Fastest Programming Languages To Learn In [2023] – Top 9

The fastest programming languages are those which can execute a program as quickly as it can. Program’s speed does depends on optimizing its source code, but the language can also make a difference.

Note: This list is in no specific order

1) C++

Being one of the world’s most popular and fastest programming languages. C++ is widely being used for creating softwares and games from a long time. It is also used in teaching. and has been the language of choice for many computer scientists and engineers since 1979, which sounds fantastic.

It is the preferred choice for developers who are looking to create robust applications as it offers incredible efficiency and speed as compared to other programming languages.

Using this we can develop anything from a system software, video game to a big complex sophisticated application, which can manipulate the hardware resources directly

As the successor to C, C++ inherits many features from its predecessor while adding advanced OOP features like classes, inheritance and polymorphism that provide more efficient coding structures for developing complex applications.

C++ offers a broad ecosystem of libraries and frameworks, which further expands its utility.

Thanks to an active developer community and longstanding history of success, C++ remains an indispensable skill set for today’s highly competitive tech industry.

2) Rust

Rust supports a wide range of programming styles. Which includes programming styles such as procedural, functional, and object-oriented programming (OOP) programming language.

Rust is used for developing systems and backend applications and not only that, it is also being used for creating tools and libraries.

It has a unique ownership system and this unique ownership system provides memory safety and resource allocation without needing a garbage collector.

It also has built-in safety features, which can reduce the chances of potential crashes and bugs. That makes it a good option for mission-critical software like operating systems, browsers, and blockchain systems.

Rust is known for its welcoming and supportive community, so if you have any questions or issues you can reach out to the Rust community and they will surely help you.

3) Fortran

Fortran is a high-level programming language and is one of the most powerful languages today. It has been used to create various systems.The US Department of Defense’s air traffic control system is also built using Fortran. It is one of the fastest languages available today, and has been optimized for speed and performance.

The compilers and libraries are optimized which contributes to the performance of Fortran. It’s ability to directly access memory locations also contributes to improving Fortran’s performance.

Fortran supports parallel processing and array operations which allows for faster computations with less code complexity.

It is one of the oldest programming languages and is currently being used in many fields such as finance, engineering and physics.

4) Ada

Ada provides a safe environment for executing highly sensitive tasks. It is also popular for its simplicity and low-level control, making it ideal for building small-scale systems that need to be robust and reliable.ADA is a fast and reliable programming language.

The US Department of Defense developed it for embedded systems and real-time applications.

ADA was initially intended to be a high-level programming language.

ADA is a strongly-typed language that detects errors at compile time rather than during runtime, making it more reliable. It is also designed to be parallel-processing friendly, making it a great option for applications that require fast execution times.

Its focus on safety, reliability, and accuracy makes it a popular choice in aviation, defence and healthcare industries, where precision and accuracy are crucial.

ADA is a great choice for developers who want to create high-performance applications.

It offers speed, stability and security.

5) Go

Go is a compiled programming language for developing large-scale web and network applications. It features static typing, a simple syntax, and fast execution time.

Golang, also known as Go, was created by Google in 2007. It is an open-source language that was designed to be simple and efficient. The language has concurrency capabilities. These features have made Go a highly sought-after language among developers.

Its rapid compilation speed makes it an ideal language for large-scale application development. Concurrency features like goroutines, channels and others allow for efficient communication between multiple tasks running simultaneously.

Go puts a lot of emphasis on readability, which makes it easy for developers to understand and write code. Go is a safe choice because of its garbage collection and memory protection features.

Go’s active developer community constantly contributes to the language’s development.

6) Swift

Swift is a multi-paradigm programming language designed to be easy to learn and code in. It’s an excellent language for developing mobile apps, desktop applications, and augmented reality/virtual reality (AR/VR) applications.

Swift is an open-source language that Apple designed in 2014. It was created for speed, security, and usability, which makes it the best option for developing apps on iOS, macOS, watchOS, and tvOS.

Swift is a language that puts safety first. Swift uses optional types and type inference to create safer, more reliable code. It also utilizes automatic reference counting to ensure code safety.

Swift’s simple syntax allows developers to quickly and easily write and understand code. Swift’s robust features, such as generics, closures and protocol extensions, allow programmers to efficiently produce clean code.

Swift was designed to seamlessly integrate with Objective-C, allowing developers to use both languages in a single project. Swift is constantly evolving, with new features, enhancements and improvements being released, which creates a dynamic experience.

7) Java

Java is a general-purpose, object-oriented, and interpreted programming language commonly used to develop websites and applications. It’s easy to learn and has a large library of third-party libraries that help you build your projects faster.

Java is a versatile programming language developers use to create software and applications. Java is popular for building enterprise solutions because it’s portable, secure and scalable.

Java is well-known for its “write once and run anywhere” ability – meaning that programs written on this platform will run perfectly on any other platform without modification. The large developer community provides plenty of resources for new programmers.

Java’s robust security features are well-known. A built-in security manager allows you to control untrusted code, which is especially useful for enterprise apps.

Java is a popular programming language that’s used in many industries. Java is a powerful language that anyone can use, whether you are a beginner or a seasoned developer.

8) Kotlin

Kotlin is an interpreted language similar to Java in that it compiles to a virtual machine before being interpreted. Still, it’s a little slower than compiled languages because it adds additional overhead when it converts text-based code into machine code.

JetBrains developed Kotlin in 2011, an open-source language that quickly became popular among developers because of its easy syntax, compatibility with Java and robust type inference abilities.

Kotlin is a safe and expressive alternative to Android app development. It has become a favourite among developers.

Kotlin’s concise syntax allows developers to create maintainable and readable code, making complex applications easier to build and comprehend. Kotlin also provides features such as null safety and extension functions, which makes programming Kotlin easier and more flexible.

Kotlin is a great alternative to Java because of its seamless interoperability. Kotlin can be easily integrated into Java projects and vice versa. It allows developers to transition projects without having to start from scratch.

9) C

C is a compiled programming language typically used for web applications but can be used to develop anything from games to software development tools. It’s an excellent language for developing apps on any platform but can also be used to develop high-performance hardware.

C is a widely used procedural programming language created by Dennis Ritchie in 1972. It provides developers extensive control over system resources, making it ideal for writing operating systems, embedded systems and performance-sensitive applications.

C is an easy language to read and write compared to other low-level programming languages, providing developers with powerful features like pointers and memory management that enable precise manipulation of system resources with efficiency and precision.

C’s portability makes it ideal for cross-platform development and system-level software creation. C programs can be compiled to run on virtually every type of system or architecture, from desktop computers to mobile phones and even embedded systems, making C an excellent choice when developing cross-platform apps and system-level software solutions.

C is home to a large, active community of developers, offering plenty of resources and tools for learning and using this language.

Furthermore, its growing popularity has spurred many libraries and frameworks that extend its capabilities while simplifying development processes.

What is the fastest programming language?

Other considerations should be more important than performance when choosing a programming language.

The priority should be writing high-quality code that follows standard design patterns rather than language performance. Hardware can impact execution speed, while external libraries or packages can also be a factor.

Compilers may also optimise code in unexpected ways, making the performance of a language even less important.

What reddit has to say about fastest programming languages?

After reading multiple reddit posts about which programming languages are the fastest in terms of “run time”, a general answer which I found was that for small and simple programs, programming directly in assembly will be the fastest but, for more complex programs C might be faster as it can optimize the assembly in ways that might seem counter intuitive yet still increase speed.

C++ has advantages over C in regards to a number of factors but the added advantages make runtime on similarly complex programs to likely favour C.

This being said, if you program something in C that isn’t optimized at all then a program written in Java, or Python, or even JavaScript could outperform it.

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Conclusion

The simplest way to determine the speed of a programming language is to look at whether it’s compiled or interpreted. Compiled languages are written in a special bytecode that’s then interpreted by a virtual machine to speak directly to the computer’s hardware.

However, it’s important to understand the difference between a compiled and an interpreted language, so you can be sure you’re choosing the right one for your project.