Programming Languages That will Dominate IoT Projects In 2021

If you think that the internet has changed your life, think again. The Internet of Things is about to change it all over again!

— Brendan O’Brien

IoT is slowly becoming an inseparable part of our lives. From smart appliances and trackers to smart homes and smart assistants, there are endless applications of IoT in everyday life. Apart from residential spaces, IoT is also a powerful tool when paired with other innovative technologies like blockchain and Robot Process Automation.

Thus, in the coming year, there is plenty of scope for growth in the field of IoT. If you are someone who loves to keep yourself abreast with the developments in IoT, here are the top IoT programming languages that you must know in 2021.

Top 7 IoT Programming Languages in 2021

1. Java

Multiple surveys have time and again proved that Java is a top choice among IoT programmers. Portability is the reason why Java is a popular choice among IoT developers. The catchphrase that best describes Java is – ‘write once, run anywhere.’

After writing and debugging the code on their device, developers can deploy Java code anywhere using the Java Virtual Machine. As embedded versions of the code in a tiny chip run just as efficiently as that on a PC/laptop, Java is highly preferred.

2. C#

For IoT projects that use primary sensors, C# is the best language. It has the ability to directly work with RAM. There are some features of C# that makes it an ideal language for IoT development.

It does not consume much processing power. C# has a simplified and consistent syntax. It is a type-safe language. It has error-handling capabilities. Several companies big and small, routinely use C# code in the IoT solutions they develop.

3. Swift

Swift is a general purpose language used to code for Apple devices. The language supports multiple-paradigm programming. Swift is not only secure and fast but also has excellent error-handling capabilities.

For people developing IoT solutions that involve Apple devices, Swift would be the first choice of language.

4. Python

Python has already made a mark in the big data analytics field. It is best suited for IoT applications that carry a large amount of data.

There are several benefits of using Python for IoT development – it has an easy syntax, it implements OOP standards, and supports structured and functional programming. Python code works across various popular platforms – Windows/Linux etc…

Python is rich in libraries and has a large worldwide community that IoT developers can reach out to. The fact that the developer can conveniently integrate it into other popular languages like Java and C++. makes it the perfect choice.

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5. Javascript

IoT applications generally deal with inflow of real-time data. Javascript frameworks are powerful and can handle this inflow well. Code written using Javascript frameworks do not consume much of CPU or RAM.

Other desirable features include high scalability, quick performance and the presence of rich modules for IoT development.

Javascript offers automatic garbage collection. So developers can focus on more important things than wasting time on manually invoking methods to allocate and deallocate memory.

The language supports event-driven programming which optimizes battery usage. Thus, it remains one of the top choices for IoT development.

6. Golang

Despite being a relatively new language, Go has quickly become a favourite among IoT developers! It has a number of frameworks focused on IoT.

Go can handle requests well, can be developed with ease and has a fair memory footprint. These features make it just as suitable for IoT development as any other popular language.

It is said that Go has the simplicity of Python; but at the same time possesses the power of C.

Using Go for IoT projects could be a way to realize the best of both worlds.

7. PHP

PHP is widely known as the language for web development. Of late, IoT professionals have also started considering PHP for their project.

Developers from Korea have created a language and hardware platform called PHP On Chip, shortly known as PHPoC. The platform consists of a microcontroller that has a built-in interpreter for PHP.

From monitoring sensors to peripheral device management, PHP has found applications in many places.

Other than the seven languages listed above, C++ and LUA deserve a special mention.

Summary

Companies spend a considerable amount of time choosing the right language for an IoT project. Each company works on a project with a different set of goals and limitations.

Thus, there is no one-size-fits-all when it comes to choosing the programming language.

Choosing the language depends on the kind of solution you develop. If there is a generation of large amounts of data, Python would be a good choice. Python also takes less time and resources.

In some other cases, where the goal is to keep the costs low and have perfect compatibility with the microcontroller, C++ would be the best choice.

Therefore, only the company can decide which language is best for their IoT projects, based on their objectives.