The benefits of learning languages that you won't use [closed]

Answer 1

It's entirely subjective, but way back when, after taking an undergraduate course in Haskell, I did notice that my programming style in C became more 'Haskell-like' for a while; I used a lot of simple, recursive functions. I also noticed that this programming style seemed to yield some of the same benefits programming in Haskell had; bugs were fewer, code was easier to understand (albeit slower).

So, while learning another programming language may not make everyone a better programmer, it definitely was a learning experience for me, personally.

Answer 2

I don't have any hard evidence, but I have really appreciated the different way of looking at problems that I have since learning lisp (the same goes for python and c).

The key isn't necessarily learning different languages though, I believe that the key is actually the different viewpoints that you gain by learning different programming styles.

Good examples are functional, imperative, object-oriented, etc. Also, there are common design differences is interpreted vs compiled languages; static vs dynamic typing, etc.

Although most people do a majority of their programming using a single style (most commonly OOP over the past few years), I think that all programmers should know multiple styles so that they are better able to see the shortfalls of their own style.

Answer 3

Some good points have been made.

I would add that learning languages you won't use in production work can be of value

1. To better appreciate and absorb the arguments and methods in texts and papers that will improve programming ability in languages I do use for production work (e.g. MIX/MMIX for Knuth's Art of Computer Programming; RATFOR for Kernighan and Plauger's Software Tools; I still use some ALGOL-based syntax for some pseudocode although I never wrote runnable code in ALGOL outside University)

2. To be able to check or prototype programs that will be written in a different language (e.g. some routines for numerical computing in C can be quickly checked or scaled using languages that have appropriate functionality built in such as Fortran, Python or Haskell)

3. Learning a new language can give insight as to how it could be used to more easily solve problems that were put to one side because of time or complexity constraints.

Answer 4

I don't know that there will have been much rigorous study regarding the benefits of multi-programming language exposure on overall programming ability, but I would argue that the studies regarding why learning a foreign human language (which you may never use in practice) is beneficial would in general hold equally well for studying foreign programming languages. The benefits ascribed often include improved cognitive abilities as well as improved understanding of one's native language.

here's some links to studies

anecdotally, I complained a great deal about taking COBOL, and have never really used it but was able to apply things I learned in that class at my first job.

Answer 5

I don't think there will be any hard evidence--I think this is more of an intuitive thing. Learning a totally different language will help you look at things totally different. Or maybe it won't. In any case, what's the harm in learning something?

Answer 6

Programming is a way of thinking, not writing code in programming language X: that is "coding", not "programming".

By knowing at least something about more than just one programming language - preferably across different paradigms, so imperative/OOP/functional/logical - you train that way of thinking about problems outside the context of the specific details and quirks of language X.

I think this always improves your abilities to be(come) a better programmer tremendously.