Where do I start?

[Dimtar]

Hi all.

*If this is in the wrong area please let me know*

I would like some advice as I am looking to get into a little coding so I can make some home and work tools. I know my way around some basic php and HTML files but would like to expand that.

If anyone would be so kind as to list what language etc. they use and why they use it. Ideally I would like to invest in something that was not platform dependent. I think once I have a firm handle on a language then I can move to buying a tool like Coda 2 etc.

All advice welcome though

[omaraa]

What kind of tools are you interested in creating?

In terms of slopping something together to get a basic task done in a graphical environment, I tend to use Adobe Flex. It uses a combination of ActionScript 3 for logic and XML for the gui. The IDE (Flash Builder) is built on Eclipse and has code-assist which makes it very easy to work out how to do things. Flex applications can be compiled as Adobe Air applications for various platforms. Flex does lack some important features such as multi-threading though, and there are occasionally infuriating bugs, or bits of missing functionality in the library objects. I definitely wouldn't consider it to be a 'mature' language...

For more complex tasks requiring a GUI, or things that I expect to maintain somewhat, I tend towards Java. I use Eclipse, and the Window Builder Pro plugin for gui layout. Java is somewhat of a standard (for better or worse). It's well documented, and there are oodles of tutorials and bits of sample code for just about anything.

In terms of computing things where I'm happy to use the command line, I tend towards C++ for a quick and dirty solution. I'll just write the code in a basic text editor and it's good to go.

For automation of simple tasks, I'll write a .CMD script (in windows) or a BASH script (linux).

[Dimtar]

Preferably tools that would run inside a browser that make a task easier, like interfacing with an API or database to add information based on user requirements. E.G. Updating an order in a system or updating a ticket.

Maybe also sort of middle man software, like if this happens on this system then do this on another system. I have heard of Adobe Flex before and I can't say I am keen on it, as you put it though it's not 'mature' so I think I will be safe if I give it a miss.

Java sounds good, though nothing I want to do requires a great deal of prettiness. I think Java would work cross platform which sound good but I still like the idea of browser based if I can. The idea of not having to have a program per say that needs to be updated etc. on a local machine.

Something like Ruby on Rails sounds quite good.