7 Types of Programming Languages to Know (With Examples)

Developers use programming languages to create software, automate processes and solve problems. Today, there are thousands of programming languages, each with their own set of unique features and use cases — from building apps and websites to training machine learning models.

What Is a Programming Language?

A programming language is a system of notation that instructs a computer on how to execute specific tasks. Made up of symbols, punctuation and keywords, they use syntax to dictate how code is written and structured. Over time, programming languages have moved away from machine-level instructions and have incorporated more natural language and human-readable elements, creating a more intuitive development process.

Types of Programming Languages

All of the programming languages known today can be funneled down into seven distinct categories:

1. Machine Languages

Machine language, or machine code, is the lowest-level programming language. Because it is written in binary code, it’s the only language a computer can directly execute without the need for translation. It’s written in numeric strings of zeros and ones, where zeros represent an “off” state absent of an electrical signal while one indicates an electrified “on” state. These inputs directly manipulate a computer’s operations at the hardware level, including data movement, arithmetic and logic. Machine language is near impossible for a human to read and write, and is tailored to the architecture of each computer.

• Examples of instruction set architectures for machine language: ARM, x86, RISC-V
• Use cases: Controlling a computer’s CPU and hardware

2. Assembly Languages

Assembly programming language is a low-level language that is closely related to machine code, providing a way to write instructions that a computer can directly execute. It’s essentially a human-readable version of machine language that’s made up of built-in or user-defined mnemonic codes. Because assembly languages specifically correspond to a particular computer architecture, they offer more control and speed compared to high-level languages but require detailed knowledge of the underlying hardware in order to write them.

• Examples: ARM A64 assembly language, x86 assembly language, MIPS assembly language
• Use cases: Systems programming (i.e. embedded systems, real-time systems), low-level software development

3. Procedural Programming Languages

A procedural programming language follows a series of functions to perform actions or solve a specific problem. In this low-level style, developers write procedures — or reusable blocks of code — that contain step-by-step instructions that manipulate data in a systematic way. It is commonly used in medium-sized applications and embedded systems where straightforward logic and control flow are essential.

• Examples: C, C++, Java, Pascal, BASIC
• Use cases: Systems programming (i.e. operating systems, embedded systems, device drivers), high-performance applications, game development

4. Functional Programming Languages

A functional programming language uses functions to perform tasks, treating everything like a math problem without changing values or states. It encourages writing predictable, maintainable code that is easy to understand by using pure functions and immutable data. It is often used for projects that need to handle massive volumes of data or run multiple tasks at once, as seen in data science, financial modeling and real-time distributed systems. 

• Examples: Scala, Erlang, Haskell, Elixir, F#
• Use cases: Data science and data manipulation, mathematical computations, distributed systems

5. Object-Oriented Programming Languages

An object-oriented programming (OOP) language turns everything into objects. Each object — which is a unique piece of data — is defined by its attributes and methods, and assigned to a particular class. Rather than designing a language around functions and logic, object-oriented programming allows developers to directly manipulate data. These languages use principles like inheritance, encapsulation, polymorphism and abstraction to model real-world entities and relationships, making code more modular, reusable and easier to maintain. It’s frequently used in software, web and game development as well as simulation modeling and artificial intelligence applications.

• Examples: Java, Python, PHP, C++, Ruby
• Use cases: Large or complex software applications, web development, AI applications

6. Scripting Languages

A scripting language is designed to automate repetitive tasks, manage dynamic content and support processes in larger applications. Unlike traditional programming languages, scripting languages are often interpreted rather than compiled, making them ideal for writing quick, small scripts for specific tasks. They have a simplified syntax, which makes them easy to learn. Due to their ease of use and flexibility, scripting languages are commonly featured in web development, system administration and software automation.

• Examples: PHP, Ruby, Python, bash, Perl, Node.js
• Use cases: Web development, system administration, software automation

7. Logic Programming Languages

A logic programming language creates a paradigm that is based on formal logic. By presenting a system of facts and rules, it lets computers solve computations on their own without the need for step-by-step instructions. In these languages, developers define rules and relationships typically in the form of clauses. The program then performs computations based on those rules using logical inference. This allows programmers to define problems using logical relationships and constraints rather than direct commands. Logic programming languages are often used in fields like artificial intelligence and computational linguistics for tasks that involve pattern matching and knowledge representation.

• Examples: Prolog, Absys, Datalog, Alma-0
• Use cases: Database management, predictive analysis, AI applications (i.e. machine learning, natural language processing)

Bonus: Markup Languages

While technically not a programming language, markup languages are text-encoding systems that are used to define structure, presentation and organization of page content. Made up of symbols, markup languages annotate text to enhance its formatting and layout, primarily for display in web browsers or other applications.

• Examples: HTML, CSS, XML
• Use cases: Web development, UI design/UX design, document formatting

Related ReadingNew Programming Languages to Learn

Other Ways to Classify Programming Languages

Programming languages can be categorized in multiple different ways based on how they operate or what they’re used for. Aside from the types listed above, here’s a few more common ways to classify programming languages.

Low-Level vs. High-Level Programming Languages

A low-level programming language is one that operates closest to computer hardware and its instructions, while a high-level programming language is one designed closer to natural human language. Low-level languages are used to directly manipulate hardware with little abstraction; they are more machine-friendly and memory-efficient, but can be difficult to understand. High-level languages, on the other hand, allow humans to write software without needing to know the specifics of a computer’s hardware; they are understandable for both humans and machines and can be easier to use, but are less memory-efficient.

• Examples of low-level programming languages: Machine languages, assembly languages
• Examples of high-level programming languages: Python, C++, Java, JavaScript

Compiled vs. Interpreted Programming Languages

Compiled programming languages are converted into machine language before being executed, making them faster to run (but slower to edit). Meanwhile, interpreted programming languages are interpreted line-by-line and executed directly without having to be converted into machine language first, making them more flexible and platform-independent. A compiled language is processed by a compiler program and an interpreted language is processed by an interpreter program, both of which work to convert a high-level language into machine language to make it understandable for a computer system. 

Some programming languages — like Python and Java  — can be considered both compiled and interpreted, since they are first compiled then interpreted when run.

• Examples of compiled programming languages: C, C++, Golang, Rust
• Examples of interpreted programming languages: JavaScript, Ruby, Perl, PHP

Front-End vs. Back-End Programming Languages

In programming, front-end and back-end refer to areas of development for a website or software application, with front-end meaning user-facing aspects (like UI, UX and layout) and back-end meaning server-side aspects not seen by users (like APIs, databases and system architecture). Front-end programming languages are used to control the front-end development of an application, and back-end programming languages are used for back-end development. Both front-end and back-end languages communicate with each other to make a website or application function as intended.

• Examples of front-end programming languages: HTML, CSS, JavaScript, Swift
• Examples of back-end programming languages: Python, Java, JavaScript, PHP

Related ReadingPseudocode: What It Is and How to Write It

Most Popular Programming Languages

Several factors contribute to a programming languages’ success. They can gain wide acclaim for their ease of use, open-source accessibility, cross-platform functionality or extensive libraries. They gain credibility as online communities adopt and implement them, and become a sought after skill the more in demand they are by employers. Below are some of the most common programming languages in use today.

Python

Python is a high-level, object-oriented programming language known for its beginner-friendly simplicity and ease of learning. It’s great for web development, data science, automation and software development, and has been increasingly featured in artificial intelligence and machine learning applications. Python stands out for its versatility, as it’s adaptable across multiple technical fields, and bolstered by numerous frameworks and libraries that extend these capabilities.

JavaScript

JavaScript is a high-level, object-oriented programming language that transforms static content into dynamic, interactive websites. With JavaScript, developers can manipulate HTML or CSS-based web elements to produce shifting background colors, dropdown menus, video embeds and pop ups, for example. Known for creating engaging user experiences, JavaScript is primarily used for the purpose of web and app development.

Java

Java is one of the oldest and most widely used programming languages in the world, released by Sun Microsystems in 1995. It’s a general-purpose, object-oriented programming language that’s known for its reliability and platform independence. With a Java Virtual Machine, it enables developers to write code that can run on any device, making it widely used for web, desktop and mobile applications — especially those developed for business and Android platforms.

C++

C++ is a general-purpose, object-oriented programming language designed for large-scale applications. It’s used for developing high-performance software, including operating systems, animation, video games, browsers and machine learning tools. Despite its age — computer scientist Bjarne Stroustrup at Bell Labs created it around 1980 —  C++ remains relevant for building complex systems like Google’s search engine, medical technology such as MRI machines and safety-critical applications.

C#

C#, pronounced “C-sharp,” is an object-oriented programming language that runs on open-source platforms and Microsoft Windows .NET architecture. Developed by Microsoft, C# combines the computational power of C++ with the simplicity of Visual Basic. It’s ideal for game development, web apps, desktop software as well as business-oriented applications thanks to its scalability. Although it’s not the easiest language to learn, its wide range of use cases and strong community support make it a valuable skill to know.

Ruby

Ruby is a general-purpose, object-oriented programming language known for its simplicity and productivity. Developed by computer scientist and software programmer Yukihiro Matsumoto in the mid 1990s, its Ruby on Rails framework revolutionized web development by reducing repetitive coding tasks, which made it easier for developers to build scalable websites. It’s commonly used in web development, DevOps automation and data analysis. Thanks to its intuitive syntax and powerful libraries, it’s also useful for static site generation, web servers and web scraping.

PHP

PHP is a general-purpose scripting language that’s commonly used to develop interactive and dynamic websites. As one of the first scripting languages embedded in HTML, PHP — which originally stood for “personal home page tools” — started in 1993 as a way computer programmer Rasmus Lerdorf would track visits to his online resume. It provides server-side functionality without needing external data files. While newer frameworks like Node.js and AngularJS have become popular alternatives, PHP remains prevalent due to its simplicity, open-source nature and extensive support for various frameworks.

Frequently Asked Questions