Coding for beginners: from Python to PHP

We sit down with James Lane, Sector Manager for Digital Creative and Design at NCFE, to get a better understanding of three of the most common programming languages and the career opportunities each one holds.

A good understanding of how we design and structure code is critical to success. Programming languages give us the very basis to communicate with computers and give them the instructions to perform functions – from displaying text on a screen, to a finishing move in Call of Duty.

As with spoken languages, programming languages differ in complexity and purpose. Low-level languages issue basic instructions but aren’t considered to be readable by people as it’s hard to understand.

Contrary to this, in high-level languages we find that instructions are written closer to the structure of English; this syntax (the structure of the language) is what allows language to be spoken and written languages to be understood, and the same is true of programming languages.

Imagine gesturing to someone that they should go through a door – that form of communication is simple and probably universally understood, perfect for this use. But, as our need to communicate grows, our language must develop with it. Without this, we are restricted to basic functions.

We’ve got around 700 programming languages, and they are widespread in use and function – below, I’ll explore three of the more common ones and the career prospects they hold.

Python

Making its debut in the early 1990s, Python is a popular language due to its general purpose and use of whitespace, making it easier to read.

What it looks like:

 print('Hello, world!')

Where you may see it:

Web development, artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML), operating systems, mobile application development, and some video games.

Career prospects*:

The average Python Developer salary in United Kingdom is £57,766 per year, or £29.62 per hour. Entry-level positions start at £45,000 per year, while most experienced workers make up to £80,000 per year.

C# (pronounced ‘see sharp’)

C# came about in 2000 and is especially strong for Windows applications. It’s well-known for its speed, allowing developers to get products to market faster.

What it looks like:

 Console.WriteLine("Hello World!");

Where you may see it:

Windows desktop applications, games, web applications (Xbox, HoloLens) and mobile development.

Career prospects*:

The average Developer salary in United Kingdom is £50,000 per year, or £25.64 per hour. Entry level positions start at £40,000 per year, while most experienced workers make up to £74,986 per year.

PHP

The mid-nineties brought us PHP. Originally an abbreviation for ‘personal home pages’, it now stands for Hypertext Preprocessor due to its libraries already being compiled. PHP is processed server-side (as opposed to JavaScript, which is processed client-side).

What it looks like:

echo "Hello World!";

Where you may see it:

Website Content Management Systems (CMS), graphical applications and robotic drone control.

Career prospects*:

The average PHP Developer salary in United Kingdom is £40,000 per year, or £20.51 per hour. Entry-level positions start at £35,000 per year, while most experienced workers make up to £60,000 per year.

Next steps

Coding is clearly a potentially lucrative skillset to possess and the demand for expertise in this area is only going to grow as the world becomes increasingly digital.

If you’re looking to get into coding but aren’t sure where to start, take a look at NCFE’s Level 2 Certificate in Understanding Coding to help you gain an introduction and progress to further study.

If you’ve already completed a Level 2 qualification in either IT or coding, the Level 3 Certificate in Coding Practices could help you find employment or continue on to another qualification.

*Salary reports from talent.com