Description: An honest battle of the top 5 programming languages, with real pros, cons, and use cases, plus what I learned shipping Python apps as .exe files.
Which Programming Language Is the Best Overall?
Every few months this question blows up a comment section: "What is the best programming language?"
Here is the honest answer: the best programming language overall is the one that gets your project shipped. But "it depends" is a boring answer, so let's do this properly. Below is a head-to-head battle of five major languages, with pros, cons, ideal use cases, and a final scorecard.
Quick disclosure: I'm the developer behind Akhouri Systems, where I build Windows tools in Python. I'll share that experience where it's relevant, because real shipping experience beats theory.
How I'm judging "best overall"
| Criteria | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Learning curve | How fast can a beginner become productive? |
| Performance | Speed and memory efficiency |
| Ecosystem | Libraries, frameworks, community |
| Job market | Demand and salary potential |
| Versatility | Web, desktop, AI, mobile, systems |
| Shipping speed | Idea to working product |
1. Python: The Swiss Army Knife
Best for: AI/ML, automation, scripting, data science, backend APIs, desktop utilities.
Pros
- Readable, beginner-friendly syntax
- Massive library ecosystem (NumPy, pandas, PyTorch, FastAPI, Tkinter, and more)
- Fastest path from idea to prototype
- Huge community and endless tutorials
Cons
- Slower than compiled languages at raw computation
- Not the first choice for mobile apps or low-level systems work
- Distributing desktop apps takes extra steps (more on that below)
Verdict: If "best overall" means versatility plus speed of development, Python is the strongest contender.
Real-world note: shipping Python as a Windows .exe
Most people think Python is only for scripts and notebooks. But you can package a Python project into a standalone Windows executable using tools like PyInstaller, zip it, and let people run it with no Python install.
That's the approach I used for my own tools under Akhouri Systems:
- ASNIPP - [Windows snipping tool alternative] - Download v1
- ATLOCK - [Total Security Suite for Windows] - Download v5
- APIC - [Local image editing suite] - Download v1
Lessons from packaging them:
-
File size grows. A bundled interpreter plus dependencies makes even a tiny tool tens of MB. Trim unused imports and consider
--exclude-module. - Antivirus false positives happen. PyInstaller executables sometimes get flagged. Publishing on GitHub Releases with a clear source and changelog builds trust.
- Zipping helps distribution. One zip, one download link, versioned releases.
- Test on a clean machine. Missing DLLs show up only where Python isn't installed.
Python is not "just for scripts." It can ship real desktop software.
2. JavaScript (and TypeScript): The Language of the Web
Best for: Frontend, full-stack web, serverless, cross-platform apps (Electron, React Native).
Pros
- The only language that runs natively in every browser
- Node.js lets you use one language across frontend and backend
- Enormous ecosystem (npm)
- TypeScript adds safety and better tooling
Cons
- Quirky type coercion and legacy baggage
- Dependency sprawl and framework churn
- Electron apps can be memory hungry
Verdict: If your goal is web development, JavaScript/TypeScript is non-negotiable.
3. Java: The Enterprise Workhorse
Best for: Enterprise backends, Android (alongside Kotlin), large-scale systems, banking.
Pros
- "Write once, run anywhere" via the JVM
- Mature tooling, strong typing, battle-tested at scale
- Excellent job market in enterprise
Cons
- Verbose compared to modern alternatives
- Heavier startup and memory footprint
- Slower to prototype
Verdict: Not flashy, but if you want stable, long-term career demand, Java still delivers.
4. C++: Maximum Performance, Maximum Responsibility
Best for: Game engines, embedded systems, high-frequency trading, operating systems, performance-critical software.
Pros
- Near-metal performance and fine control over memory
- Powers major game engines and system software
- Huge legacy codebase means steady work
Cons
- Steep learning curve
- Manual memory management invites bugs
- Long compile times, complex tooling
Verdict: Unmatched when performance is everything, but costly in development time.
5. Rust: The Modern Systems Challenger
Best for: Systems programming, CLI tools, WebAssembly, security-critical software.
Pros
- Memory safety without a garbage collector
- Performance comparable to C and C++
- Excellent tooling (Cargo) and a passionate community
Cons
- Steep learning curve (the borrow checker humbles everyone)
- Smaller job market than the incumbents
- Slower initial development
Verdict: The future of safe systems programming, but not the easiest first language.
The Battle Scorecard
Scores out of 5 (my opinion, not gospel):
| Language | Learning curve | Performance | Ecosystem | Job market | Versatility | Shipping speed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Python | 5 | 2 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 |
| JavaScript/TS | 4 | 3 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 |
| Java | 3 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 3 |
| C++ | 1 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 2 |
| Rust | 2 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 |
So, which is the best overall?
- Best overall (balance of everything): Python
- Best for the web: JavaScript/TypeScript
- Best for enterprise stability: Java
- Best for raw performance: C++
- Best for safe systems code: Rust
If you're picking one language to learn first and want the widest set of doors open, Python is hard to beat. If you already know one, learning a second from a different category (say Python plus Rust) makes you far more valuable than going deeper on a language similar to the one you know.
Your turn
I want to hear the disagreements:
- Which language would you crown as the best overall, and why?
- Did I underrate your favorite?
- Have you ever shipped a Python project as a standalone .exe? What tripped you up?
Drop it in the comments. The best discussions on this topic always come from the people who disagree with the ranking.
Written by the Developer & Founder behind Akhouri Systems.
Top comments (33)
I have shipped Python projects as standalone EXE using PyInstaller but it takes slightly longer to start so now I only use --onedir (e.g., GiffyPy).
I've tried GiffyPy it is really nice solo project
needs some improvements and then it will became a standard editing tool more than a solo project keep it up bro. 🫡
Bro but I had done some updates... Now it's kind of "clean" though minimal
oh okay I will try updated one too, also minimal focus is really great idea but in editing tool we need more feature and comfort than minimalism don't you think this? like I don't have experience in video editing tools so I'm just asking.
Yeah since it takes time to add new features I am sticking with the absolute minimum of what I want 😁
Who's the other one liked the post? @xulingfeng ? 🤣
yeah the man who never forgot to like my post
earlier he was the man who also likes my post first but now you've outperformed him and now you are first like of my this week every post
Thanks Bro 🤝
Welcome! 😇
You didn't like one of my comments go like it...
done 😂
hmm, it upon you because if you want it to be your app then yeah fine but if you want it to be a shippable product you would need more features for sure.
It's currently my app until ASNIPP adds video editing features and fix a few other things 😏
means?
I mean in ASNIPP v2 you're going to add video editing and other stuff so I no longer has to use GiffyPy right?
oh yeahh thanks for that confidence
and definitely ASNIPP will feature one of the best editing features in v2
@effessdev & @akhourianmolkumar right now 👆
🤣
Your table miss a very important columns: best for vibe coding!
There is deffinetley the Rust is the winner, because so easy to make a solid all around progam no one compared.
My winner rustroke app also created by Rust -> WASM because do not forget rust one of the best WASM language also.
oh, my mistake 😆
for vibe coding rust is great I was not aware of it earlier but now because you informed me now I'm aware 🫡
& yeah I also think rust is really beast but not best I guess.
like if we compare python v/s rust only according to me python will win the match overall.
what do you think?
Sly guy? 🤔
😂 It's not necessary that a sly guy can be always a sly guy
Sly guy? Mean🤔
ask @xulingfeng 😂
@xulingfeng 🤔🤔🤔
@xulingfeng online today?
I don't know he is quite busy guy I guess?
by the way @star123 you've not uses APIC WEB fully I know.
Am I right?
Based on the Elanat team's experience porting the WebForms class from C# to 17 other programming languages, we consider C# the most fluent and comfortable language for coding.
Programming Language Ranking by Coding Fluency and Ease of Use
This ranking reflects the Elanat team's practical experience and subjective assessment of how natural and comfortable each language feels when implementing WebForms functionality.
based on ease of use I think ranking is pretty good
although I don't have experience in all these languages like Swift, dart, and more but still I've watched many comparison videos on youtube
so I would say yeah if it is ease of use which it is then ranking is fine but when it comes to easy to learn then this rank can be changed right?
Why is TypeScript lower than JavaScript? Also why is Java 2nd? Why is PHP not last? And why is Python along with C++? 🤔
why, why ,why tons of whys lol
It's not really clear why TypeScript is less easy to use than JavaScript? The name speaks for itself!
Java is similar to C#, but C# has evolved significantly. Nevertheless, the coding experience in Java has remained consistent for a long time.
As for learning, it depends on one's current proficiency level and the intended application. For instance, someone who has just started learning to program might find it difficult to get the hang of C#.
Personally, I encountered C++ at university, but I taught myself Visual Basic. Visual Basic is a simple language for beginners.
If dev.to is reading this post kindly I request to give me python badge or java script badge or C++ badge or top 7 badge can be also a option please 🥹🙏