Best 10 Programming Languages for Startups

It is always crucial for startups to decide about the right programming language to ensure the success of their venture.

Indeed, the selection of perfect programming languages for startups isn’t only mandatory to gain appropriate attention from target customers and investors. But with a user-friendly interface, minimum time to market and great efficiency features, they also want to beat their competitors.

Therefore, if you are a startup and looking for the right programming languages, then you must read this guide. This article discusses the factors to consider while choosing a language for startups and all significant aspects of the best startup languages.

What is a Startup?

An innovative project or company in the initial phases of its business operations is known as a startup. Such companies are usually founded by entrepreneurs with great and unique problem-solving approaches, few employees and limited funds.

Although startups are associated with high failure and uncertainty rates but rapid growth capability also differentiates them from other ventures. The startups that have valued more than 1 billion USD are called unicorns. Airbnb, Xiaomi and Uber are some common examples of unicorn startups.

Factors to Consider When Choosing a Programming Language

An entrepreneur must consider the following factors while choosing a programming language to frame a minimum viable product (MVP) with high success rates.

Open Source or Closed Source

The first thing that comes into a startupper’s mind is choosing an open or closed-source programming language. The open-source programming languages are the ones that could be easily reshaped and accessed.

Open-source languages are also publicly available with all necessary resources. On the contrary, closed-source languages are secured, and their source codes can’t be approached or modified without permission.

Undoubtedly, both open-source and closed-source languages have their own pros and cons, but startups should prefer to go with the open-source ones. It is factual that startups have a limited budget, staff and skills.

That is why picking open-source language wouldn’t only be cheap but can also help with free to use available resources. Similarly, with open-source programming languages, entrepreneurs also don’t need to get licensing.

Time to Market

Time to market has become a vital factor for the success of application development ventures. Therefore, it is significant for startup founders to evaluate which programming languages can push them to improve their time to market. In this regard, startuppers should go with languages that offer more online libraries, customization tools, and open-source resources.

In the same token, short scripts and reusability of code are some factors that can enhance the time to market process. Mainly, your selected programming language shouldn’t force you to write code from scratch and have good compatibility with third-party solutions.

Popularity

Popularity is also a crucial factor to consider while choosing a programming language for a startup. It is suitable for startups to elect popular programming languages.

There are many reasons for selecting popular languages that we are mentioning below:

• Popular programming languages own extensive libraries, plugins, APIs and other supported tools.

• These languages also have big communities and forums where you can easily discuss your query with seasoned coders.

• The availability of open-source and free resources gives excellent support for project completion.

• Speedy app development and the availability of coders are also some benefits of using popular languages.

• Moreover, the most paying programming languages are typically the ones that are less common among coders. So, it would be wise to go with a more familiar language to improve your budget.

Developer Availability

Startups should surely check the availability of developers before adopting a programming language for their projects. To deal with this factor, you should examine the most picked and easy to learn and understandable languages.

Likewise, it is seamless to find JavaScript, Python, C, HTML and Java developers because these languages are novice-friendly and convenient to script, manage and update.

The number of available jobs, applicants and estimated salary for different languages can also give you a quick idea about it.

Scalability

The election of ideal programming languages for startups will be unfruitful if you don’t consider scalability. As we know, startups have great growth potential, so how could we ignore the extension factor while making an app. Startuppers should choose languages that allow businesses to extend the resources and features with customers’ growth smoothly.

Top 10 Programming Languages for a Startup

Here are the best programming languages that startups must consider:

1. Python

Python is a well-known general-purpose programming language that was launched around 30 years ago. To script codes effortlessly, it uses an object-oriented programming approach.

Moreover, this popular functional object oriented language has got the first rank among the most popular programming languages according to the TIOBE Index. Yes, with an 11.77% rating, it is on the top of that list.

By the same token, Python has also been positioned on the 3rd rank among the most popular technologies of Stack Overflow Survey. With 48.24% votes, Python snatched third rank from SQL. Uber, WhatsApp, Reddit and Lyft are the big names that depend on Python for different operations.

Reasons to Choose Python for a Startup

• User-Friendly

Python is famous among novices because of English-like scripts and simple syntax. To make coding operations easier for developers, Python gives practical type hints. Availability of decorators in functions and utilization of underscores to approach commands also make it an ideal language for beginners.

• Popular 

Python is a popular scripting language. BuiltWith claims around 239,549 live websites are using Python. The global survey of Statista also reports that Python is the 3rd most used programming language with 48.24% votes of developers.

• Secure 

Compared to other easy to code languages, Python is considered more secure because it sanitizes all kinds of data. Indeed, Python examines and cleanses the data, whether it is coming from user input or any third-party resources. Thus, Python is a reliable language for sensitive data concerning startups.

• Scalable

 Startuppers can trust easy to edit, extend, modify, remove and update functionalities of Python. It is seamless to expand your app functions and resources with Python.

• Speed to Market 

Python’s shortcode helps new businesses to build their minimum viable product (MVP) to engage investors as soon as possible.

• Large Community 

Python provides huge community support. Only at StackShare, it has 122.7K followers, and 138133 developers claimed to be using Python. Similarly, there are several Python discussion forums and communities that answer newbies’ queries.

Please read the article Python Frameworks to learn more about his subject.

2. Ruby

Ruby is one of the top-notch programming languages for startups because of its dynamic, object-oriented and scalable programming properties. It was made public in 1995 by Japanese computer scientist Yukihiro Matsumoto.

Although the TIOBE Index ranks Ruby in the 13th position among the most popular programming languages but it could be a good option for startups. Especially, garbage collection properties and the JIT compiler of Ruby make it an ideal choice for new businesses.

Airbnb, Yellow Pages, Basecamp, and Ask.fm are the tech giants that started their startup journeys with the programming language ‘Ruby’ and the Ruby framework ‘Rails’.

Reasons to Choose Ruby for a Startup

• Saves Time & Cost

Startup companies usually have a limited budget that is why Ruby could be an economical choice for them. It is an open-source language, and under MIT license, you can utilize its benefits with the Rails framework. Ready to use libraries, templates, plugins, and several other tools like RubyGems also saves your development time.

• Secure

 It gives a safe environment for the growth of a new business. In this regard, it protects against cross-site scripting (XSS), insecure direct object reference (IDOR), cross-site request forgery (CSRF) and SQL injection etc. The community of Ruby on Rails also plays a significant role to keep the framework updated to build apps securely.

• Scalable 

Ruby with a compatible framework like Rails is an optimal option to build scalable applications. It can handle the traffic growth and the resources demands of startups. Ruby also supports horizontal scaling in this regard. Shopify has successfully tested the scalability feature of RoR.

• Best for MVP 

Within a short period of time and strained budget, Ruby could be a remarkable choice to make MVP to get funds. Airbnb has successfully used RoR to create MVP as a startup. And yes, it works best for MVP.

• Large Community 

Around 18167 developers mentioned on StackShare that they use Ruby for their projects. With 18.6k stars and 4.9k forks, Ruby also has a strong presence on GitHub. So, in case you get solutions, you will find the support and backing of a large community.

3. JavaScript

JavaScript is another exemplary programming language for startups that was launched in 1995. This open-source, dynamic and object-based programming language is used for both front and backend development projects.

Because of its lightweight coding and other properties, Stack Overflow Developer Survey is ranking it on the top of most popular technologies from the last 9 years.

Correspondingly, with 64.96% votes, JavaScript is also the most used programming language, according to Statista’s worldwide survey. The notable companies with dependencies on JavaScript for distinct operations are LinkedIn, Netflix, Facebook and PayPal.

Reasons to Choose JavaScript for a Startup

• Fast Development 

App development with JavaScript is quick because it uses concise code, provides huge libraries and third-party tools. Its open-source ecosystem also enables coders to get the benefits of different resources to enhance the development speed of projects.

• Popularity 

JavaScript is an open-source programming language that holds a high popularity graph. 197k developers showed their affiliation with JavaScript only on StackShare. Its integration tools, advanced features and frameworks make it popular in the programming community.

• Fast Recruiting 

Hiring a developer is a challenging task for startups. But if they go with JS language and frameworks, then they will find more and talented applicants. Even startups can hire full-stack developers because it is easy to build both the client and back-end applications with JS.

• Learning Curve 

The learning curve of JavaScript is very smooth. Compared to other languages like Python, C++, Java and Ruby, it is relatively easy to understand and learn. There are also several online platforms like W3schools etc., where startup teams can test and try their JS codes.

Read the article Top 10 Javascript Frameworks to learn more how to accelerate development using this programming language.

4. Java

Java is an easy to maintain, high-level, portable and class-based programming language that startups can use. As an old programming language, it has a big community and is a popular choice of modern app developers. Mainly, Java is one of the finest names for building web applications.

According to W3Techs, 3.7% of online websites use Java for backend operations. Java also holds a notable reputation among the most used programming languages globally. With 35.35% votes, it secures the 5th position among the most practiced programming languages as per Statista’s survey.

Vox Media, Google, Slack and Amazon are big companies that use Java for different ventures.

Reasons to Choose Java for a Startup

• Mature & Popular

James Goslings initially public Java in 1995. So, it is one of the mature scripting languages that is still popular among users. Its built-in features, IDEs and rich APIs also keep it alive in the coding world.

• Robust Community 

The best thing about choosing Java as a startup is its community support. It is seamless to find active and seasoned Java experts on Stack Overflow, Reddit, and Oracle platforms.

• Easy to Learn 

It has English-like syntax that is why novices learn Java with great ease. Numerous video tutorials are also available on YouTube to learn Java step-by-step and free of cost.

• Highly Scalable

 High scalability is another factor due to which startups like to use Java for their software, web and Android applications. Concurrency tools, quick modification and cross-platform capabilities enable Java to provide scalable solutions.

• Excellent Documentation 

Most of the renowned scripting languages have documentation problems. Luckily, startups don’t complain about this thing for Java because it confers excellent documentation.

Please refer to Java Frameworks to learn some great framework options to speed up development.

5. Swift

It is a great choice for server side coding of mobile apps. If you are looking for an Objective-C alternative for your startup, then you should consider using Swift. It is an advanced programming language that was developed in 2014 to work with Apple’s frameworks.

This programming language could be used for various app development projects, including mobile and desktop applications, cloud services and system software.

The major companies that are utilizing Swift for their projects are Apple, CRED, Walmart, Slack (checkout this Slack Clone App) and DoorDash.

Reasons to Choose Swift for a Startup

• Open-Source

Startups can benefit from the available online resources and community support because of the open-source nature of Swift. Apple also conducts regular changes to improve the performance of Swift.

• Less Time to Market

Programmers don’t need to write plenty of scripts to build an app with Swift. Its simple syntax and short code allow startups to improve their time to market.

• Easy Maintenance & Data Management

 Compared to Objective-C, Swift needs only a single code file to conduct different maintenance tasks of iOS applications. With the help of the LLVM compiler, it also administers data efficiently.

• Secure 

 Swift has the ability to identify and catch the error before the launch of an application. It also permits the coders to improve typing and track their errors.

6. Kotlin

On the other hand, if you are searching for a robust alternative to Java for your startup, the use of Kotlin could be a good idea.

Mainly, if you are building an Android app for your startup, you should go with the modern functionalities of Kotlin. The development process of Kotlin is simple, and it is an excellent choice for Android development. It is a cross-platform, multi-purpose, and open-source programming language that was made public in 2011.

This startup language doesn’t only have great interoperability with Java but can also be used for compilation operations of JavaScript. You should definitely consider Kotlin when development Android mobile applications.

Reasons to Choose Kotlin for a Startup

• Time & Cost Efficient 

Kotlin has an incredible closeness with Java. Thence, developers can utilize Java’s frameworks, libraries and other tools to build applications in less time and cost.

• Free & Open-Source 

As an open-source language, it offers many benefits when it comes to customizing and debugging codes. It also has 39.3k stars and 4.8k forks on GitHub.

• Cross-Platform Support 

If your startup needs to build cross-platform applications, then the use of Kotlin could be a good decision. It backs iOS, Android and all other platforms.

• Growing Popularity 

It is an easy-to-understand language that is why it is growing with fast speed. According to JetBrains Developer Ecosystem Survey, around 31% of coders have been using Kotlin for 2–4 years. This ratio was only 6% in 2018.

7. Go

The startups that are looking for a statically typed programming language to support the backend development of their cloud computing project must consider Go programming language.

This highly performing language is suitable for gaming, data science, robotics, artificial intelligence and micro-controller programming applications.

Please read the article Startups Using Golang to know more.

Reasons to Choose Go for a Startup

• Simple 

 It is one of the simplest programming languages that new businesses can try without complexities. Particularly, if your team has experience with Java and C++ coding, then they will learn it with great ease.

• Highly Scalable 

Golang only consumes 2 KB of memory. So, startuppers have much memory space to use when they need to expand the business.

• Developer Availability 

Because of numerous advantages, developers love to learn Golang. With 14.54% votes, it is also one of the most wanted technologies in accordance with Stack Overflow Survey. It shows entrepreneurs can easily find talented Golang developers.

• Fast Development

 To give a tough time to competitors, new businesses should use Golang because it is a compiled scripting language. It also doesn’t need a mediator to enhance the project’s speed.

Development frameworks are a great way to accelerate time to market. Please read Top 10 Development Frameworks for Startups and discover how to get your product faster to the market.

8. Rust

Startup companies that have data safety concerns need to trust Rust. This is a concurrent, high-level, structured and generic programming language that was introduced in 2010. Its syntax also has many familiarities with C++.

Reasons to Choose Rust for a Startup

• Popular

 Although Rust is a new programming language compared to established languages like Java, Python and JS but it has exponential popularity. The recent survey of Stack Overflow shares that Rust is the most loved technology with 86.98% votes.

• Easy to Script

 Developers don’t need special skills to write scripts with Rust. It is elementary to read, understand, learn and write.

• Growing Community 

Rust has a fast-growing community. The number of its libraries and other developer tools is the same as C++ has. There are also 70,990 crates in stock as per the Rust community’s crate registry.

• Safe 

This startup language doesn’t have memory-related errors like buffer overflows and pointers.

9. Perl

Perl is another general-purpose programming language for startups. It was introduced by Larry Wall in 1988. It has different versions like Perl 5, Perl 6 and Raku. Although it is a dynamic, modern and feature-rich language but it doesn’t have a big community, so it could be a disadvantage of using this language.

Reasons to Choose Perl for a Startup

• Open-Source & Free 

It is entirely free to use Perl because it is an open-source language. You can also easily change modules with available resources.

• Concise Development Cycle 

With Perl, startups don’t need to perform the compilation task. It is interpreted, so coders only need to build and test the app before it goes live.

• Perl Modules 

Like C modules, Perl also grants a variety of modules under its Comprehensive Perl Archive Network (CPAN).

10. Scala

Scala language is the perfect choice to build scalable applications. So, if your startup is going to expand in the upcoming days and you want an ideal language to build it as a beginner, then Scala should be your priority. It uses Java Virtual Machine (JVM) and bytecode to script the codes.

With Scala, developers need to write small scripts to make big data applications. Startuppers can also go with Scala as a substitute for Python to deal with large projects.

To know more, please read the article Startups Using Scala Programming Language.

Reasons to Choose Scala for a Startup

• Open-Source 

With excellent library support, Scale is one of the finest open-source startup languages. Scala Library Index’s ecosystem confers 175K+ libraries and 10K releases.

• Fast Speed to Market

 Scala is also known because of its clean and efficient code. This feature also improves the project’s speed to market and get investors.

Startup Programming Languages Comparison

Conclusion

This article presents the best programming languages for startups. But the selection of language entirely depends on the requirements of your business-like scalability, time to market, community support.

New businesses should also consider their budget, developer availability, and success scope before picking a language. Surely, startuppers can also choose two or more languages to support their projects.

Did you enjoy reading this article? Please read How to scale marketing content for your startup.

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