Social media platforms have taken the world under its grip.
It has revolutionised the entire world such that sharing information is with the touch of a finger, making thousands of valuable connections is not a big ask, learning new things is not too difficult, you can develop your interests sitting at home, and find entertainment easily.
Social media has the capacity to take your business to the next level enabling you to connect with your target audience profitably and sustainably. Social media creates brand awareness, generates leads, drives sales, enhances revenue and has an expansive reach.
However, for the development of social media platforms, programming languages play a crucial role. Let’s check out the role of programming languages in social media development.
Software Development For Social Media Platforms
The top 3 social media platforms for developers in 2022 were:-
Stack Overflow (65.7%), LinkedIn (51.4%), and Twitter (45.7%).
Web servers for social media platforms
A social network or social media hosting is a web hosting that enables users to create websites with social networking capabilities (FB / Twitter). That is you can create a forum or any social media like Facebook.
To make the host suitable for social networking hosting :
- The host should have enough storage and bandwidth,
- Should possess raw server power,
- The performance got to be reliable and fast.
If you are building a website for visitors to interact with one another, you should possess a hosting service that has plenty of resources, is powerful, and fast.
Top web servers for social network hosting
- Liquid Web – top social networking hosting overall
- ScalaHosting – affordable and inclusive hosting service
- Cloudways – Well managed VPS solution & good for start
Tools for social media platform management
- Buffer- For successful social media management.
- Hootsuite- Handling all your social media in one place.
- Agora pulse- Simplified social media management.
- Sendible- Is touted as the top social media management tool.
Programming Languages In Social Media Development
The potential impact of new and emerging programming languages on the future of social media platform development. Programming languages in social media development are:
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PHP for social media
PHP is an immensely popular tool for website designing, to develop effective and interactive web pages. As per studies, PHP is used in more than 80% of all websites whose server-side programming language is known. PHP is an extraordinary social networking software.
Major social media like FB, and Pinterest have utilised PHP. Facebook started off as a PHP website and also uses Hack which is a customised dialect of PHP.
Social media like Vkontakte, also developed their own PHP version, namely KPHP in order to enhance the performance of their website. Moreover, it has been noted that KPHP is more productive than HACK. Therefore PHP is popular as a programming languages in social media development.
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Java for social media platforms
This programming language is basically chosen by the Expert Development Company. Their objective is to draw high-traffic websites which need growth. One of the main reasons to pick this PL (Programming Language) is to provide speed to websites.
Java is platform-independent because of the Java Virtual Machine whereby, it does not require a compiler to become readable on any platform.
Another important reason that makes Java beneficial for social site developers is its great development ecosystem. The community of developers is big. Hence, it boasts of excellent documentation. Java is popular as programming languages for social media development.
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Python for social media
Python is straight-forward, simple, easy, responsive, and potential general-purpose language that is good for web development. Python is primarily used by online platforms like Pinterest, Reddit, Tumbler, YouTube, etc. This language tackles only the back end of the social network.
Python is pretty popular among developers and Data Science experts because of its versatility. Python also has excellent library support for a wide variety of coding needs. For instance, Python libraries like Django and Flask are ideal as programming languages in social media development and web development.
Python can also be used to build web and desktop applications, that is GUI-based desktop applications, ML models, network servers, and much more.
Python’s broad ecosystem of Front-end libraries, modules, and frameworks makes the application development quite easy. It is the foundation of many industry players like Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Survey Monkey, etc.
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.NET
At present .NET is popular due to the support offered by Microsoft, its developer. It is not a PL (programming language) but a framework worth being included in the list. .NET was used in developing some of the biggest social sites.
Some of the biggest social sites were created using .Net. Big social players like FB would have been keen to choose .NET for their websites if it were available then. The framework is developing and has a large community that provides support to its members.
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Ruby for social media
Ruby is a general-purpose programming language that is used widely. It is flexible, mature and a practical programming language.
It has effective typing, memory management, and support for both functional and object-oriented programming.
Its features are simple to learn and execute for programmers. It is an open-source framework for the growth of databases for web applications. Moreover, Ruby is considered X10 more efficient than a Java framework. Ruby is an efficient web development language.
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JavaScript
JavaScript is a futuristic programming language. It is a multi-paradigm, web scripting language. JavaScript aids object-oriented and declarative programming styles. This programming language includes application programming interfaces (APIs) for text, dates, regular expressions, and standard data structures.
JavaScript is one of the three core technologies (alongside HTML and CSS) powering the World Wide Web. JavaScript has many libraries for developing ML models such as TensorFlow.js, Brain.js, machinelearn.js, ConvNetJS, Mind
JavaScript is a highly popular language, as per a Stack overflow survey. It is known to have added interactive elements to browsers and web applications. In fact, all web and mobile applications run JavaScript.
It is a client-side language and generates a server load in the case of complex applications. Javascript is basically used by web browsers to build a dynamic and interactive experience for users.
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TypeScript
It is a compiled OOP language created to extend the capabilities of JavaScript by adding types. Types enable you to define and describe object shapes, thereby providing better documentation. Furthermore, it enables TypeScript to validate your code.
This programming language can be used to build large-scale applications with a clearly defined syntax and minimal errors. The language was developed by Microsoft in 2012. It is gaining immense popularity in developer circles.
Type script simplifies JavaScript code, making it easier for developers to read and debug. Moreover, it includes many development tools for JavaScript IDEs and practices.
Combining TypeScript with JavaScript projects is easier as TypeScript code is transformed into JavaScript code. In a large-scale project, it may lead to a more robust software wherein a standard JavaScript application will run.
Advantages of using different programming languages for social media platform development
- Improved loading speed of websites
- More specialists
- More alternatives for database connectivity
- Huge base of reference and educational materials
- Huge collection of open-source add-ons
- Economical website hosting
- Good flexibility and combinability
- Various advantages provided by cloud solutions.
- Great partnership with HTML
- More tools to get the work done
- Strong ecosystem
- Friendly and easy
Disadvantages of using different programming languages for social media platform development
- Difficult to find mistakes in a program written in Machine Language.
- Writing a program in a machine language takes a lot of time
- Database Access Layers of programming languages like python are Underdeveloped
- Design Restrictions in some languages like Python
- Programming languages like python are weak in Mobile Computing and Browsers
- Speed limitations
- Some languages like Javascript have broken semantics.
- Some programming languages like C++ & C# are very complex
What is an open-source programming language?
An open-source programming language falls within the parameters of the open-source protocol. This tells us that the language is not proprietary. Also, with certain provisions based on the open-source license, people can easily modify it to suit their requirements.
Role of open-source programming languages in the development of social media platforms.
Benefits that open-source offers
- Easily accessible
- Offer speed
- Flexibility
- Cost-effective
- Strong information security
- Agility
- Ability to start small
- They are the future
- Share maintenance cost
Open source tries to enhance applications through collective efforts. It is based on the objective of sharing without being restrained by the challenges of trying to control intellectual property.
Hum Hub is a flexible open-source social network software and framework designed to make communication successful. It has a user-friendly interface.
Database systems for social media platforms
Most RDBMS Databased are able enough to boot an application. But they may certainly not be a good choice if your data grows exponentially.
Hence, explore NoSQL Database like Cassandra that has an add-on high security, scalability and availability. These are primary requirements for any application.
Cassandra is available at lower operational cost which is an ideal advantage.
Best practices for choosing the right programming language for a social media platform project
Programming languages have a crucial role to play in the application development process, hence choosing the right programming language in social media development is imperative. The language instructs the technology in a way that the computer is able to comprehend.
However, at times it becomes quite difficult to choose the right programming language for your application.
There are many programming languages to choose from, like JavaScript, C++, and PHP, to name just a few. Several factors like security, performance, scalability, and compatibility with other technologies are few things that one would like to consider. Therefore, the choice is tough.
Few tips on how to choose the right programming language for your application
Behind every top social media app there are elements that make it function as required. One of the tools in an app development process is the programming language used. It is imperative to use the right programming languages in social media development. Here’s how you should choose an apt programming language for your venture:
1. Application Type
Firstly take into consideration what kind of application you plan to develop. Is it a web app or a mobile application? A desktop application or a business application? The reason for this decision is that some programming languages work best with certain types of apps.
For instance, the C++ programming language is crucial for embedded firmware, while Java is essential for an Android mobile app.
The size and complexity of your app should also be considered. For example, for some may be simple web apps. Java is a general-purpose programming language favorable for more complex, medium-sized apps that include layers, like e-commerce functions.
The best course of action for larger projects with multiple, complex layers is to break the project down into smaller components. These apps are too complex to be designed with one technology stack.
2. Platform identification
The platform on which your app would be running on is another important factor to be considered . Build your platform as early as possible during the initial planning process while creating your app. You can think of it as choosing a platform for a social media campaign.
When choosing Facebook, you must create content specifically for that platform to engage your audience and attract more followers.
Also, the chosen platform for your app has a big influence on your choice of programming language. The reason being, different platforms are more appropriate with specific programming languages.
- JavaScript and PHP are immensely compatible programming languages for web apps.
- Java or C++ is the most preferred language for Android apps on mobile devices. One of the core languages of Android app development is Java.
- The immensely popular language Objective-C is used for Apple applications.
- Languages like Python, C++, and Java are more effective languages as they can be used for cross-platform apps.
3. Maintainability
It is imperative to consider the long-term maintainability of your app while selecting a programming language. The language you select must be the latest one and in sync with current programming technology. Moreover, pick the one that stays for a longer time.
Technology and coding are constantly developing. Hence, long-term maintainability is important when selecting a language. Choose the one that can handle updates well. Refrain from using outdated languages as it can lead to high maintenance costs.
Try using a flexible language like Python that is compatible across multiple platforms. Future planning like this can save you a lot of money in the long run.
Furthermore, you might want to consider hiring other developers in the future. Will you be able to get developers for that specific language you used to design the application 10 years from now? How much will that cost?
By building an application using a popular language, you’ll likely spend less now, and on long-term maintainability in the future.
4. Performance, Security and Scalability
Selecting a language with great scalability will prepare your app for growth and success. Ruby on Rails and Java Spring are the two stacks that perform well in terms of scalability.
A poor choice of selecting a programming language can result in problems with image processing or page loading, which can be pretty irritating. To overcome this, use real-time code profiling to minimise troubleshooting and optimise app performance. Programming languages in social media should possess the above qualities.
Using an software apt helps by providing instant feedback on your code quality in a clean interface. This enables you to solve issues quickly.
Lastly, protect your app and users from cyber threats. Hence, security is of prime importance and the programming language you use plays a significant role in protecting user data. Therefore, keep an eye out for security updates for your selected programming language.
Conclusion: Programming Languages In Social Media Development
We use apps endlessly. They are used for a variety of reasons like finding jobs, carry out bookings, ordering food or to become full -time content creators, social media apps play a huge part in daily life. Businesses use apps for marketing purposes or to generate awareness.
Programming languages are part of the foundation of an app. They work behind as back-end development tools. Coding is a necessary skill for app development because programming languages rely on it. Everything is built on how well the language of an app functions, hence choosing the right PL is imperative.
Programming languages vary in capability and how they can be implemented, it’s up to web developers / companies to determine which language is most suited to handle tasks at hand.
Some PLs are more suited for front-end development, which determines how the client-side features of a web page or app will appear and behave. Some others are better for back-end development, which manages server-side databases and logistical features.
Full-stack developers may use multiple programming languages to work on both the front and back end simultaneously.
All the entrepreneurs who want to build the best in class social media platform! And those looking to quick time to market, connect with appscrip today.
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.
