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April 22, 2019 by Julie McGrath

A new study from crowdsourced QA testers Global App Testing has explored developers’ biggest pain points, with Python dethroning JavaScript as Stack Overflow’s most questioned programming language.

The research focused on JavaScript, Python, R, Ruby, C#, C++, Java, Objective-C, Swift, PHP and SQL – not so much 11 languages but 10 languages and a database – and went through a semantic route to determine major issues.

In terms of sheer numbers, JavaScript came out on top with more than 1.75 million questions asked over Stack Overflow’s more than 10-year history. Java came second with 1.51m, with C# (1.28m), PHP (1.26m) and Python (1.1m) the others to break the million mark. Yet with regard to today, Python is top of the shop, having overtaken JavaScript for questions asked in late 2018.

Digging down into what developers were looking for in each language – the data cleaning was done in Python and the word cloud builder was in JavaScript, just to be fair – led to arguably few surprises. For JavaScript, ‘jQuery’ was by far the most questioned framework, with ‘function’, ‘duplicate’ and ‘string’ also popular words. For Python, the latter two were the most popular, but of interest to note was ‘django’. “Python is a general purpose duct-tape language and gets involved in many different domains of tech,” as the researchers put it.

The other languages analysed came up with some more interesting results. For Ruby, the most popular word was ‘rails’; hardly surprising, but it was the most popular by a street. More niche-purpose languages such as R, for data scientists, came back with more specific terms, including ‘dataframe’, ‘datatable’ and ‘ggplot’.

Global App Testing assessed the overall research thus. “Each programming language has over time been geared toward – or was even designed for – a particular niche within tech,” the company noted. “R is to data science as Swift is to iOS development as C++ is to video game development. This explains some of the differences in the types of problems that arise… why we see ‘database’ a commonly questioned concept in SQL but not, for example, Objective-C.

“Despite these obvious differences, these visualisations represent some fundamental similarities within the different domains,” the company added. “Base-level data types such as strings and arrays – but not integers, floats, or Boolean values, apparently – are frequently pain points that cause developers of all stripes and creeds to turn to Stack Overflow.”

The developer portal has previously noted some of these trends. A report from Stack Overflow last January noted how jQuery remained the most popular JavaScript framework while adding the share for market voice was ‘brutal’, while as far back as September 2017 the company was assessing what it called ‘incredible’ growth in Python.

You can read the full Global App Testing analysis here.

Interested in a career change using Java, Javascript or Python, check out some of our latest jobs here!

James Bourne – Developer Tech

October 22, 2018 by Julie McGrath

Software development is a dynamic field. New and in-demand programming languages, frameworks and technologies can emerge, rise to fame, and then fade away in the course of a few years. Developers need to constantly be learning new skills to stay relevant. Understanding the best programming languages to learn for the future can be tricky.

IT is the fastest growing field with new developments and upgradations. This is one of the key factors for Technological innovation and programming is the heart of these technologies. The programming language is the superpower of developers. The programming language is the most important hidden feature behind every software development. There are more than 600 programming languages available for different purposes.

A lot of people search for the most popular programming language based on the different aspects of comparison like features, simplicity, functionality etc. Software development is a dynamic field and new technologies rise and fade away in the course of a few years.

Here we are going to discuss the 9 Best Programming Languages To Learn For The Future:

Java

Java is one of the powerful and most popular programming language and platform. A platform is that environment that helps to develop and run a program which is written in the programming language.

Java is a simple language with easy to understand syntax. Java is an OOP (Object Oriented Programming) language which is based on C++ (C++ is the base for java). So modification in data and function can be done easily as per requirement.

Java is platform independent programming language, which can be run on any machine by an interpreter which is known as JVM (Java Virtual Machine).

Java is the robust and multithreaded programming language. It can perform many tasks together by defining multiple threads. Java programs especially use to create applets for the web browser. It does not require any preprocessor. Java is a very successful language.

JavaScript

JavaScript is a lightweight, interpreted scripting programming language. It is an open as well as cross-platform. JavaScript is a dynamic language which has object-oriented capabilities. Therefore it is complementary to and integrated with Java and HTML.

Web pages and many desktop and server programs use JavaScript. Here, it is must to know that JavaScript and Java are completely different languages in concept and design.

JavaScript code is written in tags “<script> </script>”. JavaScript provides rich interface and interaction for site users. JavaScript cannot be used for network applications.

Python

Python is a general-purpose, high-level, interpreted, procedural object-oriented programming language. Python is first released in 1991 by Guido Van Rossum. Python is popular and one of the widely used programming language, which is mainly used for a web application of server-side, mathematics, and system scripting. Python can work on different platforms like Windows, Linux, Mac etc.

Python is easy to learn because of its simple syntax just like the English language. The most recent version of python is Python 3. As python runs on an interpreter system, its code can be executed as soon as it is written. Python’s simplicity and readability make it more usable and popular.

PHP

PHP stands for Hypertext Preprocessor created in 1994. PHP is server-side scripting language which is used to design dynamic and interactive web pages. PHP is an open source scripting language which executed on the server. It is freely available to download from its official website and easy to install and use. PHP is the core of the biggest blogging system WordPress. PHP files have extension “.php”. PHP functions include collecting data, send and receive cookies, add, delete and modify data in the database, encrypt data. PHP is easy to learn and compatible with all servers.

C#

C# is the multi-paradigm general-purpose programming language. It is a simple, modern object-oriented programming language. It was developed in the year 2000 by Microsoft. C# is easier to learn if you already have an understanding of C and C++. Important features of C# are multithreading, conditional compilation, standard library, automatic garbage collection, easy to use generics, Boolean conditions, integration with windows, assembly versioning and indexers. C# has many similarities with Java.

Swift

Swift is another general-purpose programming language developed by Apple Inc. in 2014 for iOS, macOS, tvOS, watchOS, and Linux. Swift is an open source and compiled programming language. Swift is the alternative for objective C therefore when it is introduced, it was described as ‘Objective C without the C’. The most important feature of Swift programming is that it makes use of safe programming patterns. Also, swift uses automatic memory management.

Rust

Rust ranked the “Most Popular” programming language in this year’s survey conducted by Stack Overflow. Rust is growing steadily in popularity according to Google Trends Data. Rust is a simple, safe and open source programming language. Its syntax is easy to understand and use. So there is no doubt that soon Rust will be in the competition with Java and Python. Rust does not use automatic garbage collection system. Rust use another resource for memory management through RAII (Resource Acquisition Is Initialization).

Perl

Perl is known as “Practical Extraction and Reporting Language”. Perl is created by Larry Wall in 1987. Perl is high level, dynamic, interpreted programming language. Perl is specially designed for text editing. Perl supports Unicode and both procedural and object-oriented programming. Perl is now the most popular programming language due to its text manipulations capabilities. Perl is very easy to learn, extremely portable and very quick.

Go

Go is Google’s programming language which was first launched in the year 2009. Programs written in Go are simple, safe and concise and its compilation time is fast. Extension of Go programs is “.go” i.e. as if the file name is added then ‘add.go’. Packages are used to construct a program. Go has Goroutines and Goroutines have faster startup time than threads and a single Goroutine can run on multiple threads.

If you interested in a career in programming, you can find more programming courses & tutorials with Hackr.io. You can also leave a comment and let us know what other Programming Languages maybe popular in the future.

If your already a Pro at Programming, you can check out some of our latest Software Developer jobs here.

January 2, 2018 by Julie McGrath

We have been keeping a close eye on the most in demand Software Developer Jobs and demand for Skills within the last quarter of the year!

So in 2018, what are the tech skills employers look for the most?

The percentage of job listings with Python has overtaken C# as the third most in-demand skill. The most notable change since Q2 is the jump in demand for Java by 8%. Although it comes second place to JavaScript, it’s the skill which has grown most rapidly in popularity in the second half of the year. The rise in demand for Python skills may relate to the surge in development of machine learning and AI in the UK.

Despite ongoing political and economic uncertainty, businesses are optimistic and are
continuing with their recruitment plans in 2018. For the IT sector there is an unprecedented demand that exists for skilled technology professionals, driven by regulatory changes, digital transformation projects and a continued emphasis on cyber security.

The competition for talent in the sector is intensifying, and for employers looking at
other ways to attract and retain skilled candidates is essential to avoid the negative
consequences of skills shortages such as a decrease in productivity, low employee
morale and hampered growth.

To find out more information on how you can make your business ready to attract top talent, or if you are a developer and you want advice on some of the best companies to work for in your area then please get in touch or call 0330 2233047

StackOverFlow

October 5, 2017 by Julie McGrath

Skype introduces real-time code editor to help ease technical interview burdens!

If you have an off-site technical interview coming up, the last thing you want to be thinking about – never mind your knowledge and the pressure of the situation anyway – is how the technology you will be using will stand up.

Skype has launched a new preview feature which aims to help technical interviews be conducted more seamlessly.

The feature enables a video call to be placed on top of a code editor, meaning interviewers and their prospective candidates do not have to switch between two applications.

Skype says the editor, on its Skype.com web application, currently supports seven languages – C, C++, C#, Java, JavaScript, Python and Ruby – while it runs on Microsoft Edge or Google Chrome browsers, the latter at version 32 or above. The editor also includes built-in syntax highlighting.

All users need to do is visit the Skype Interviews website, click on ‘Start interview, and then once both participants follow the unique link sent out, the interview can begin.

It is worth noting that there are plenty of tools on the market which offer a similar kind of capability. HackerRank, a technical recruiter based in Palo Alto, California, is one example: the company adds a gamification element whereby programmers can practice different elements, face off against fellow users, and ultimately secure jobs.

Skype has been undergoing something of a revamp in recent weeks, with Skype Preview being launched earlier this month on desktop computers. The new interface “delivers most of the great features of [Skype’s] next generation mobile experience but is specifically designed with desktop in mind,” as Microsoft editor Todd VanderArk explained.

Check out some of our latest technical jobs here, you never know you might get the chance to check out Skype’s new technical interview features first hand.

James Bourne – Developer Tech

August 25, 2017 by Julie McGrath

Developer Jobs

There are many types of developer jobs, including software developer jobs, web developer jobs and mobile developer jobs. A developer in general is someone who creates either a piece of software, a website or other technical solutions to fulfil a business need.

Demand for developers is continuing to grow with the surge in mobile and internet technologies as well as our everyday dependence on IT.

Salaries for Developer Jobs

Developer is a very broad title that covers professionals with a wide range of skills, including those mentioned below. As such, the salary you can expect will vary depending on which development skills you have and how much experience you hold in each skill. Typically however, a junior developer could be looking at earning an annual salary of around 20,000 to 27,000. Moving up to a senior developer you are more likely to find salaries of around 50,000 -60,000.

Location will of course play a role in the salaries you can expect with the highest salaries being found in London. The average salary for a developer job is 40,000.

Other skills requested in Developer Job adverts

.Net – developed by Microsoft, .net is a commonly used software framework
C# – Again developed by Microsoft, however c# is a multi-paradigm programming language
SQL – a programming language designed for data management
HTML – if you want to work on web sites you need to know HTML
CSS – cascading style sheets, often an essential skill in web development
Java – as of 2012, one of the most popular programming languages in web applications
JavaScript – commonly used scripting language, still increasing in popularity

Top locations for Developer Jobs

As you would expect with most development jobs, the greatest demand is for Developer Jobs in London, with other top locations including West Midlands, Belfast, Manchester, Yorkshire, Oxfordshire, Surrey and Berkshire.

Check out our range of developer jobs here!

Technojobs

July 3, 2017 by Julie McGrath

Technology is leading the world and when I talk to IT graduates regarding their career choices, I would advise them to get involved in Software Development. This field is in high demand and more so than ever within areas outside of the UK’s major cities.

While quality developers are in high demand, If you want to win as well as earn, Software Development is something you need to enjoy and is not for everyone. Find out the top 5 reasons why people choose a career in Software Development.

1 Creative. If you ask people to name creative jobs, chances are they will say things like writer, musician or painter. But few people know that software development is also very creative. It is almost by definition creative since you create new functionality that didn’t exist before. The solutions can be expressed in many ways, both structurally and in the details. Often there are trade-offs to make (for example speed versus memory consumption). And of course, the solution has to be correct. All this requires creativity.

2 Collaborative. Another myth is that programmers sit alone at their computers and code all day. But software development is in fact almost always a team effort. You discuss programming problems and solutions with your colleagues and discuss requirements and other issues with product managers, testers and customers. It is also telling that pair-programming (two developers programming together on one computer) is a popular practice.

3 In demand. More and more businesses in the world are using, upgrading or developing software to suit their business demands and evolving markets, demand is still outpacing supply. Companies report that one of their greatest challenges is finding good developers. I regularly get contacted by businesses trying to recruit Software Developers but the realistic expectations need to be taken into account and hiring managers need to dig deeper into their pockets to hire and retain ‘Quality developers’. Hiring managers no longer choose Software Developers, Quality Software Developers choose hiring managers, company, culture & worklife balance. The tables are now turned for the employer to impress.

4 Pays well. Developing software can create a lot of value. There is no marginal cost to selling one extra copy of software you have already developed. This combined with the high demand for developers means that pay is quite good. There are of course occupations where you make more money, but compared to the general population, I think software developers are paid quite well.

5 Future proof. Many jobs disappear, often because they can be replaced by computers and software. But all those new programs still need to be developed and maintained, so the outlook for programmers is quite good.

BUT…

What about outsourcing? Won’t all software development be outsourced to countries where the salaries are much lower? This is an example of an idea that is better in theory than in practice (much like the waterfall development methodology). Software development is a discovery activity as much as a design activity. It benefits greatly from intense collaboration. Furthermore, especially when the main product is software, the knowledge gained when developing it is a competitive advantage. The easier that knowledge is shared within the whole company, the better it is.

Another way to look at it is this. Outsourcing of software development has existed for quite a while now. Yet there is still a high demand for local developers. So companies see benefits of hiring local developers that outweigh the higher costs.

HOW TO WIN

There are many reasons why I think developing software is enjoyable, but it is not for everybody. Fortunately, it is quite easy to try programming out. There are innumerable resources on the web for learning to program. For example, both Coursera and Udacity have introductory courses. If you have never programmed, try one of the free courses or tutorials to get a feel for it.

Finding something you really enjoy to do for a living has at least two benefits. First, since you do it every day, work will be much more fun than if you simply do something to make money. Second, if you really like it, you have a much better chance of getting good at it. I like the Venn diagram below (by @eskimon) on what constitutes a great job. Since programming pays well, I think that if you like it, you have a good chance of ending up in the center of the diagram! If you want to discuss your options on how to #WIN please get in contact with one of our team on hello@graffitirecruitment.co.uk or 0330 2233 047.

Python overtakes JavaScript as most queried language on Stack Overflow

Interested in a career change using Java, Javascript or Python, check out some of our latest jobs here!