Programming Language Worth Using for Educational Application Development

Programming Language for Educational Application Development: Are you gearing up for a programming language? It’s time to sit tight and buckle your shoes for the excellent ones.

The programming language you should choose to build your educational application is determined mainly by the platform you intend to deploy to and precisely what you plan to develop.

If you plan on building web-based educational software for the user side, you should code with JavaScript, HTML and CSS for markup and styling. And for mobile apps, you could choose to stick with a language like Flutter. 

In your quest to build an educational app, it’s recommended you check whether or not there are services already offering the same core functionalities you intend to introduce.

For instance, it’d be unnecessary to build an AI tool to help you spin articles for your essay or dissertation since there are online services linking you to professionals who’d help you.

You don’t need to think anymore: “Who would help me to write my dissertation if I don’t have time?”. And that’s in addition to the plethora of perks AI cannot offer you.

Cross-Platform languages allow you to develop apps that are simultaneously compatible with the duo of Android and iOS without you needing any subsequent modifications.

Surveys show that most developers use JavaScript, with around a sizable 70% using it in one form or the other. 

What Are Programming Languages?

Programming Languages are instructions you feed into a computer to make it perform a specific task.

There are two major cadres of programming languages; Low-level and High-level Languages. Low-level languages transform directly into machine codes and need no further transpiration. 

High-level Languages are those you typically would have to code while developing your Educational Application.

They compile directly into Low-level languages, which then get transpiled into machine instructions. Common examples include JavaScript, Python, Swift, GoLang etc.

What are the Best Languages for Education Application Development? 

The language to learn or stick to in developing your educational application depends on what you intend to build and on which platform you intend to make it available.

Web-Based apps generally require that the intending programmer be familiar with markup and styling languages – HTML, CSS- is highly skilled in Javascript and its Frameworks.

So, for a web app, you’d need Javascript. 

For Smartphones, however, you have various options to select from. The best choice would be any from Flutter and React Native, as they’re cross-compatible with the duo of iOS and Android platforms.

However, should you plan on building something way different from these traditional softwares, say an education-themed video game, or an AI application domiciled in the educational niche, you’d want to stick to C# (alongside other platform-relevant tools), as well as Python (plus relevant Frameworks). 

We’ve covered several options certainly worth exploring in the remainder of our article:

Javascript

JavaScript is one of the best programming languages to learn. Should you develop a web-based educational tool, you’d have to code with some form of JavaScript, be it PureJS or, more recommended, a framework (React, Vue), for the user-side of the application.

Though not necessary, you could also opt to develop the backend logic with ExpressJS, a sub-framework of JavaScript built on top of NodeJS.

While seemingly similar to the OOP language, JavaScript is not to be confused with Java, as both are unrelated.

The original creators of JavaScript mainly intended to tap into some of the wild success Java was enjoying at the time.

Level	Beginner to Intermediate
Skills Needed	HTML, to inject Content; CSS, to define the appearance
Platform	Web, Mobile, Desktop
Perks	Quick to learn easy to deploy. It has several frameworks compatible with different platforms built on top of it. Reduces the number of languages to learn.

Python

Python’s simplistic language syntax makes it a great choice for beginners. If you’ve no prior experience with programming, starting with Python is recommended.

This handy guide on self-learning a programming language will certainly shorten your learning time.

Python’s easy-to-get quirk makes it very useful for several applications, including Deep Learning, Desktop Applications, Backend Logic for Web Services, Data Structures etc.

The language has been employed in one capacity or the other in several educationally-oriented software and applications.

If you intend on developing an AI application, you’d need to stick with Python, considering that most relevant modules are written in the language. The same goes for a desktop application. 

Level	Beginner
Platform	Web, Desktop, AI, Gaming Software
Perks	Quick to learn several useful modules to de-complexify, as well as reduce development times. Interpreted rather than compiled. It greatly improves efficiency.

Go

Google released the first version of Go, also GoLang, in 2007. Not only are the syntax and core programming ideas easy to follow, but GoLang is also greatly suitable for dealing with multicore programming and networked systems.  

Go was created to meet the needs of programmers working on large projects. It has gained popularity among many large IT companies thanks to its simple and modern structure and syntax familiarity.

Companies using Go as their programming language include Google, Uber, Twitch, and Dropbox, among many others. Go is also gaining popularity among data scientists because of its agility and performance.

Level	Beginner
Platform	Mainly Desktop
Perks	EfficientMinimalistic
Downsides	Inactive developer community little library support

Kotlin

Released in a commercially-viable form in 2016 by Jetbrains, the same studio that developed Java, Kotlin has experienced remarkable success within the developer community.

It’s certainly a great option to consider for any educational app you may intend to build. In contrast to strictly object-oriented Java, Kotlin is more flexible and allows for a functional programming style.

Its use extends across platforms – Desktop Apps, Backend Logic, Web Apps and Mobile (Android) Apps.

Jetbrains intended that Kotlin trump over the inherent deficiencies of Java, convincing developers who’ve tried it out. The popular MOOCs, Udemy and Coursera, both run on Kotlin.

Level	Intermediate to Expert
Platform	Mobile, Desktop, Web (Server-Side)
Perks	Less Verbose compared with Java
Downsides	Compilation time differs among platforms

C#

Released in the early 2000s, C# (pronounced see-sharp) was built by Microsoft developers. C# is one other popular object-oriented programming language, alongside Java. Chances are you’ve heard it mentioned in conjunction with the .NET framework. It’s one of the major supporting languages for .NET.

C# apps will run on mobile (iOS and Android) and Windows platforms. It’s also a popular server-side logic language and is currently used by services like Bing, Visual Studio etc. 

Level	Intermediate to Expert
Platform	Mobile, Enterprise Educational Softwares
Perks	Extensive library support easy to use A broad community of developers open Source
Downsides	Rigid programming techniques compared with others Poor Graphical User Interface Support

Swift

Apple developed swift in 2014. The language is compatible with iOS, Mac and Linux platforms. With much verbosity overhead handled by specialist libraries, Swift doesn’t require that developers be that much versatile compared with other languages. The language is backwards-integrable with the IBM Bluemix. 

Level	Intermediate
Platform	Mobile Only (iOS Apps)
Perks	Less Verbose.Shorter compilation periods
Downsides	Doesn’t Support Earlier iOS VersionsLow degree of compatibility with third-party services

Conclusion 

While there are several languages out there, only a few are worthy of being learned. It’s recommended you stick with any of the ones we’ve discussed above to simplify and fast-track your app creation process. We recommend you check with any online courseware provider to start learning the basics you need to get started. 

Keep in mind that not all languages are compatible across different platforms. Be deliberate about your choice and do the necessary preliminary research to ensure you do not end up learning one unsuitable for the usage option you have in mind.

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