Learning to program is no easy task; it’s a challenge, especially for new programmers, as programming languages often feature extensive syntax and numerous complex functions, making the journey a daunting one. Because of this, beginners tend to opt for simpler options. For these and many other reasons, we have created this list of the 12 easiest programming languages to learn if you are just starting out in the world of software development.

Python:
Python is an open-source programming language created by Guido van Rossum. It is a high-level interpreted programming language with an easy-to-learn syntax. Python is used to develop all sorts of programs, including desktop, web, and mobile applications, as well as cybersecurity tools. It is a multiparadigm language, supporting object-oriented, imperative, and to a lesser extent, functional programming. Python is interpreted, dynamic, and cross-platform.

Lua:
Lua is a programming language created by Roberto Ierusalimschy, Luis Henrique de Figueiredo, and Waldemar Celes. Lua is cross-platform, multiparadigm, imperative, and structured, and it is notably lightweight. It was designed as an interpreted language with extensible semantics, mainly for embedding within applications.

PHP:
PHP is an interpreted, general-purpose, server-side programming language, particularly suited for web development. It was initially created by Rasmus Lerdorf. Today, PHP is maintained by the PHP Group, which ensures the language remains up to date.

Go:
Go is a statically typed, compiled programming language inspired by the C syntax. It was created by Google, with its initial designers being Robert Griesemer, Rob Pike, and Ken Thompson. Go supports concurrency and is often used in backend development.

Ruby:
Ruby is an interpreted, open-source programming language created by Yukihiro Matsumoto. Its syntax is influenced by Python and Perl. Ruby is primarily object-oriented, but it also incorporates functional programming. It is used for web application development and data analysis.

Visual Basic:
Visual Basic is an object-oriented, cross-platform programming language created by Microsoft. It is primarily used for building desktop and web applications.

JavaScript:
JavaScript is an interpreted programming language, a dialect of the ECMAScript standard. It is object-oriented, prototype-based, imperative, weakly typed, and dynamic. JavaScript is mainly used client-side, as part of web browsers, to enhance user interfaces and create dynamic web pages. Originally created by Brendan Eich, it is maintained by the Mozilla Foundation.

Rust:
Rust is a compiled, general-purpose, multiparadigm programming language developed by the Rust Foundation. It supports pure functional, procedural, imperative, and object-oriented programming. Rust, designed by Graydon Hoare, is used for creating applications and operating systems.

Kotlin:
Kotlin is an open-source, object-oriented, cross-platform, statically typed, high-level, general-purpose programming language with type inference. Designed to be fully interoperable with Java, Kotlin was created by JetBrains and is used for a variety of developments, from server-side and client-side web development to Android and iOS applications.

Swift:
Swift is a multiparadigm, object-oriented programming language created by Apple. It is focused on developing applications for iOS and macOS.

Elixir:
Elixir is a functional, concurrent, general-purpose programming language that runs on the Erlang virtual machine. It offers an extensible design with productive tools, making it ideal for handling large-scale data. Elixir supports compile-time metaprogramming with macros and polymorphism via protocols. It was created by José Valim.

F#:
F# is an open-source, multiparadigm programming language for the .NET platform. It combines functional programming with imperative and object-oriented disciplines. Initially developed by Don Syme, F# is now maintained by Microsoft’s Developer Division and is used for web application development.