What Programming Language Should You Learn?

Zoe Samuel

6 Min Quiz

Image: Towfiqu Photography/Moment/gettyimages

About This Quiz

Ever since the first computer programs were "written" on punch cards, computer programming has been defined by the programming language paradigm, a host of programming languages designed to serve specific needs and create particular kinds of software. Like spoken languages, programming languages change with time, and those languages that cannot adjust with time get written off as obsolete, like Roman Latin (as opposed to Church Latin), Aramaic, or Romance. The graveyard of programming languages includes such classics as Jacquard Loom, ENIAC, and Turbo Pascal, all abandoned because something else came along that could do what they did, either better, or with something added on.

There are several major programming languages still in existence today, each with its specific uses, and thus, audience. Picking the right language is essential to accomplishing the desired outcome because every platform has its preferred programming language or languages. There are programming languages used to build municipal mainframes in the 1970s, of which only a handful of living programmers can code. Some machines rely on specific kinds of code to create consumer products or read a patient's heart rate. With so many options open to you, which one is the right one for you to learn? Take this quiz and find out!

Luis Alvarez/DigitalVision/gettyimages

Every job is impacted by the work environment. Which of these describes your ideal boss?

A great mentor

Someone who deeply knows the business
Someone who combines technical ability with the ability to communicate

Someone who has a real vision!

TimeStopper/Moment/gettyimages

Do you prefer to deal with systems or more abstract ideas?

I much prefer abstract ideas.

I'd like a combination of both.
I'd really prefer systems.

I think I'd prefer more systems to abstract ideas.

Photographer, Basak Gurbuz Derman/Moment/gettyimages

When you have time for rest and relaxation, how do you like to entertain yourself?

I read biographies.

I veg out in front of the TV.
I peruse social media.

I play with my phone.

Jaris Ho/Moment/gettyimages

Which of these best describes your dream job, if it didn't involve programming?

I'd work as a librarian.

I'd work as a copywriter.
I'd work as a hardware engineer.

I'd run an artisanal mayonnaise shop.

Steve Prezant/Image Source/gettyimages

In which of the following extracurricular activities did you voluntarily take part?

I built a working robot for a science fair.

I ran the glee club.
I was a competitive chess player.

I was on the fencing team.

Morsa Images/DigitalVision/gettyimages

How much do you like having to deal directly with other people?

Not much, unless they're brilliant people

I love working with people when they know what they want.
I hate working with people, full stop.

I like working with people when they're as ambitious as I am.

10'000 Hours/DigitalVision/gettyimages

Would you rather be seen as an artist, or a tiny cog in a massive machine?

I'm leaning towards "artist."

Definitely an artist
Definitely a tiny cog in a huge machine

I think I'd probably go with "tiny cog."

Hill Street Studios/DigitalVision/gettyimages

What about your everyday carry marks you out as a nerd?

A book by Steven Hawking

A pocket protector
A Visor (the defunct handheld device, not the headgear, though I'm not averse to the headgear)

My classic NES controller phone case

Emilija Manevska/Moment/gettyimages

Why are you interested in programming?

I want to empower scientists.

I want to make technology work for people who want to do things in the world.
I want stable work.

I want to make the next killer app.

Jay Yuno/E+/gettyimages

What technology do you find the most interesting?

I'm in love with predictive systems that do things like predict which way a hurricane will go.

I love interactive technology because it gives us a collective experience.
I'm fascinated by the stuff no one sees that runs things like banks and hospitals.

I'm sorry, I was buried in my phone. What was the question?

skynesher/E+/gettyimages

Do you plan on coding as your main job or just as a side gig?

Oh, it'd definitely be a full-time job for me.

Well, I think it would be part of my job, but not the whole job.
I think it'd be a side gig at first but quickly become full time.

I just want to do it part time.

Ariel Skelley/DigitalVision/gettyimages

As a coder, do you want to work for yourself, or do you want someone else to employ you?

I think I'd want to work for many people but not myself.

I want to do some work for myself, but most of my work for one client.
I want to work for one client, and that's it.

I'd want to work for myself.

valentinrussanov/E+/gettyimages

What technical skills do you already have?

I can cook really well.

I know a lot about psychology and UX.
I can completely build a mainframe from scratch.

I'm a talented graphic designer.

Alexander Spatari/Moment/gettyimages

What does it take to motivate you to sit still for long periods of time?

I just need a constant supply of coffee and my favorite podcast.

I only require good music.
I need a dark, cold room.

I have no idea!

Photographer is my life./Moment/gettyimages

What would it take to motivate you to stay late to work on something?

I'll do that when I'm not just working on any old project; I'm on a quest.

I'd do it if it were really cool.
I'd do it for overtime pay.

It would depend on my mood.

secret agent mike/Moment/gettyimages

What kind of personal computer do you use?

Just some second-hand box I got from a friend.

A sleek, carbon-fiber laptop
A potent desktop server

The latest and greatest with a fruit logo on it

chrispecoraro/E+/gettyimages

How fast do you type?

Unbelievably fast

Faster than some, but slower than most
Pretty fast

Not fast at all

vgajic/E+/gettyimages

Who do you know who codes?

I have a couple of friends who do it.

No one
My siblings do it.

A classmate of mine does it.

Andriy Onufriyenko/Moment/gettyimages

Are you concerned about AI taking everybody's jobs someday?

Not really, I don't have enough confidence in AI to fear that.

Yeah! I love my job! I don't want to get fired!
No, any computer smart enough to do my job would be smart enough not to get trapped into it.

A bit, but I don't know much about it.

szelmek/E+/gettyimages

What scares you about learning to code?

Nothing

It seems outside my wheelhouse.
I'm already really busy.

I don't know where to begin.

Oliver Rossi/DigitalVision/gettyimages

When someone gives you constructive feedback on your code and you realize they made a good point, how do you feel?

Great! They saved me a lot of work.

A little sad because now I have to go back and change things.
Embarrassed. I mean, I should have seen that.

Angry! I can't admit that I'm wrong!

RyanJLane/E+/gettyimages

Would you agree with the statement, "The geeks shall inherit the earth"?

Nah, the geeks will be too busy to take over.

Yes! We shall rule with an iron fist! Well, probably steel, which is stronger and can be protected from corrosion by being parkerized.
No, the people we work for are the main beneficiaries of our work.

Yes, as soon as I finish this brilliant idea of mine.

Jasmin Merdan/Moment/gettyimages

Have you ever disassembled and reassembled a computer on your own?

Yes, but only for my own machines

I installed RAM once.
Sure, plenty of times

I tried to change the battery on my phone once and voided the warranty.

Klaus Vedfelt/DigitalVision/gettyimages

How old were you when you first started using a computer?

13

10
15

My mother would keep me quiet with her tablet when I was 6 years old.

Klaus Vedfelt/DigitalVision/gettyimages

What sort of video games do you like best?

Board games

I always liked word games, like that defunct game Acrophobia from 1995.
First person shooters

Third person adventure games

ozgurdonmaz/E+/gettyimages

How do you respond to people who insist on making fun of nerds?

I don't respond because they're clearly wrong.

I make jokes about them on social media.
I tell them how much money I make.

Why would I do something? I make fun of nerds!

mediaphotos/E+/gettyimages

How many coding languages do you already know?

Only two

One
Three

None

10'000 Hours/DigitalVision/gettyimages

If you're distracted while working, how long does it take for you to get back into the zone?

A minute or two

About five minutes
No time at all

Hours

RichVintage/E+/gettyimages

Were you a geek before it was cool?

It was never cool, but I've been a geek for a long time.

Yes, but I'm still ahead of the curve.
No, I'm a bit of a follower.

Yes, I was a super-geek right before geekdom became the thing.

Zero Creatives/Image Source/gettyimages

What is the worst computer-related injury you've ever gotten?

Eye strain

Repeated strain injury (RSI)
I dropped a server on my toe once.

Nothing

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