Any computer or a digital machine can understand only digital signals i.e ON/OFF or 0/1. We can’t use English or any other human language to instruct a computer to do something as it doesn’t understand that.

Programming languages are a set of rules and instructions used to communicate with the computers. Just like the language translators we have in the real world, programming languages convert our code into machine code(i.e 0/1s) using compilers or interpreters.

Compiler vs Interpreter

A compiler/interpreter is a program which translates the source code written in a programming language into machine code which can be understood by the computer’s processor.

The main difference between a compiler and an interpreter is that a compiler converts the entire code into machine code in one go, whereas the interpreter converts the code into machine code line by line.

Why do so many Programming Languages exist?

Each language was started by a small community of programmers to solve a particular problem, and over time, some of these languages evolved into widespread use.

Different tools for different jobs

Programming languages are tools, and we choose different tools for different jobs. Each language has its strengths and weakness, making it better suited for certain kinds of jobs. Ruby and JavaScript are great for building websites; Java and C++ are often used for financial trading; Python and R are the tools of choice for analyzing statistics.

Programming Languages are chosen depending on the convenience/ease of use, security, platform dependency and speed.

If the only tool you have is a hammer, you tend to see every problem as a nail - Abraham Maslow

Before starting your coding journey, remember that each language has a unique story, a purpose, and a community behind it. So, choose your tool based on the problem you are solving.