which programming language is the best to start with?

[pelytig]

Probably BASIC because as the name implies it is basic. I am starting on BASIC myself and I feel I made a good decision. If you are leaning towards web design though HTML is a must. Unless you are using a WYSIWYG HTML editor like FrontPage or something like that.

[Dream]

Java.

Many people use it. Many website teaches it. A lot of library for you to use.

[Bass5098]

I am surprised php is not up there. I found that the easiest to learn, not including html. I have used php for many different projects, and like having dynamic webpages. You can normally learn it in a few days if you are a quick learned and very talented.

[Ashoat]

I started with TI calculator BASIC. I would recommend it - it's really easy as the function library is tiny and browsable, and BASIC's string-based logic is easy to get the hang of.

 

After that, I moved to PHP. PHP is also very easy and a good start language. It does away with datatypes generally so it's easier to learn and use. Perl, Python, and Ruby fit into this category as well, as do most scripting languages.

 

Java and C# are also relatively easy, but have some more complex concepts - types and type casting, reference types, object-oriented programming, large class libraries you need to learn, etc.

 

I don't recommend you start with C, C++, or anything low-level like that - you'll get way too confused as those languages are very hard to learn.

[Diggsey]

The most fun programming language is DarkBasic or DarkBasic Pro. I know many programming languages, and can safely say that they are the most fun. (For a start, you can create a 3d cube in one line)

[Kyougi]

I don't recommend you start with C, C++, or anything low-level like that - you'll get way too confused as those languages are very hard to learn.

I disagree. Many programming courses start you out with C. It's better to get used to more complicated concepts in the beginning than to get used to a higher level language and having to struggle with the harder concepts later on, in my opinion.

[Ashoat]

Programming courses are different. I don't suggest people start with C because I fear that they will be discouraged by its "boringness" and huge learning curve, and will just give up. That's what happened to me when I tried learning C as my first langauge (granted, I was 11 then...).

 

If you're taking a programming course, you probably aren't doing it "for the fun of it", and therefore "boringness" won't be as big of a factor in whether you stay with the language or not.

[Little Bill]

I started with VB.Net.

[Clydefrog]

Personally, I started with Java and Python. They were really simple and to the point kind of programming. I moved onto C and then C++ ... after and found those to be really really easy after I finished Java and Python. Maybe that is because I had a background in programming already, but most people who took up learning C or C++ first told me that it is a hard language to get if you do it without any programming knowledge. But I'd say do Java/Python first before you do any other languages. They are easy and give you an idea of how to program.