Top 10 Programming Languages Game Developers should Master

If you are a game developer, these top 10 programming languages are a must-know for you

Programming languages are computer languages that are used by programmers (developers) to communicate with computers. It is a set of instructions written in any specific language ( C, C++, Java, Python) to perform a specific task. From creating mages inside the gaming world to developing the process of gaming, everything requires a great deal of coding with various programming languages. Here are the top 10 programming languages that are used by game developers.

JavaScript

JavaScript is pretty much the industry leader of programming languages at this point. Built originally as a scripting language for Netscape Navigator (one of the best browsers back in the day) in 1994, JavaScript's ascent to greatness has been swift. It wasn't until 2008 that modern-day JavaScript was devised by Google when they built the V8 engine for Google Chrome. Originally built as a competitor to Java by Netscape, JavaScript now commands a space of its own in the development sphere. JavaScript is widely favored as the "language of the Internet" because of its popularity. JavaScript enjoys the highest support amongst developer communities – as high as 67.7%. 

The combination of JavaScript and HTML5 makes JavaScript popular in games development as well. It provides the Ease JS library which provides simple solutions for working with rich graphics. It also has an API that is familiar to all-flash developers with a hierarchical display list.

Java

Built in 1991 by James Gosling, Mike Sheridan, and Patrick Naughton as the language 'Oak', Java was the first language to have a big global impact. While the new programming languages used the same format as C/C++, they incorporated certain new ideas to make it more appealing to more people. Java runs on the principle of "Write Once, Run Anywhere" – implying that systems with varying hardware and OS configurations can run Java programs with ease.

Java is widely used by game development companies because it has the support of the open-source most powerful 3D engine. The engine provides unparalleled capacity when it comes to the context of the designing of 3D games. The most popular games developed in Java are Minecraft, Mission Impossible III, etc.

Python

Python was built by Guido van Rossum in the late 1980s in the Netherlands. Initially built as a competitor for Java in the industry, Python slowly shot forward in popularity. Currently, Python has built huge popularity among both the researcher as well as the developer community. Python sits at the top of the language ranking for the IEEE Spectrum, having a score of a perfect 100. Moreover, Python also commands respect and has a support percentage of 44.1%. 

Python is most commonly used for rapid prototyping during game development. However, it is also used to add backend functionalities and scripts. For 3D games, Python can be used to develop animated graphics and images as well as player variables and an overall fun experience. Programmers primarily use a Python technology called Pygame.

C++

Perhaps one of the most shocking answers that one can expect in this article is C++. Despite being the language that most people use to learn the concepts of data structures and algorithms, the language itself finds little usage in the practical world. First created by Bjarne Stroustrup as an extension of the C programming language in 1982, C++ went on to make a name for itself in the years to come.

C++ is the most popular language for creating game engines —the development environments where game programmers create and host their interactive worlds. Game engines provide the technology for every aspect of a game, from graphics, physics, and sound to the behavior of AI-powered game bots.

TypeScript 

TypeScript is the superset of JavaScript and has almost the same applications as JavaScript. TypeScript can be used in web development, mobile app development, desktop app development, and so on. TypeScript is the second most popular language as mentioned by StackOverflow's list of most loved languages, being loved by 67.1% of developers (being second only to Rust). TypeScript is mainly a language meant for development, so it does not have much appeal to the scientific community. However, It has a great appeal in the gaming industry as it is comparatively easier to learn and use. 

Golang 

New languages are sharply rising on the horizon, with new contenders coming up to challenge the throne owned by JavaScript and Python. Being made by Google (both have "Go" in their names!) mainly to advance the cause of functional programming, Golang has built up a mass following within a short time. Golang has already made it the fifth-best language to learn by StackOverflow, being adored by 62.3% of developers.

Now, Golang is a highly flexible, scalable, and robust language that incorporates numerous attractive features. For this reason, golang for game development is a delight for every developer. Golang is an open-source programming language that supports multiple operating systems. As a result, the use of golang for mobile development is high in demand.

Dart

Dart is one of the fastest-growing languages in the industrial sphere. Google's contribution in the sphere of languages has significantly increased to compete with the increase in popularity of Microsoft's TypeScript. Dart has been highly adored by programmers around the world for its simplicity. Dart is used in multi-platform application development. Like JavaScript, Dart is used for building software that can be run by anyone and everyone with an electronic device. For simple web-based games, there is no better choice than Dart. 

Ruby

Ruby is a pure Object-Oriented language developed by Yukihiro Matsumoto (also known as Matz in the Ruby community) in the mid-1990s in Japan. Everything in Ruby is an object except the blocks but there are replacements too for it i.e procs and lambda. The objective of Ruby's development was to make it act as a sensible buffer between human programmers and the underlying computing machinery. Don't expect to write highly-performant, professional, commercial, 3D games with Ruby, but Ruby is a great language to use when learning game development concepts. Gosu is the most popular (and actively maintained) library for writing 2D games in Ruby.

PHP

PHP is a server-side language that can be used in conjunction with a database to create dynamic web pages. By the word "dynamic" it allows you to input or query data from a web page. These aren't the only things PHP allows you to do interaction with databases are a key feature of server-side languages. PHP is still relevant for browser games. There are tons of companies ( Gameforge, Funzio, Goodgame Studios, etc.) that use PHP for their online games. I think PHP and Java are most widely used, but learning something like Node.js and Python can be beneficial as well. It really depends on what you want to focus on.

C#

C# is a general-purpose, modern and object-oriented programming language pronounced as "C Sharp". It was developed by Microsoft led by Anders Hejlsberg and his team within the .NET initiative and was approved by the European Computer Manufacturers Association (ECMA) and International Standards Organization (ISO). It is also a great programming language that can be used by game developers.