Ask HN: What's the best web programming language?

#1

Post by thatguycheese » Fri, Mar 20, 2009, 5:28 PM UTC

I want to start developing web pages but i'm not really sure where to start. I like the idea of PHP, but i've been reading it's a spaghetti language and there are better places to start. Can anyone give me advice? Where to start, where to go? Mostly focused on web development

Re: Ask HN: What's the best web programming language?

#2

Post by noodle » Fri, Mar 20, 2009, 5:43 PM UTC

there is no best language. they're all tools in a toolbox. you can smash a nail in with a screwdriver, but its easier to use a hammer.

the question is, what do you want to do? are you new to web development and want to learn a language? do you have experience with other languages? etc..

Re: Ask HN: What's the best web programming language?

#3

Post by ksvs » Fri, Mar 20, 2009, 6:38 PM UTC

noodle wrote: post #2

there is no best language. they're all tools in a toolbox. you can smash a nail in with a screwdriver, but its easier to use a hammer. the question is, what do you want to do? are you new to web development and want to learn a language? do you have experience with other languages? etc..

there is no best language. they're all tools in a toolbox.

That's intellectual laziness masquerading as broad-mindedness. Obviously Ruby is going to be better for most web apps than Fortran.

Re: Ask HN: What's the best web programming language?

#4

Post by gcheong » Fri, Mar 20, 2009, 6:52 PM UTC

Have a look at: http://philip.greenspun.com/seia/

Re: Ask HN: What's the best web programming language?

#5

Post by noodle » Fri, Mar 20, 2009, 7:00 PM UTC

ksvs wrote: post #3

noodle wrote: post #2

there is no best language. they're all tools in a toolbox. you can smash a nail in with a screwdriver, but its easier to use a hammer. the question is, what do you want to do? are you new to web development and want to learn a language? do you have experience with other languages? etc..

there is no best language. they're all tools in a toolbox. That's intellectual laziness masquerading as broad-mindedness. Obviously Ruby is going to be better for most web apps than Fortran.

thats being a bit hypercritical and decontexualizing, don't you think? obviously he doesn't want to use cobol on punch cards, either, but do i actually have to spell that out? fine, i'll do it just for you:

there is no best language for web development . the subset of languages being used for modern web development are all tools in a toolbox.

Re: Ask HN: What's the best web programming language?

#6

Post by Jem » Fri, Mar 20, 2009, 7:45 PM UTC

Get to grips with HTML and CSS before you start worrying about anything else.

Re: Ask HN: What's the best web programming language?

#7

Post by thatguycheese » Fri, Mar 20, 2009, 7:55 PM UTC

noodle wrote: post #2

there is no best language. they're all tools in a toolbox. you can smash a nail in with a screwdriver, but its easier to use a hammer. the question is, what do you want to do? are you new to web development and want to learn a language? do you have experience with other languages? etc..

I'm sorry, maybe I didn't make my question clear. I'm not really concerned with a "best" programming language. Perhaps just a place to start and where to go from there. I am familiar with HTML / CSS.

Re: Ask HN: What's the best web programming language?

#8

Post by thatguycheese » Fri, Mar 20, 2009, 7:57 PM UTC

gcheong wrote: post #4

Have a look at: http://philip.greenspun.com/seia/

Thanks! Read the intro and reviews on amazon. Looks decent, I'll continue reading.

Re: Ask HN: What's the best web programming language?

#9

Post by noodle » Fri, Mar 20, 2009, 8:06 PM UTC

thatguycheese wrote: post #7

noodle wrote: post #2

there is no best language. they're all tools in a toolbox. you can smash a nail in with a screwdriver, but its easier to use a hammer. the question is, what do you want to do? are you new to web development and want to learn a language? do you have experience with other languages? etc..

I'm sorry, maybe I didn't make my question clear. I'm not really concerned with a "best" programming language. Perhaps just a place to start and where to go from there. I am familiar with HTML / CSS.

i know. again, it depends on your situation. are you familiar with C or a C-based language? or are you totally new to programming? you might find it easiest/quickest to work on PHP. if not, or if you want to learn a currently popular language, you might want to consider ruby or python.