Do you remember the moment when you decided to become a developer? You opened Reddit, saw a meme about how programmers earn millions while lying on the couch, and thought: "That's it, it's time to change my life!" And then you opened C++ and realized that it was a trap?
So, this article is your personal guide to choosing a starting location. Because the right first language is like the right build in a game: you can spend 100 hours and beat the boss, or you can google the meta and do it in 10.
Python: Easy Mode of Programming Languages
Entry level: "I only learned yesterday that HTML is not a programming language"
Python is a language that was created with the philosophy of "let it be simple and clear." The syntax is so readable that you can show the code to your grandmother, and she will understand what is happening (well, almost).
Why it's simple:
No semicolons — forget about 2 hours of debugging due to one missed character
Variables are declared as in normal speech:
name = "Alexey"— and that's it, no need to write a dissertation about data typesHuge community: any problem has already been solved by someone on Stack Overflow
Perfect for: web development (Django/Flask), data science, automation, Machine Learning
JavaScript: Battle Royale among languages
Entry level: "I want to see the result right away and make beautiful things"
JS is a language that works everywhere: in the browser, on the server, in mobile applications, in the refrigerator (if you are crazy enough). The main advantage for a beginner is instant feedback. You write the code, refresh the page — BOOM! — the button changes color.
Why it's simple:
No need to install anything — the browser is already there
The result is immediately visible — dopamine is guaranteed
You can start with simple scripts and grow to React/Vue/Angular
The syntax is intuitive (if you don't get into the thicket of asynchrony right away)
Perfect for: frontend, fullstack, mobile development (React Native)
HTML + CSS: "Technically not programming languages, but..."
Entry level: "I'm not sure I need programming at all"
Okay, picky readers, yes, these are markup and styling languages. BUT! This is the perfect entry point. In a couple of hours, you will already make your first page and feel like a hacker from the movie.
Why they are simple:
Immediate visual result
The logic is elementary: "This is a heading. This is a paragraph. This is red text.
You can learn directly in the browser through Inspect Element
Excellent foundation before JS
Perfect for: web development, understanding the basics of the Internet
Ruby: A language for those who love elegance
Entry level: "Python is too popular, I want something niche"
Ruby is like Python, but with an emphasis on the beauty of the code. The creator of the language, Yukihiro Matsumoto, said that he wanted to make programming happy. And you know what? He succeeded.
Why it's simple:
The syntax is as close as possible to English
The philosophy of "do what you want" - language does not limit
Rails (framework) allows you to create a web application in a day
Perfect for: web development, startups, automation
Where to study?
This is where the fun begins. You can watch tutorials on YouTube for a month and not remember anything (hello, tutorial hell!). Or you can learn with practice right away.
Code is a platform where you don't just watch courses, but write code right away. No "I'll watch it later" — open the lesson, write the code, get the result. It's like real development, but without the stress.
We have courses in Python, JavaScript, HTML, CSS and other technologies. And most importantly, a huge community in Telegram channel (more than 2000 developers!), where: useful posts about programming are regularly published and we constantly share life hacks and memes (where without them).
Subscribe if you want to level up in a convenient place and not alone!
In summary: which language to choose?
Choose Python if: you want to work with data, AI/ML or just start with the most popular
Choose JavaScript if: you dream of making websites and applications, you want to see the result immediately
Choose HTML/CSS if: not at all confident in your abilities and want to start as smoothly as possible
Choose Ruby if: you like elegant code and don't chase the mainstream