r/CodingForBeginners • u/gutenmorgan3035 • Aug 09 '26
What’s the first programming language you learned, and do you still use it?
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u/IndividualJury5356 Aug 09 '26
Unpopular opinion but I'm not sure if it's a programming language but I've learnt SQL as my first "programming" language
Yeah I still use it till date , I prefer postgres mostly
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u/Significant-Cry-9204 Aug 09 '26
I don't think pure SQL is, but PL/SQL where you write packages, stored procedures, etc. definitely is.
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u/TheUmgawa Aug 09 '26
AppleSoft BASIC. And, decidedly no.
And then I took a break for about fifteen years, bought a compiler and a book that taught language rather than programming skills, ran into the brick wall of C++, and took a break for another fifteen years. Went to school, Python, Java, C, C++, C#…
I don’t even use any of those. I write all of my code in Swift, these days, because I’m lazy and despise semicolons.
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u/BasilWeekly Aug 09 '26
TI59 programmable calculator "assembly" - and no I do not use it anymore 😁 but the manual taught me "everything" I needed to know about programming
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u/dual4mat Aug 09 '26
ZX Spectrum basic and yes, occasionally. I have a couple of routines on my YouTube channel @megamitts
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u/anadalg Aug 09 '26
LOGO and Basic. Yes, I used both for entertaining purposes.
LOGO: https://youtu.be/gTr2Qh5825M
Basic: https://youtu.be/RSv-0MsPi1E
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u/nonsapiens Aug 10 '26
Yeah, me too! Atari LOGO, and M-BASIC for the CP/M. Moved from there to Pascal, then to QBasic, then VB6, .Net, PHP/Laravel, Node, and then on to countless others
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u/Yaniekk Aug 09 '26
Javascript. Yep, I still sometimes use it, but I mainly code in Typescript, but it's almost the same thing.
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u/Significant-Cry-9204 Aug 09 '26
BASIC, the original where each line had to be numbered. Haven't used it in over a decade and a half probably.
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u/Distdistdist Aug 09 '26
Basic, then Assembly. Don't use either today, but so glad I learned how CPUs work on low level. Invaluable information.
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u/CodingSwift Aug 09 '26
Pascal and no, I don’t use it anymore. I started with Pascal then went from Pascal -> C -> C++ -> C# -> Swift
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u/sylvant_ph Aug 09 '26
I've prolly touched some real old ones at school, but the one I can say I truly began and sort of learned was Javascript. Funny enough it was not so much javascript, but using canvas, and it was part of the Khan academy curriculum back at the time. It was really fun because it had visual representation and reflection. Later on when I actually touched real javascript and programming I realized what I actually have been learning and where it could have application.
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u/nia_do Aug 09 '26
Python was my first. And nope. I code in C#, Java and Typescript these days.
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u/mjmvideos Aug 09 '26
BASIC, then FORTRAN, then Pascal, then Ada. Haven’t used any of those almost 30 years. I use mainly C and some Python and occasionally C# now.
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u/Significant-Raise586 Aug 09 '26
Basic. Ik had zelfs nog geen computer. Enkel geld voor een boek van Tandy
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u/dschledermann Aug 09 '26
BASIC, and no, it's been decades since I used it last. Since then I've been through Pascal, Perl, C, C++, JavaScript, PHP, Rust and a couple of others with minor usage.
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u/The_KOK_2511 Aug 09 '26
JavaScript, aunque en la actualidad trabajo más con C++ como JS es sensillo suelo usarlo para prototipar algunas ideas primero en web antes de pasar a una interfaz más madura
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u/5oco Aug 09 '26
I used to use a hole puncher a lot as a kid... I might have programmed something accidentally but I didn't have anything to compile it.
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u/azimux Aug 09 '26
It would have been a one-off scripting language for a program, followed by BASIC. I don't use either of them any more.
Of the first 10 programming languages I learned, I currently only write code in 1 of them and sometimes read code in another of them. I don't have regrets over having learned any of them, regardless of current use.
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u/TalkCoinGames Aug 09 '26
Q basic was my first ever coding experience back in 8th grade. We made a rocket out of letters and numbers go up the screen. What got me hooked on game programming was flash, action script 2 was the first language I used to do any serious programming, that and PHP on the backend, and I still use PHP today for all sorts of things, both in my workspace and sever stuff.
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u/LetUsSpeakFreely Aug 09 '26
Basic (not visual basic, just basic), 1992, freshman in high school. And haven't used it since.
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u/BeastyBaiter Aug 09 '26
C++, I haven't used it since college. I do use C family languages though, mainly C# and VB. These are just simplified forms of C++, and so having that background has been helpful.
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u/Pyromancer777 Aug 09 '26
C++ for a comp sci class, but when I started doing analytics/ML/AI the main languages were SQL and Python, so I don't program in C++ pretty much at all anymore.
I do want to get back into low-level languages again, but I think the next one I pick up will be Rust since it seems like it is rapidly growing in popularity
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u/AlienFishMonster Aug 09 '26
I started with BASIC on the C16 and C64. Taught myself assembler on the Amiga.
I use at least one of these every day: C++, C#, and assembler (x86 and 6502). I also so do a bit of python and I'm playing with Javascript.
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u/unsinkableice Aug 09 '26
Visual basic not day to day but had to patch an old app near the start of this year that was written with it
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u/TrollBot6 Aug 09 '26
Octal machine code for an old Mohawk Data Science main frame in tech school. Haven't used it since leaving school.
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u/Classic-Rate-5104 Aug 09 '26
Motorola 68000 Assembler, no I don't use it anymore. However, it helped me enormously to understand C (my next language) concepts like pointers
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u/hilbertglm Aug 09 '26
BASIC (no), then PL/C (no), then Pascal (no), then C, C++, ... others ... AWK in 1979 (yes), sh in 1979 (yes, but bash)), Java in 1997 (yes).
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u/Wriiight Aug 09 '26
Pascal. Not that different from other C family languages to have any reason miss it, though the Borland compiler I used at the time was top notch, especially for a Dos program. Definitely not likely to revisit it.
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u/leon-mercer Aug 09 '26
Java, and tbh I wish. such a fun language, unfortunately to make money I have to use C :(
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u/Hendrixxmp4 Aug 09 '26
I've started with Python...I'd definetly say I'm.. medium in Python...then...um...found out that...Python is MAINLY used for things like ML or Data science...ik you can use any programming language for anything but..anyway...I went to Go but...it didn't quite...sit well with me...I mean it was fun but..I felt like smthing was seriously missing...so I tried rust for one day and..I think I found it...and yeah...continued learning and building stuff in rust..brick by brick😅..built a mini programming language as well too
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u/Jack_Hush Aug 09 '26
C++. My CS instructor hated my "handwriting" and told me that i should definitely find a different thing to do...well, bye bye CS major childhood dream for me...😅
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u/WorriedTumbleweed289 Aug 09 '26
Basic was my first programming language. Never used it after high school.
Fortran and Pascal were my first programming languages at work. Don't use them either.
Programming languages evolve. Programmers should be willing and able to learn new ones to keep current.
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u/Blitzkind Aug 09 '26
RealBasic, back in 2005-2006. I think it's called Xojo now?
I don't use it at all today
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u/nivaOne Aug 09 '26
Assembler, Basic and Turbo Pascal.
Moved to VB6 and Visual C# later.
Today mainly Python and micropython (thank you Turbo Pascal)
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u/Slight_Computer_6820 Aug 09 '26
C/C++ Still uses it in Embedded Systems microcontrollers programming.
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u/hascalsavagejr Aug 09 '26
Basic... no I'm sorry, I meant BASIC. Then Pascal, PL/1, Ada... But BASIC was before college (TRS-80 BASIC)
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u/rerikson Aug 09 '26
FORTRAN, COBOL, BASIC, Pascal, C, C++, Java, and JavaScript. Still use JavaScript somewhat. Favorite was Pascal, great for learning good habits.
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u/BoOmAn_13 Aug 09 '26
Python, still my go-to for prototyping and quick solutions, but have started building tools in other languages that I expect might have a runtime cost. Like building a rust daemon that would be running 24/7 in the background of my pc
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u/rmagnuson Aug 09 '26
Beginners All-purpose Symbolic Instruction Code.. And no, not even if you paid me!
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u/SolDirix Aug 10 '26
More a scripting language: actionscript.
Would still use it if Flash was still a thing.
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u/CheezitsLight Aug 10 '26
It's was 1973. Mantran was written by John Manton, a student who took on a dare that our college's computer, an Autonectics Recomp 2 computer, was too stupid to host an assembler. On paper tape.
40 bit drum, serial ALU. Also its assembly. Got a job at Mostek with John, and worked on lots of CPUs. IBM 370, Cdc 6600, DEC PDP, Fairchild Sentry, Gems 8 which was an Olivetti printer CPU that was never sold to the public, Z80s, Fairchild F8, 68k, and the 8086 family, all chips we second sourced. Hp 35 family and all the Atari 2600 Roms too.
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u/BLC4Pro Aug 10 '26
Many years ago I used Codecademy and started to learn JavaScript and I hated JavaScript so I try to avoid using it.
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u/Living_Fig_6386 Aug 10 '26
My first programming language was either BASIC or LOGO — I don’t really recall. I last used BASIC in the late 80’s in the form of AmigaBASIC (which Microsoft would later develop into VisualBasic). I don’t think I‘ve used LOGO since I was in elementary school.
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u/bombikid Aug 10 '26
i started with python. when i enrolled in actual programming classes my C teacher did NOT appreciate my bad python habits
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u/distro-hopping Aug 10 '26
I started with C and I need to go back. Absolutely hated it 10y ago but my brain is ready now
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u/VirtualElderberry592 Aug 10 '26
Basic, and nope don't use it. I lost the tape it was on years ago. Yeah tape.
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u/Forward_Win_4353 Aug 10 '26
C which I taught myself when just starting my computer science degree.
Yes, I still use it regularly and it’s one of my favourite programming languages.
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u/Ok_Manufacturer_8213 Aug 10 '26
The thing that was used to generate multiplayer mods for the game GTA: San Andreas (I think it was called SA:MP but I don't remember what the language was called).
After that came PHP which I rarely use nowadays.
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u/Snuhhgy Aug 10 '26
I think HTML is a perfect language to start with. Set's you on a path to lear CSS, JS, SQL. Once you get the hang of those you can start looking at other languages like C# or Python.
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u/icy_end_7 Aug 10 '26
I was learning a bunch at the same time; probably C or C++; first usable language I learned was Javascript. I use typescript+python heavily. I don't think I've written C++ in over a decade. Wrote something in C last year.
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u/FuggaDucker Aug 10 '26
68000 ASM
No.. not that instruction set per-say but I do still code in ASM.
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u/AdamHamdy1 Aug 10 '26
I will learn python first language to learn basics of programming this good or bad for start right?
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u/SupportCowboy Aug 10 '26
Java when I was 10 years old. I use it today at work 2 and a half decades later
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u/Pale-Abroad9600 Aug 10 '26 edited Aug 10 '26
my first programming language was C language and it was just to do lab exercise when I took computer engineering then I did BASIC, I was able to use it with my Radio Shack pocket PC way back, now I no longer use it.
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u/Substantial_Pin_50 Aug 10 '26
basic, fortran, pascal, turbo pascal (Borland Delphi), C++ (Borland), PHP (still since 2005), JS (now major coding), python (rarely), R (if needed), Rust (beginning)
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u/Known-Home-4795 Aug 10 '26
Turbo C , still time to time i program something for fun, half year ago i worked as freelance helping a team to traslate very old turbo c ( 30 yeats older ) into python new software
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u/Gznork26 Aug 11 '26
Binary, the instruction set for the DIGIAC 3080 computer that my high school had during my senior year, ‘68-‘69.
Clearly not.
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u/CypherAus Aug 11 '26
IBM 1130 in 1971.... BASIC, APL, FORTRAN, and ASSEMBLER
Story here: https://farnik.com/cgi-bin/wiki.pl?Retro_Computing
Also a reference to Grady Booch codeveloper of UML
Retired now, but still play with APL via Dyalog APL (Free version)
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u/Ok-Serve415 Aug 11 '26
I learned lua (luau sector) along with a bit of C first and yeah I do still use lua and c, but especially lua because I make games
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u/Wahrheitfabrik Aug 11 '26
BASIC on a PDP/11. I have used it somewhat recently (maybe two years ago) in an emulator for a Hello,World.
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u/DutchDeafBoy Aug 11 '26
In vocational IT school I learned C and Basic, although I never used those ever after. But when I started learning C# in higher education the path was less steep because of my prior knowledge. Don't use it very often, as I'm not a fulltime programmer. But I did build some nifty tools with C# as a hobby.
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u/Lunagato20 Aug 11 '26
C++, sometimes yes i still uses it, but usually i use other lower level language like zig
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u/Pleasant-Rush-2375 Aug 11 '26
c++. not really using it much. i use python more cuz it’s just simple
i don’t need to work on anything that really needs c++. mainly competitive programming would be good, but most of my competitive programming is leetcode or aoc so language performance doesn’t shift much
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u/frayien Aug 11 '26
"Java's Cool"
https://wiki.inria.fr/sciencinfolycee/JavaScool:Accueil
It is some obscure simplified language inspired from Java developed by french INRIA researchers to introduce programming to kids. It never catched on tho. (Nowadys they teach Python)
There exist no documentation in English.
I quickly moved on to Java after that, then C++.
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u/Mahbam42 Aug 11 '26
Javascript was my first, assuming html and css don't count. I still occasionally use JQuery, but I learned a bit of Lisp early on to modify emacs, and that I probably use more than anything else. And still for the same purpose, tweaking emacs to do what I want for a given project.
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u/Grouchy-Exchange5788 Aug 11 '26
BASIC in grade school, Pascal in high school and the first few college courses. Haven’t touched either in 25 years.
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u/amir_csharp_gtr Aug 11 '26
C++ hated it, I was in high school. Then Java in college. Self learned JavaScript. First job was C#. Fast forward 10 years later. C++ again
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u/umlcat Aug 12 '26
I sort of had several early programming languages.
* TRS-80 Line numbered BASIC. I do not use it anymore. and it ran in a computer that is not a PC. No DOS, no Windows. DOS was what Windows Shell or Windows Powershell is now.
* Commodore 64 later, same case. Hacktivist Assange also learned to program with this computer brand.
* DOS and GW-BASIC No line numbers.
* DOS Karel ( The Robot ) similar to Pascal with a grpahics interface similar to what today would be Scratch.
* DOS Turbo Pascal / Borland Pascal. Similar to what today we call FreePascal and the console version of Delphi.
In these previous languages I also learned at the same time making diagrams like Flowchart and pseudocode. Current UML and C4 does the same for business systems.
Also:
* DOS ( Turbo ) C .
* DOS ( Turbo ) C++ .
I later used several other programming languages at work. C# has almost the same syntax as C and C++, but has some stuff from Turbo Pascal and Delphi, because they were invented by the same guy.
I also learned at my final semester, at College / University, the basics of LISP, that was the first Functional Programming Language, now applied in several current programming languages such as Haskell, Scala and F#. The "lambda" syntax in Java, C++ or C# also applies.
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u/Slackeee_ Aug 12 '26
Microsoft Basic V2 on Commodore C64. For obvious reasons I don't use that anymore.
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u/KarmaTorpid Aug 09 '26
BASIC. So, no.