is it possible for one to learn up to 10 programming languages

Answer 1

Martin Taylor Wow... Listing all languages I'm very familiar with was an interesting exercise. After writing these down, I'm shocked by this list of 30+ different multiparadigm (OOP / Procedural / Imperative / Functional) or Domain Specific Languages (DSL) I've used in some form or fashion for software development. I've only listed languages I'm either strongly proficient with or proficient enough to be highly productive on any professional software development team today.

Kambili Nwankwo As you can see, learning programming languages is something that becomes less of a challenge over time. Of course, I've been doing this for quite a while... since the mid '90s.

To provide some context on the languages I've worked with, I'll attempt to categorize them into the groups listed and described below.

Group A:
Multiparadigm and Domain Specific Languages I've been working with since they were originally released or shortly thereafter and am very familiar with:

1. C#
2. Javascript (NodeJS and Browser)
3. Java / J2EE
4. PHP
5. VB.NET
6. HTML / CSS
7. XML / XSD / XSLT
8. PowerShell
9. TypeScript
10. XAML

Group B:
DSLs I've worked with my entire career that were around long before I started:
1. T-SQL
2. PL/SQL
3. Regular Expressions
4. Bash Shell Script
5. MS-DOS Batch Script

Group C:
Languages I've worked with on a project at some point within the past decade or so:

1. Ruby
2. Python
3. Objective-C
4. Swift
5. ActionScript
6. Haxe

Group D:
Languages I've messed around with and could pick up if needed for a project:

1. Kotlin
2. Elixir
3. Lua
4. F#

Group E:
Languages I used early in my career, but not much in the past 15 to 20 years:

1. Visual Basic 6
2. Delphi
3. PowerBuilder
4. JSP / JHTML Pages
5. VBScript / ASP
6. C++
7. ABAP (on SAP)
8. MS Access (VBA and SQL)
9. ColdFusion (CFML / CFScript)
10. Perl

Group F:
Languages I've worked with 20+ years ago for learning purposes only:
1. C
2. BASIC
3. Pascal

Answer 2

Martin Taylor Nice list of languages. That was also an awesome review of your background. I feel like I've got a little more context on your experience now. Thanks for sharing.

Kambili Nwankwo I might have to list the languages I've ever implemented. I'm sure it exceeds 10 as well. My list would get out of control if I included the frameworks and libraries I've worked with as well.

Funny enough, I've probably forgotten more languages than most here have learned. But picking up new languages isn't really difficult once you've master a few.

Answer 3

Yes
EDIT: because why not?

Answer 4

A question would also be:

How do you define 'learn'?

Learn to cook up a little sumpin sumpin?

Sure, no prob.

Learn thoroughly so that you can write fluently even in messy cases and are well-versed in most to everything the language has to offer and in its eco system?

Suddenly sounds a lot harder.

Until you reach the level of the veterans where it's somehow all just more of the same anyway. 😉

Answer 5

I'm exaggerating of course but all languages are more or less the same.

There's this awesome resource called LearnXinYminutes so if I want to learn say Lua I google "LearnXinYminutes where X = Lua", skim through it, write a simple project and I'm good. You pick up the rest as you go.

Paradigm-changing languages that leave you baffled for weeks are rare, for me those probably were C++, Rust, Haskell, Racket (LISP), Prolog. So if you get the hard ones under your belt learning a new language is, like, whatever.

The harder part is getting to know the ecosystem, not reinventing the wheel. Also, writing "idiomatic" code. That stuff just comes with time.

Answer 6

It's possible but need so much practice or you can't remember.

Answer 7

Yes.
I currently “speak” the following.
- C++.
- Python.
- Visual Basic.
- Bash Scripting.
- HTML / CSS / JS.
- PHP and Perl.
And I am just a cat, lol.

Answer 8

Yes. It is possible. The same as learning 10 spoken/written languages. The question is are you gone a use them all?

Answer 9

Language doesn't matter. It wasn't ever. It's all about logic. After learning 5 languages I realised that I should've learn data structures & algorithms rather than language.

Answer 10

Yes

Answer 11

Very possible. For someone who really loves and is determined to learn coding.

Answer 12

Everything thing is possible until you are enjoying & too much crazy about it. Once your interest is lost then everything will be impossible.

Answer 13

You can learn waaaay more than 10 languages. IF YOU HAVE THE CAPACITY TO DO THAT

Answer 14

yes it's possible nothing is impossible you just have to be brave and curious

Answer 15

Ya it is if they have the capability to do so

Answer 16

Yes. Possible. rather than, you can learn limited language based on your professional needs

Answer 17

Yes.. Why not...
But there's a catch.... You can't remember everything the language has to offer. Also it takes years to properly get a grip over it.

Answer 18

There are more than 10 and people are extending the boundary beyond that now-a-days.

Answer 19

anything is possible

Answer 20

Absolutely. But for some people it will difficult. If you consider language like python and Java which are contrasting. Their syntaxes are much different. I always write 'var' when I declare a variable in python, because I'm sticked with JS much deeper. And you can try you best.