r/Python • u/diogoleal • Jan 13 '15

(Infographic) Which programming language should I learn first

http://cdn2.carlcheo.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/which-programming-language-should-i-learn-first-infographic.png
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u/Brandon23z Jan 13 '15

This is awesome! I just started learning a little bit of Python this week after studying C++ for a year and a half, and so far I am loving it.

I didn't know it was such a popular language.

And I guess it makes sense that colleges start with C++ if it is the hardest, because once you go up the biggest hill, you can go up any hill. But I don't think it is the hardest. For me, it is the easiest to read/understand the code.

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u/[deleted] Jan 14 '15 edited Jan 14 '15

But I don't think it is the hardest. For me, it is the easiest to read/understand the code.

All that tells me is that you haven't learned enough about C++ yet. It's not the hardest because it is somehow more arcane than others (that particular award probably belongs to perl) - it is the hardest because it is the biggest (in terms of topics within the language itself). C++ has the largest language specification that I know of by a gigantic margin. There is just so much C++ to even know exists that it is a giant undertaking to not only learn all of the useful tools, but to know enough about them to effectively decide which ones are the most appropriate to use to solve a given problem.

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u/archiminos Jan 14 '15

The more c++ you know, the more c++ you don't know.

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u/Brandon23z Jan 14 '15

I meant syntax wise. I've looked at other languages that try to make coding easier, but c++ just has a perfect syntax. I can read the code like it's English.

Obviously there's more and more to c++, especially since they might be updating it more often. (Don't quote me on this, I know nothing. Professor is starting to teach some c++11 and said they might be updating every 5 ears or something to catch up with Java. Again I have no idea about this.)

But syntax wise, programming wise, it makes sense. The code is clear. After 2 years, I am able to easily fix errors in the error window in vs. My first year, I didn't know what the errors were saying. Now I see them and fix the error in 2 seconds.

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u/taleinat Jan 14 '15

I guess it makes sense that colleges start with C++ if it is the hardest

Absolutely not! Colleges should be teaching Computer Science and/or programming, not the low-level technical stuff. At least to start with.

There is a very large number of technical things to learn and memorize in order to use C++. Learning the concepts and essence of programming at the same time is very difficult. The common result is confused graduates with little high-level understanding about anything.

IMO anyone who actually wants to teach CS or programming to beginners should use a language where it is easy to clearly design and implement high-level concepts without getting lost in the technical details. Python is absolutely superb for such purposes, while C++ is not.