第9章ソフトウェア工学

Imagine a toolbox with specialized tools—a hammer for carpentry, or a paintbrush for art. Software engineers also use various tools, and some of their tools are programming languages! Just as the right tool makes a job more accessible, the correct programming language helps engineers build different software applications.

Identify the programming languages commonly used to build the following types of applications:

• Mobile app (like Instagram)

• Website (like Wikipedia)

• Video game

Possible answers include JavaScript, Python, C++, Java.

Each programming language has its strengths. Some languages are great for building an application’s core functionality (like C++ or Java), while others are better suited for adding interactivity (like JavaScript). Understanding different languages allows software engineers to choose the right tool for the job.

There is no right or wrong answer to this question. It is possible, though not common, to be employed as a software engineer knowing only a single programming language. Typically, however, successful software engineers understand the different categories of programming languages and the common structure and design features of each.

It is often recommended that a software engineer learn a primary programming language that can be used for system-level programming such as C, C#, or C++. Additionally, in today’s world, a software engineer should understand object-oriented programming, which is done in languages like Python, C++, and Java. Because web development often is a part of solutions, knowing a scripting language, such as JavaScript, Python, PHP, Perl, or Ruby, is also beneficial. Finally, understanding markup languages such as HTML and XML is also important.

Of course, the best languages to know are dependent on the projects that are worked on. If a software engineer is creating embedded solutions, then the programming language is likely going to be much different than if they are doing high-end gaming solutions or web-based solutions. Chapter 7 High-Level Programming Languages delves deeper into programming languages.