61.9% of the 8 billion people in this world use social media, that’s 4.92 billion social media users globally.
Hence the absolute prevalence and high adoption of mobile apps should not come surprising. The average American has 80 apps on a smartphone and 85% of their usage time is spent on apps.
But what’s shocking is, the market being dominated by few social media apps. Social media juggernauts such Instagram, YouTube, WhatsApp, WeChat, TikTok, and Facebook put together have 10.1 billion subscribers between them (of course there would be overlapping of subscribers).
Launching new social media apps now may seem daunting, but the fact is the world is always ready to gulp down anything fanciful and useful.
An average user engages with 30 apps in a month. So now let’s get you started with the most popular programming languages for building social media platforms and top programming languages for social media.
Introduction: Popular Programming Languages For Building Social Media Platforms
The Covid-19 virus had a huge say on the social media market. When the world was locked into their homes during the pandemic, their biggest respite was mobile apps.
Hence the development of new social media apps went right through the roof. There was also an increase in the number of frequent users, and an expansion of daily usage.
The findings show that since 2020, the use of social media networks has grown globally by 13.2%. The urge to dominate the social media industry is greatly encouraged by the quickly evolving digital landscape.
Since 2020, 1.3 million new users have signed up for various social media platforms on a daily basis.
Different Types of Social Media Networks
Social Networks: WhatsApp, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn.
Media Sharing Networks: YouTube, Instagram, Snapchat.
Discussion Forums: Reddit, Quora, Digg.
Bookmarking & Content Curation Networks: Pinterest, Flipboard.
Consumer Review Networks: TripAdvisor, Yelp, Zomato.
Popular Programming Languages To Build Social Media Platforms
Best programming languages for social media development are many. It is difficult to judge which may be the “most widely used” because the meaning varies by context.
One language may take most programmer-hours, another may have the maximum lines of code, another may use the highest CPU time, and so on.
Some languages are popular for certain applications: like Python for machine learning, Java for backend server development, C in embedded applications and operating systems while JavaScript in web development and so on.
Below find some of the most used programming languages for social media and popular programming languages to build social media platforms.
PHP
PHP stands for Hypertext Preprocessor and denotes server-side scripting. That means applications written on it run on web servers and do not require a web browser. But over the years, its area of use shifted. PHP is ranked among popular programming tools for web development.
This programming language is liked among social network developers because it is powerful, reliable, and a potent tool for creating dynamic and interactive web pages. More than 80% of websites utilize PHP as their server-side programming language. Additionally, majority of pre-built social networking applications employ PHP.
Facebook and Pinterest are PHP creations. HACK a PHP variant was used to build Facebook. A dominant Russian social networking service Vkontakte created its own version of PHP to enhance the functionality of their website known as KPHP. KPHP is known to be superior than HACK.
The PHP programming language has been around for over two decades and has lots of admirers. However, PHP is gradually losing its popularity. PHP websites are targeted by hackers as many people are familiar with this programming language. Another issue is the direct link between a PHP’s growth and the number of servers needed to run it.
Despite this, PHP continues to be a programming language that enables the rapid development of social networking websites. In addition, it is an open-source technology that reduces the cost required to build, deploy, and maintain an application.
Java
Java is among popular programming languages for building social media platforms. Developers who want to build popular websites with a goal to expand frequently use Java. Java also takes reasonably lesser time to create webpages. Another benefit being Java is platform neutral thanks to the availability of the Java Virtual Machine.
Java may be read on any platform without the need of a compiler because the machine interprets Java binary code for a computer’s processor.
Java’s strong development ecosystem is another aspect that makes it appealing to social network developers. Additionally, this programming language has a sizeable developer community, which results in careful documentation and support.
Programming on the server and on the client can both be done using Java. Java is the best option if you want to create a sophisticated website (like a social network) that will exude reliability.
However, there are pointers to keep in mind before beginning a Java project, and the first is the project’s high cost. Java programmers are substantially more expensive. High server and client requirements, as well as complicated infrastructure that needs to be created and supported, are other issues.
Perl
Perl is a high-level language that was created to be quick to ‘write and execute’. It was created about three decades ago, but it wasn’t until the late 1990s that it was deemed suitable for web programming. After PHP birthed as a programming language, Perl lost popularity.
But Perl is still being utilised for website development. This programming language was used to create a number of popular websites, including Craigslist, IMDb, Amazon, and more.
There is a sizeable and welcoming community for Perl. Therefore, it is simple to obtain good code examples, receive the information you require, or debate best practices with other Perl developers using internet forums. This language is still in use; Perl 6 was published last year as a new version.
Will Perl, however, function in a social network? Those who adore this language will respond favourably. Perl can be utilised for any work. But, building a web framework that will function effectively will cost a lot. Pure Perl development of a sophisticated social networking website will take a long time and cost heavily.
Python
Python is a well-known general-purpose programming language that makes web development easy. Python is among popular programming languages for building social media platforms.It is simple, versatile, and powerful. Websites such as Pinterest, Reddit, Youtube, and Disqus have been built using this programming language.
Python, however, can only manage a social network’s backend. To create the front-end portion, you would require another language (like HTML, for example). The creation of webpages in Python can be done with a variety of frameworks. Frameworks can also be made by developers.
Is Python a wise option for social networks? Social networking websites are examples of high-load settings since they have a large user base and multiple copies of each of their pages running at the same time.
Python is a well-known example of an interpreted language, which means that it takes longer to process requests than compiled languages do. Therefore, compiled languages are preferred for social pages.
Another issue is that PHP is supported by almost all web hosts; however, Python is not supported by many cheap web hosts. Python projects are expensive and despite the continuous release of new versions, this language is thought to be dated.
.NET
Even though this framework is not a programming language, it deserves to be on this list. Given the assistance supplied by Microsoft, its developer, it has grown to be quite popular.
It was used to develop some of the top social networking sites. One of these websites is Myspace.
If social media behemoths like Facebook were creating websites today, they would use .NET. This platform offers a lot of benefits. For instance, a large number of developers use this. You can be sure that a website created with .NET will run well and quickly.
This framework is still being developed, and it has a sizeable community that offers strong support to all of its members while also being welcoming to newcomers.
However, there are also some drawbacks. One being open source messaging platforms and databases frequently utilised by services like Twitter, have little to no support for Windows. .Net is also frequently connected to its early iterations, which are significantly behind PHP.
If you want to keep expanding your social networking website, be prepared for inflated costs as .NET projects get expensive per server.
Popularity Of Programming Languages Among Social Media Developers
A social networking website can be created using multiple programming languages. The intricacy of the project, future development plans, project budget, and more will all have an impact on the language chosen. Discussing your idea with an expert in social network development should be your first move.
It is difficult to make generalisations about the popularity of programming languages among social media platform developers. Various platforms may have different technology stacks and language preferences. Yet some programming languages are more popular in general and are often used in the development of social media platforms.
For example, Python is a popular programming language often used in the development of social media platforms. It has a number of libraries and frameworks that are useful for web development, such as Django and Flask, and it has a large and active developer community.
JavaScript is also a popular language that is often used in the development of social media platforms, as it is a language that is well-suited to the front-end development of web applications. It is often used in conjunction with a front-end framework like React or Angular, which makes it easier to build user interfaces.
Other programming languages that are commonly used in the development of social media platforms include C++, PHP, and Ruby. Ultimately, the choice of programming language will depend on the specific needs of the platform and the preferences of the development team.
Role Of Open-Source Programming Languages In The Development Of Social Media Platforms
Open-source programming languages can play a significant role in the development of social media platforms. One advantage of using open-source languages is that they can be freely used, modified, and distributed by anyone. This can make it easier for developers to collaborate and contribute to the development of a social media platform, as they can access and modify the source code as needed.
In addition, open-source languages often have a large and active developer community, which can provide support and resources for developers working on a social media platform. This can be particularly useful for platforms built on top of open-source technologies, as developers can leverage the knowledge and expertise of the community to solve problems and improve the platform.
Open-source languages can also help to reduce development costs for social media platforms, as there are typically no licensing fees associated for using the language. This can be an important factor for startups and small companies that may be tight on resources.
Overall, the use of open-source programming languages can help facilitate the development of social media platforms and make it easier for developers to build and maintain these platforms.
Impact Of New & Emerging Languages On Popular Languages Used For Social Media Development
New and emerging programming languages can potentially impact the popularity of languages being presently used for social media platform development in a number of ways.
One potential impact is that new languages may offer features or capabilities that make them well-suited to the development of social media platforms. For example, a new language may have built-in support for concurrency or distributed systems, which could make it easier to build a scalable platform.
As a result, developers may be more inclined to adopt the new language for social media platform development.
Another potential impact is that new languages may simply be more popular or fashionable, which could make them more attractive to developers. This can be particularly true for languages that are backed by large companies or have a strong marketing presence.
Ultimately, the impact of new and emerging programming languages on the popularity of languages used for social media platform development will depend on the specific features and capabilities of the language, as well as the needs of the platform and the preferences of the development team.
Best Practices While Choosing The Right Programming Language For Social Media Development
Popular programming languages for building social media platforms are many. And the best practices for choosing the right programming language for a social media platform project, including factors such as performance, scalability, and compatibility with other technologies.
There are several factors that should be considered when choosing the right programming language for a social media platform project. Some key factors to consider include:
- Performance: The language should be able to handle the workload required by the social media platform, including tasks such as serving requests, processing data, and handling concurrent users.
- Scalability: The language should be able to support the growth of the social media platform, both in terms of user base and functionality.
- Compatibility with other technologies: The language should be compatible with the other technologies being used in the project, such as databases, servers, and front-end frameworks.
- Developer skill set: The development team should be familiar with the language, or at least willing to learn it, in order to be productive.
- Support and documentation: The language should have good documentation and a strong developer community, in order to facilitate the development process.
- Cost: The language should be cost-effective, either through low licensing fees or being open-source.
It is often a good idea to evaluate a few different languages in order to determine which one is the best fit for the project.
Factors such as performance and scalability can be assessed through benchmarking and load testing, while compatibility and developer skillset can be assessed through experimentation and prototyping.
Final Thoughts: Popular Programming Languages For Building Social Media Platforms
This year mobile apps are expected to generate $930 billion in revenue. The Apple App Store has 1.96 million apps and Google Play Store has 2.87 million apps. 21% of Millennials open an app at least 50 times in a day.
There are very many programming languages for social media app development. And it’s difficult to compare the top programming languages for social media as a whole since most app development projects will be used for various purposes.
The lengthy and continually expanding list of programming languages that the developer community prefers is topped by the ones indicated above.
All steps in the production process must be capable of handling not only the development of an app and the substantial amount of code it contains, but also the potential evolution of that app. Since switching development aspects after an app has been produced may be a difficult method, selecting the right development tools should be a top priority.
After an Engineering degree and a Diploma in Management I devoted 16+ years working in the automotive industry. My innate skill and extreme passion in writing, encouraged me to adopt it up as a profession. I have been writing for more than 10+ years in the software industry. The 400+ blogs I published are informative, exhaustive and interesting to a professional and causal reader.
