The Best Web Programming Languages for a Computer Science Career

Web development languages and computing software are the building blocks of computer science. The best coding languages to learn are those that fulfil a number of key attributes.

The best web programming languages are:

Relatively straightforward to learn and teach
Compact and efficient
Suitable for their specific purposes
Translatable or readable by a human

At the same time, the big data tools and types of artificial intelligence software that you’ll use in a computer science career must be fit for purpose and enable you to carry out your tasks efficiently.

On our online Computer Science MSc we teach students a range of programming languages and software tools in both our Artificial Intelligence and Data Analytics pathways. This prepares graduates to go out into the computer science jobs market ready to work and able to understand a variety of relevant languages.

In this article we’ll run through the best tools and web programming languages and why we teach them on the course.

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The best programming languages

English is not a good language to code in. Computers struggle to understand the nuances of synonyms, tone and English sentence structure. That’s why programming languages were created, to give machines a way of carrying out functions with instructions they can absorb simply.

There is large number of different web programming languages that fulfil different functions. Some are more straightforward; others are good at some tasks but not others. The most important thing is you use the best programming language for the job at hand.

That’s why we teach several different languages on our Computer Science masters course, dependent on the module and learning outcome. Here are the coding languages you’ll come across and when on Northumbria’s Data Analytics or Artificial Intelligence pathways.

1. Java

Java is a high-level programming language based on C and C++ that is used for a huge number of applications across smartphones, computers, websites and other electronics. It is robust and easy to learn, as well as having a relatively straightforward syntax, so as a programming language it is popular and versatile.

We use Java on our Object Oriented Programming module which is taught to all students in the first half of both Computer Science MSc pathways. Of all the web programming languages, Java is probably the most essential for all programmers to learn.

2. Python

We teach students to use Python in the AI Studio module of the Artificial Intelligence pathway on our course. Its syntactical similarity to English makes it a highly recommended programming language for artificial intelligence purposes.

Python 3 is the latest version of the language, which we employ in the Big Data and Cloud Computing module of the Data Analytics pathway.

Python is a high-level language and is widely used for general programming purposes. It was created by Guido van Rossum to be:

Easy to use
Powerful
Open source
Understandable

3. Oracle SQL Plus

Structured Query Language (SQL) which is needed to access the Oracle Database. It is taught on the Computer Science MSc in the Data Modelling and Analytics module which is part of both Data Analytics and Artificial Intelligence pathways we offer at Northumbria.

Used by many programmers, students will be taught to use it for database development and queries.

4. PL/SQL

In the same module, students will become familiar with PL/SQL for transactions. This is a procedural programming language extension of SQL.

Which big data skills are most in demand?

Big data analytics tools and artificial intelligence programs

As well as these web programming languages that our Computer Science students will come across, they will also become familiar with a suite of useful and common software packages.

Here is a list of the software you’ll come across in various modules on the course:

Microsoft Azure

This features in our Intelligent User Interfaces module in year two of the AI course pathway. Students will use Microsoft Azure tools for hands-on labs via weekly recorded workshops.

Azure will play an important part in focusing on the human-centred perspective of the IUI module, when learning to design, and evaluate intelligent interfaces for automated vehicles, home applications and more.

Power Apps and Power BI

In the same module you’ll get to know these Microsoft packages too. Power Apps, as the name suggests, allows people to create and use apps without the need for coding.

Power BI is used for making dashboards and reports.

MongoDB, Weka & Oracle Datamining

These big data analytics tools come into play during the Data Modelling and Analytics module mentioned above.

Visio & Powerpoint

These are also part of the same Data Modelling section of the course, used for drawing Entity Relationship Diagrams.

BlueJ IDE & JUnit Testing Library

You’ll be taught about the BlueJ Integrated Development Environment and Junit in the Object Oriented Programming module.

The best programming languages for the most applicable uses

The priority on our MSc in Computer Science is to give students the best tools for accomplishing their career goals.

Whether you want to become a software engineer, AI programmer, web developer or big data engineer, you’ll learn to use software and coding languages on our Computer Science masters course that are powerful, relevant, and industry-applicable.

Once you choose your appropriate pathway between Data Analytics and Artificial Intelligence, we’ll equip you with the programming languages that are foundational to computer science in general. Then once you start to specialise in your area of expertise, you’ll pick up the best tools for those more niche applications.

If you have any questions regarding the web development languages, programming languages you’ll learn and software packages you’ll use on our course, get in touch with an our enrolment advisor team.

As an online, distance learning student you’re given all the resources you need to study effectively with our tutors and Student Success advisors on hand to help you remotely.

Read more on our Computer Science MSc course pages for Data Analytics and Artificial Intelligence and apply for our next intake.

DLstudentenquiries@northumbria.ac.uk