2025?

If you’ve decided that 2025 is the year you’ll finally explore programming—or if you're already in the field and want to advance your skills—you’re likely asking the same question many others are: What are the best programming languages to learn in 2025?

In this blog, we’ve answered that question by focusing on languages that aren’t just popular on paper but are actually in demand. And if you’re already thinking Python, JavaScript, and Java made the list, you’re not wrong. 

The 8 best programming languages to learn in 2025

The eight languages covered below aren't ranked in any particular order. We chose them based on a mix of reliable index data, real-world usage, the earning potential of developers who use them, and other evaluation metrics. 

Notably, we didn't rely on rankings from the TIOBE Index. It ranks languages based on the number of search engine results for each language. This metric that doesn’t reflect actual usage, demand, or long-term relevance.

With that said, here are the best programming languages to learn in 2025:

1. Python

If you’re picking your first programming language in 2025, Python is still the safest bet. It’s beginner-friendly, battle-tested, and widely used in many areas,from scripting and automation to data science and web applications.

• How popular is Python?: Python holds the #1 spot on the PYPL index but is ranked #2 on RedMonk. According to Stack Overflow’s 2024 survey, 51% of developers worked extensively with it last year. That kind of reach makes it a practical first choice.

• Average developer salary:

  • U.S. average: $112K/year (top states like Maine reach $150K). Remote roles average $113K.

  • Europe: $122K/year average, with Germany at €60K and the UK at $70.5K.

  • India: ₹5L/year.

  • Freelance rates range from $20–$70/hour.

• Learning curve: It’s easy to learn and use. Python’s syntax is clean and readable, which is great for understanding core programming concepts without fighting the language.

• Cost of learning Python:

  • Free: Codecademy, freeCodeCamp

  • Paid: Coursera ($49/mo), Edureka ($299 with projects)

  • Certifications: PCEP ($69), DASCA Data Science Pro ($1,450)

• Are there mentors and support groups?: Yes. MentorCruise offers 1:1 coaching ($100–$400/month). Pybites runs structured 12-week coaching. Communities like PyLadies and Django Girls offer mentorship and free workshops.

• Use cases: Web development, scripting, automation, data science and machine learning, artificial intelligence, system-level programming. Python is backed by extensive libraries and frameworks.

• Hiring demand: Python appears in 20% of job listings that require a programming language. In data science roles, it features in 57% of postings. Employers expect more than a mastery of syntax, though. Practical experience, side projects, and familiarity with tools like Django or Pandas make a real difference.

• Why Python is among the best programming languages to learn in 2025: Because it’s one of the easiest languages to learn, with high-paying jobs across data science, automation, and web development.

2. JavaScript

If you're looking for one programming language to learn first in 2025, go for JavaScript. It's the language of the web and the backbone of front-end and back-end development, making it a top choice across coding languages.

• How popular is JavaScript?: JavaScript ranked #3 on the PYPL index and #1 on RedMonk. It's also the most widely used scripting language for the web. According to Stack Overflow’s 2024 survey, 62.3% of developers used JavaScript. 

• Average developer salary:

  • U.S. average: $111K/year (top cities like Denver pay up to $159K).

  • Europe: $106K/year average.

  • India: ₹5.1L/year. 

  • Remote roles: ~$106K. 

  • Freelancers charge $25–$150/hour depending on experience.

• Learning curve: JavaScript isn’t the easiest, but it’s easier to learn than many compiled languages. Its dynamic, high-level syntax helps beginners get started while still supporting object-oriented and functional programming.

• Cost of learning JavaScript:

  • Where to learn it for free: freeCodeCamp, Scrimba, Codecademy

  • Where to find paid courses: Codecademy Pro, Udemy 

  • Certifications: W3Schools ($95), JS Institute ($69–$295), OpenJS ($595), Salesforce ($200)

• Are there mentors and support groups?: MentorCruise, Codementor, and Exercism offer mentorship. Communities like DEV, r/learnjavascript, and GitHub provide peer support and shared projects.

• Use cases: JavaScript is a general-purpose language used for dynamic websites, SPAs, mobile apps, and server-side development. Frameworks like React, Angular, and Node.js boost its versatility and scalability.

• Hiring demand: JavaScript is mentioned in 31% of listings that name a language. Entry-level roles are competitive. Strong portfolios, practical projects, and framework fluency can help junior JavaScript developers stand apart.

• Why JavaScript is among the best programming languages to learn in 2025: Because it's the core of web development—and still the most widely used language for building anything browser-based.

3. Java

Java has been around for decades, but in the current programming landscape, it’s still one of the most in-demand programming languages. If you’re looking for stability, portability, and performance, Java remains a go-to language.

• How popular is Java?: Java ranks #2 on the PYPL index and #3 on RedMonk. According to Stack Overflow’s 2024 survey, 30.3% of developers used it for a huge chunk of programming work. 

• Average developer salary: 

  • U.S. average: $91K/year (remote roles go up to $118K).

  • Europe: $109K/year (Germany averages €59K; UK around £50K).

  • India: ₹5.7L/year. 

  • Freelance rates range from $56–$80/hour.

• Learning curve: Java is a high-level, object-oriented language that’s built for large, scalable systems. It’s not the easiest language for beginners, but learning it builds strong foundations in object-oriented programming, data structures, and logic.

• Cost of learning Java:

  • Free: Codecademy, Coursera

  • Paid: Udemy ($13–$139), CompuScholar ($25/mo)

  • Certs: OCA/OCP by Oracle (~$245), W3Schools ($95)

• Are there mentors and support groups?: MentorCruise, IGotAnOffer, and CodeGym offer structured mentorship. Communities like Java User Groups (JUGs), r/learnjava, and Java Programming Forums offer strong support.

• Use cases: Java is a general-purpose language developed for cross-platform system programming. It's widely used in enterprise software, Android development, backend services, and financial systems. Frameworks like Spring Boot and Hibernate make it easier to work at scale.

• Hiring demand: Java is the third most-requested language in job listings and mentioned by 40% of recruiters in 2025. Companies like Google still rely heavily on it. That said, competition is high—building projects, learning popular frameworks, and earning certifications are now table stakes.

• Why Java is one of the best programming languages to learn in 2025: Because it powers enterprise software, Android apps, and backend systems—and teaches you foundational programming skills employers still value.

4. C#

C# is still a reliable choice in the 2025 programming landscape, especially if you're working within the Microsoft ecosystem. It’s a high-level language built for flexibility, strong typing, and robust desktop or enterprise applications.

• How popular is C#?: Ranked #5 on the PYPL index and #7 on RedMonk, C# was used extensively by 27.1% of Stack Overflow’s 2024 respondents. It may not be trendy like newer languages, but it’s a stable language of choice across a wide range of industries.

• Average developer salary:

  • U.S. average: $119K/year. Remote C# roles average $118K.

  • Europe: $180K/year avg; Germany (€60K), UK (£50K).

  • India: ₹5.7L/year. 

  • Freelancers average $70–$100/hour globally.

• Learning curve: C# is a structured, object-oriented language that teaches solid programming concepts. It isn’t the lightest first language, but it’s great for understanding logic and building strong coding skills.

• Cost of learning C#

  • Free: Microsoft Learn, Codecademy, Exercism

  • Paid: Udemy, LinkedIn Learning

  • Certifications: Microsoft (free, via freeCodeCamp), W3Schools ($95), CSCS ($150)

• Are there mentors and support groups?& MentorCruise and Codementor offer hands-on C# mentoring. Communities like .NET Developer Network, r/csharp, and Stack Overflow provide peer support and active discussion.

• Use cases: C# is used for desktop apps, backend systems, web APIs, Unity game development, and enterprise tools. Its integration with .NET makes it scalable and ideal for specialized programming needs.

• Hiring demand: C# consistently appears in job postings—5.4% in the UK alone in early 2025. It ranks among the top programming languages for 2025. That said, the job market is competitive. A strong portfolio, up-to-date certifications, and practical experience go a long way.

• Why C# is among the best programming languages to learn in 2025: Because it’s still essential in enterprise .NET environments, with solid salaries and long-term support from Microsoft.

5. TypeScript

TypeScript isn’t just another one of the best programming languages to learn in 2025. It’s JavaScript with type safety, and this year, that’s more valuable than ever. It’s a popular programming language for developers building large, complex applications that need to scale and stay maintainable.

• How popular is TypeScript? Ranked #9 on the PYPL index and #6 on RedMonk. In Stack Overflow’s 2024 survey, 38.5% of all developers reported using it extensively. It’s now a default in many modern stacks.

• Average developer salary: 

  • U.S. average: $129K/year. States like Nevada and Iowa push $160K.

  • Europe: Averages range from $101K–$129K. UK devs report up to $190K.

  • India: ₹968K/year. 

  • Remote global average: $70K.

  • Freelancers earn $63–$77/hr in the U.S., and up to €150/hr in Europe.

• Learning curve: If you’ve used JavaScript, TypeScript is a logical second language. It adds structure and reduces runtime bugs. It's a dynamic language that teaches static typing—ideal for programmers ready to level up their coding skills.

• Cost of learning TypeScript:

  • Free: Codecademy, http://Learn-TS.org , Great Learning (with certificate)

  • Paid: Udemy ($15–$100), Zero to Mastery bootcamp, Coursera (cert option)

  • Certifications: There are no widely recognized TypeScript certifications. Portfolios matter more here.

• Are there mentors and support groups?: MentorCruise, Codementor, and DevMentor.Live offer TypeScript-focused mentorship. Communities like r/typescript, TypeScript Community Chat, and DEV are active and supportive.

• Use cases: It’s a language for web development built to catch bugs early. Used with frameworks like Angular, React, and Node.js, TypeScript excels in scalable frontend and backend apps. It’s part of a wave of newer languages like Kotlin that push safer coding in JS-heavy environments.

• Hiring demand: JavaScript and TypeScript combined appear in ~31% of job listings. TypeScript is now a must-have in many front-end roles. Employers expect fluency in TypeScript's type system, plus real project experience with libraries and frameworks.

• Why TypeScript is among the best programming languages to learn in 2025: Because it’s become the default for serious JavaScript projects—adding safety, scalability, and real hiring power.

6. Go (Golang)

Go isn’t a new programming language, but it’s one of the most practical, especially for building scalable backends and concurrent systems. If you're choosing among the best programming languages to learn in 2025, Go earns a spot for its performance and simplicity.

• How popular is Go?: Ranked #12 on the PYPL index and #12 on RedMonk. According to Stack Overflow’s survey, 13.5% of all developers worked with Go last year. It’s less common than languages like Java or JavaScript, but gaining traction in the systems and cloud space.

• Average developer salary:

  • U.S. average: $133K/year. Top states like Arkansas and Maryland paying up to $175K.

  • Europe: €96K–€141K/year. High-end salaries may be up to €200K.

  • India: ₹1.75M/year. 

  • Freelancers average $83/hr globally.

  • Remote roles pay amounts that are identical to in-office averages.

• Learning curve: Go is easier to pick up than a low-level language like C, but more rigid than JavaScript. Since it skips complex abstractions in favor of clear, explicit logic, it's deal for programmers who value performance without sacrificing readability.

• Cost of learning Go:

  • Free: A Tour of Go, Go by Example, Exercism, freeCodeCamp

  • Paid: Udemy ($15–$100), Coursera (with certificate), Ardan Labs ($699 for full bundle)

  • Certifications: There's noofficial Google certification, but providers like MindMajix and Intellipaat offer structured, certification-based training.

• Are there mentors and support groups?: MentorCruise and Codementor connect learners with Go experts. Exercism’s Go Track offers guided mentorship for free. Community support is active on r/golang, Gophers Discord, Stack Overflow, and Go Forum.

• Use cases: Go is a domain-specific language built for modern backend systems, microservices, and CLI tools. Its concurrency model makes it great for network servers and scalable APIs. It isn’t a language for web UIs or scripting but it excels in performance and clarity.

• Hiring demand: Go is a popular programming language among developers, but job postings are modest in volume. Only about 0.82% in the UK require Go as of 2025. That said, demand is strong in companies that prioritize speed and reliability (think cloud, infra, fintech). Projects in Go, especially around microservices and distributed systems, make your resume stand out.

• Why Go is among the best programming languages to learn in 2025: Because it’s one of the best to learn for building fast, maintainable systems—and it gives you a leg up in high-performance backend development.

7. Ruby

Ruby isn’t leading the pack in 2025, but it hasn’t disappeared either. It’s still used in thousands of production apps, especially where Ruby on Rails is embedded in the stack. If you’re learning to code and want to ship real web apps quickly, Ruby remains a solid choice in the right context.

• How popular is Ruby?: Ranked #16 on the PYPL index and #9 on RedMonk. According to Stack Overflow’s 2024 survey 5.2% of all developers used Ruby extensively last year. That puts it behind most modern tools, but it's still relevant for legacy systems and Rails-heavy teams.

• Average developer salary: 

  • U.S. average: $113K/year. Senior roles go up to $170K. Denver and Spokane top out at $160K+.

  • Europe: Average ~$111K/year; Germany sits around €57.5K.

  • India: ₹600K/year. 

  • Freelance Ruby developers earn $60–$100/hr globally.

• Learning curve: Ruby is a high-level, logic-first programming language. It's expressive, beginner-friendly, and excellent for undlerstanding basic programming concepts and object-oriented design.

• Cost of learning Ruby

  • Free: Codecademy, Learn Ruby Online, RubyMonk, The Odin Project

  • Paid: Udemy (varies), Pragmatic Studio ($199)

  • Certifications: Ruby Association Silver ($150), CancanIT ($140 + $60 for printed certification)

• Are there mentors and support groups?: MentorCruise, Codementor, and First Ruby Friend offer mentorship options. The Ruby community—r/ruby on Reddit, Ruby User Groups, Ruby Central—is welcoming and established.

• Use cases: Ruby powers web apps, especially through Rails. It’s a dynamic, object-oriented language that supports multiple programming paradigms. It’s not built for systems work, low-level computing, or markup-heavy tasks—but for startups, MVPs, and internal tools, it’s still efficient.

• Hiring demand: Ruby on Rails showed up in 0.14% of UK job postings in early 2025. While the broader programming world has moved toward languages like TypeScript or Go, there’s still demand for Ruby skills in Rails-heavy orgs and freelance markets.

• Why Ruby is among the best programming languages to learn in 2025: Because it’s still one of the fastest ways to go from zero to a working full-stack web app—and that’s worth knowing, even if you move on to another language later.

8. Rust

Rust has been one of the most talked-about emerging languages in the programming world this year. Designed for safety, performance, and memory control, it’s increasingly being used in systems programming, infrastructure tools, and next-generation applications.

• How popular is Rust?: Rust is currently ranked #8 on the PYPL index and #9 on RedMonk. According to Stack Overflow’s 2024 survey, 12.6% of all developers reported doing extensive work in Rust last year. This shows that adoption is growing, especially among those exploring languages like Rust as an alternative to C or C++.

• Average developer salary:

  • U.S. average: $150K/year. Entry-level starts at $122K; senior roles go up to $200K. Top-paying states: Texas and New York ($187.5K), Georgia ($175K), California ($150K)

  • Europe: Average ~$110K/year. UK ($135K), Belgium ($116K), Switzerland ($105K), Germany ($86K)

  • India: ₹2.5M/year average (₹2M–₹5.2M range)

  • Remote: $150K average; range: $80K–$274K

  • Freelance: Global average: $78/hr; U.S. average: $63.99/hr; range: $41–$142/hr

• Learning curve: Rust is not the easiest language to learn for beginners. It has a steep curve, especially if it's your first computer language. But it rewards effort with a deeper understanding of memory, concurrency, and system-level design. If you're looking for a logic programming language that teaches core computer programming fundamentals, Rust fits the bill.

• Cost of learning Rust

  • Free: The Rust Book, Rustlings, Rust By Example, Comprehensive Rust (by Google), freeCodeCamp

  • Paid: Udemy ($15–$100)

  • Certifications: There are no official certifications from the Rust Foundation. Learners typically rely on open-source contributions and personal projects to showcase skills

• Are there mentors and support groups?:

  • Mentorship: Exercism, MentorCruise, Codementor, and Awesome Rust Mentors

  • Community: Rust forums, Discord, r/rust, Stack Overflow—all active and beginner-friendly

• Use cases: Rust is used in systems programming, CLI tools, embedded systems, WebAssembly projects, and performance-critical applications. It isn’t a markup language or ideal for rapid prototyping, but its focus on safety and speed makes it ideal for domain-specific language tooling, specialized programming tasks, and replacing legacy C or C++ in high-risk systems.

• Hiring demand: Rust was mentioned in 0.54% of all UK job ads in early 2025, and 1.77% of programming-specific roles. The entry-level job market is small, but growing. Most companies seek prior experience in another language and value contributions to Rust projects or open-source libraries.

• Why Rust is among the best programming languages to learn Rust in 2025: Because it’s one of the best languages to learn if you want to write fast, safe, low-level code—and stand out in a market shifting toward safer systems programming.

Final thoughts on the top programming languages for 2025

If you’re new to programming, the best language to start with isn’t necessarily the “most popular.” It’s the one that gets you building. Python is often the easiest entry point. JavaScript (or TypeScript) is a smart choice if you’re aiming for the web. Ruby makes full-stack development approachable. Java provides structure and depth if you’re thinking long term.

Whichever you choose, don’t get stuck in comparison mode. Every language on this list opens real doors in today’s job market.