Depends on what you want to achieve:
Javascript: run anywhere
Python: utilities
Java/C#/C++: prepare for enterprise jobs
Ask HN: What language should beginning programmers learn first?
21–23 of 23 posts
Re: Ask HN: What language should beginning programmers learn first?
#22It depends on how far they want to go.
If you want to become a world class expert you should learn C++.
Human expectations grow faster than hardware,
and C++ is often the only viable choice for bridging that gap.
However if your aims are more modest you may find another language that better matches your needs.
Re: Ask HN: What language should beginning programmers learn first?
#23I would say learn Scratch programming first. Hear me out. It runs in the browser so there is no setup. You can see all of the blocks so there is less cognitive overhead trying to remember syntax. There is a huge community, they had 30 million active users last year. There are tons of books, courses, videos, and a forum to ask questions.
Setup . That's huge. What is the minimum amount of setup that a beginner can do before they can write and run something ? If it's "download this thing off the net, install it, then use it to download several other things..." you've lost half your would-be beginners.
You can literally start coding in Scratch as soon as you open the window. Of course you want to create an account if you want to save anything without having to download your file.