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Author: Dmitrii Borodin

  • Best of 2020: Cybersecurity: What Programming Language Is Better for Your Career?

    Best of 2020: Cybersecurity: What Programming Language Is Better for Your Career?

    As we close out 2020, we at devopsy.kinsta.cloud wanted to highlight the five most popular articles of the year. Following is the second in our series of the Best of 2020.

    As a novice developer, you may be thinking about learning a programming language and starting a fantastic career.

    In fact, this question on Reddit inspired the whole article:

     

    Source: Reddit.

    The thing is, programming languages represent certain philosophies of its authors and tailored to certain types of problems, i.e., there is no such thing as “the best programming language.”

    Source: Reddit.

    Every Tool Has Its Time and Place

    In this article, I describe major programming languages according to its popularity, usage, demand and ease of learning. 

    There is market demand and a potential salary range for each language. These are linked to specific personal goals and prior programming experience.

    What Questions Should You Ask Yourself Before Diving in?

    • What kind of projects do you want to work on? If career flexibility is a priority, then learning Python or C++ will allow you to work with different types of programming. If your passion is web development, learning JavaScript or PHP is a smart choice.
    • How much experience do you have? You won’t want to switch to an advanced programming language, such as Rust, if you don’t have previous programming experience. If you’re new to a language, you’ll want to start at a higher level and be intuitive.
    • What are your career goals? Do you want to become a freelancer, working for an existing company or work with a startup? Are you trying to be better in your current role?

     

     

    If you plan to get a job in a large technology company, learn the programming languages they use, e.g., NASA, Google and Facebook use Python.

    Many programming languages have similar syntax and qualities—so if you learn one of them, it will be easier for others. The more languages you know, the more flexibility you have in your career and development projects.

    In the list below, we will look at the best and most popular programming languages for many of the most common uses, including web development, mobile development, game development and more.

    Source: Reddit.

    Top Five Programming Languages to Start Your Career

    Java

    It is probably the best programming language if you are looking for a common language that will be useful in various situations. As for choosing a programming language to learn, there are many resources for people who are thinking about learning Java. Java was released in 1995, which makes it one of the oldest programming languages. It is used on a wide range of platforms and operating systems, including Microsoft Windows, macOS, Linux and Solaris. 

    That means there will always be jobs for Java developers, making it (perhaps) the best programming language to learn.

    Research shows that Java developers can expect to earn between $80,000 and $130,000 per year. If you are thinking about learning your first programming language, think about taking an online course, for example, CodeGym. This course, which contains 40 levels of game-play classes, will teach you all the basics you need to know to start programming in Java. It’s easy to follow—even if you don’t have programming experience—and it is worth checking out.

    It is also best used for back-end web development, mobile development and desktop applications.

    JavaScript

    This programming language works on several platforms. Therefore, it is ideal for websites that will be accessed through various devices and browsers. It is suitable for anyone who designs websites with effects, interactive features, animations and pop-ups—standard features on virtually any brand website these days. If you want to work in a creative environment and add more experience to the user, this is a coding language to learn.

    JavaScript is the number one language on the web. The growth of frameworks such as jQuery, Angular and React JS has made JavaScript even more popular.

    If you just can’t stay away from the internet, it’s better to learn JavaScript sooner than later. I consider this JavaScript Masterclass an excellent place to start. For cheaper alternatives see this list of free JavaScript courses.

    It is also best used for front-end and back-end web development

    Learning PHP

    PHP—another old language, first appeared on the stage of programming around the same time as Java in 1995. It is a general-purpose language widely used for web development from the early days of the web.

    Unlike other languages, which can be quite tricky to use with HTML, PHP can be built directly into the HTML code block. Start and finish instructions are used to enter and exit PHP, making it very easy to use. Although PHP is not as popular as Python or Java, it can be a suitable language to learn because of its simplicity. It is convenient for beginners and you can write your first scripts just a few hours after you start your PHP course.

    Again, the popularity and wide use of PHP means that work opportunities are relatively easy to find. An average PHP developer can expect to earn around $80,000 per year. However, there is potential to make much more as a freelancer.

    Take an advanced PHP course, which will teach you everything you need to know to find your first job as a programmer. It doesn’t matter if you’re studying your first language, or if you’re an experienced developer looking for the best programming language to add to your resume—PHP is a great choice!

    It is best used for back-end web development.

    Python

    Source: Reddit.

    Python is a useful step toward more advanced forms of programming languages. Python provides a high degree of website readability and is used by companies such as Reddit, Google and even NASA.

    It is seen as entry-level programming that does not require too much prior knowledge. It may be ideal for relatively new professionals to help small businesses that want to expand their presence on the internet without having to resort to advanced professionals. Python is a relatively simple programming language that is very easy to pick up if you already have programming experience. That makes it one of the best to learn if you are already working as a developer and want to increase your resume quickly.

    The code on Python is designed to be readable. It uses a lot of white spaces, which makes it a pretty easy language to learn while you’re studying it.

    One of the most useful Python’s features is its compatibility with data analysis systems and scientific applications. It is a popular language in scientific communities and is often used by researchers to write their programs.

    An average Python developer can expect to earn about $100,000 per year. However, there is little room for wage growth.

    If you think Python is the best programming language to further your career, consider enrolling in a BitDegree course. The Python Basics Course includes everything you need to know to start writing programs on Python and contains less than four hours of lecture material.

    It is best used for back-end web development, desktop applications, and data analysis.

    C#

    C# is another object-oriented, general-purpose language based on C. It is considered a suitable programming language for building applications native to Microsoft platforms. Microsoft initially developed it as part of its .NET framework for building Windows applications. C# uses a syntax similar to other languages such as C++. Therefore, it is easy to pick it up if you come from a different C family language. 

    C# is not only a suitable language for developing Microsoft applications, but also a language used by mobile device developers to build cross-platform applications on the Xamarin platform. Besides, anyone interested in VR development should think about learning C# as it is the recommended language for building 3D and 2D video games using the popular Unity game engine, which produces one-third of the best games on the market.

    If mobile application development or virtual reality is your business, consider learning C#. Many mobile device developers use C# to create cross-platform applications on the Xamarin platform. Although it is not the most convenient programming language for beginners. 

    If you are interested in any of the above areas, please see the section “Learning the code when making games – Udemy’s Complete Unity Developer in C#.” I see that more than 200,000 students have enrolled in this course, which indicates its popularity.

    It is best used for mobile and game development.

    What Are the Best Programming Languages to Learn?

     

    Source: Reddit.

    As was mentioned at the beginning, there is no best programming language to learn. The best language for you will depend on your experience, your current knowledge and reasons to learn a new language. 

    While there are many options, you should be able to narrow down your language choice by what you want to learn from it. 

    Remember to consider the following:

    • Programming experience, because some languages, such as Python and Java, are more suitable for beginners who have never programmed before.
    • What you want to do with the language. Different languages are used for different things.
    • How much time do you have? Some languages are much more demanding than others.

    Make your choice based on your interests and the type of software development you want to get into. Here is a brief summary:

    • External web development: JavaScript.
    • Internal web development: JavaScript, Java, Python, PHP.
    • Mobile development: Java, C#.
    • Game development: C#.
    • Desktop applications: Java and Python.

    To Sum Up

    Programming and developer communities are evolving faster than ever.

    Various new programming languages are emerging that are suitable for different categories of developers (beginners and experts) as well as for other applications (web applications, mobile applications, game development, distributed systems, etc.).

    This list simply scratches the surface of existing programming languages. Still, the simple fact is that with the right coding skills, you will be perfectly prepared to offer valuable technical support and become an asset to any organization.

    — Dmitrii Borodin

  • Out of Date: Cloud Anti-Trends of 2019

    Out of Date: Cloud Anti-Trends of 2019

    Let’s talk about 2019 cloud tech anti-trends. A lot of those anti-trends are nothing but cloud myths, which are still widely spread and talked about.

    In this article, we’ll take a look at some anti-trends and try to understand where’s the myth part in them.

    Private Cloud Is Not Popular Anymore

    According to the IDC research organization, by 2021, companies from around the world will spend more than half a billion dollars on cloud tech. This is two times more than in 2016. At the same time, there is a clear tendency: The public cloud workloads are growing, while the situation is exactly opposite for the private cloud. Cisco said, after three years 73% of the company’s applications will move to the public cloud, while just a year ago this figure was around 50%.

    Such a shift is partly caused by cloud providers, who offer users of public clouds more and more features that simplify the development of services. For example, tools that allow creating machine learning models, manage software deployment processes and analyze logs.

    That’s why many felt the active development of a public cloud meant the final decline of the private cloud niche. During his speech at a conference last year, Anthony Lai, senior vice president of the cloud-based division of NetApp said private clouds would “die out.”

    I wouldn’t expect the private cloud to disappear completely. The statement that it will cease to exist is only partly true. The private cloud may disappear as an independent unit, but it will remain part of the hybrid IT infrastructure.

    As noted in Gartner, 72% of companies in the world use a hybrid strategy. And it is expected this figure will grow. According to analysts from Market Research, the market for cloud object storage systems will reach six billion dollars by 2023. This will definitely spur further development of the hybrid IT infrastructure.

    One reason to use private clouds is predictable business processes.

    Yes, the public cloud offers flexible scaling. The company does not have to urgently buy new hardware if the load on the services has increased dramatically (for example, the application became a success and tons of new users came in). In this case, you can simply rent additional computing power. But if the load can be predicted (say, it is static) a private cloud is often enough.

    Also, a private cloud is often used to create object storage. Sure, object storage services are also available in the public cloud and a number of companies use them. Just a couple of years ago, Netflix migrated its entire infrastructure to the public cloud.

    However, not all companies need to build a distributed infrastructure as Netflix did. There are cases when companies have object storage in a private cloud because it already has an appropriate low-cost automated infrastructure. CERN is one of them. All the data generated by the Large Hadron Collider is stored in a private cloud.

    The IT-Infrastructure Market Is Oversaturated with Specialists

    Today, companies are actively abandoning their own infrastructure in favor of cloud solutions. That is why the need for in-house specialists engaged in its maintenance, gradually disappears. The IaaS provider takes on many issues related to the management and administration of the infrastructure, and the specialists need only ensure that everything is set up correctly.

    That is also why companies often abandon their own IT departments. At first glance, it seems this will gradually lead to instability in the labor market. Experts in the field of IT infrastructure, system administrators and data center operators will have to compete fiercely for the remaining jobs. But will they really have to?

    This does not mean such specialists have become completely unnecessary. In reality, in-house specialists simply change the focus of their activities. Most of the IT infrastructure administration tasks are now on IaaS and IaaS providers are now the ones who need and are actively fighting for such specialists.

    Even when you do use third-party solution, that is what happens sometimes:

    When customers start using intermix.io for the first time, they can see the set-up and configuration of their Amazon Redshift cluster in the context of their queries and workflows.

    At that point, customers experience one common reaction: Knowing what we know now, how would we set up our Redshift cluster had we do it all over again?

    The answer is not that straightforward.

    However, sometimes it happens that migration to the cloud stimulates the company to strengthen and develop the IT department more, attracting new cloud employees. These people study the cloud ecosystem, analyze the trends and evaluate how the transfer of an application to the cloud will affect the company’s work. If the company is already working with the cloud, then cloud specialists are also exploring new features of the current platform and exploring services that will benefit a business in the future.

    Clouds Don’t Hold New Technologies

    Four years ago, IBM listed seven cloud technologies to help businesses. The list includes IaaS/PaaS, private/hybrid cloud, test and application development environments, big data processing and disaster recovery solutions, along with data storage and backup systems.

    These technologies served as a standard technology stack for a long time. It was all developed with the efforts of IaaS providers. Therefore, there was an opinion that the cloud ecosystem was finally formed and no other use cases will be foreseen in the near future.

    New Directions Still Appear: The blockchain technology was born in 2008, gained worldwide popularity 8 years later and came to the cloud about a year ago. Based on the virtual infrastructure, a new direction has started to develop: Blockchain-as-a-Service (BaaS). In this case, the client receives a virtual environment prepared for working with blockchain technology. Users can create their own applications on the blockchain (for example, for processing financial transactions) and run them in a secure virtual environment.

    Quantum Computers: the most recent, fresh cloud trend. The quantum machine uses qubits instead of bits we are used to. Unlike bits, qubits can take the value of zero and one at the same time. Thus, a quantum machine can be in several states at once. The more qubits a quantum computer has, the faster it performs the tasks assigned to it. Imagine how much faster it can brute-force passwords or simulate chemical reactions.

    Quantum computers already have practical applications. IBM has recently opened access to its 20-qubit developments via the IBM Q cloud platform. And this year, Alibaba partnered with the Chinese Academy of Sciences to deploy an 11-qubit quantum device in the cloud. Quantum Computing as-a-service (QCaaS) opened the way for experiments on the infrastructure of providers and proved the cloud industry can adapt to the emergence of new technologies.

    Another Trend Is Fogging or Fog Computing: IT-industry experts are trying to solve the problem of delay in transferring data to the cloud. In the case of fogging, server components are not located in the centralized data center, but on the periphery, close to the end-user devices.

    In such an architecture, a main, large cloud still remains but has additional networking and computing layers: cloud, fog, edge. The Cloud (cloud layer, primary) solves expensive tasks for periphery machines (edge layer, end-user): data analysis, system logging, etc. The fog layer does local calculations in real-time to generate reports and send them to the central hub. This architecture improves the performance of the entire infrastructure by significantly (up to 10 times) reducing the delay in data exchange.

    To Sum It Up on Cloud Myth-Busting

    So, as with everything, rushing into extremes doesn’t help. That’s what we figured out:

    1. Even though public cloud seems to be a mainstream option, private cloud infrastructure still makes sense for certain use cases.
    2. Most of the IT infrastructure administration tasks are now on IaaS and IaaS providers are now the ones who need and are actively fighting for Engineers i.e. market is more than far away from being oversaturated with specialists.
    3. Clouds don’t hold new technologies. Did anyone really believe this one anyway?

    — Dmitrii Borodin