How many programming languages ​​can a developer know?

Question

Career in IT

I recently read an article, and there the author expressed the opinion that a programmer can normally understand 1, maximum 2 programming languages. And if a person writes that he knows more languages, then he confuses the concepts of "knowing" the language and "knowing" the syntax.

Answer 1

The author in the article apparently did not mean the programming language itself, but its entire environment - the language, libraries, engines / frameworks, well-known solutions and personal experience.
All this together is a very large store of knowledge, so it is difficult to learn more than 1-3 languages ​​​​at this level in a lifetime.
If it is purely the languages ​​themselves, without everything else - yes, at least you can learn a language a month.

Answer 2

I constantly use 4 languages ​​actually for programming.
Therefore, I know them in the truest sense of the word.
Not counting the auxiliary SQL and HTML, CSS, which I also know.
And I am familiar with the syntax from about the 5th.

Answer 3

Quite often I see programmers practicing three languages, I can read the syntax of any language in a day

Answer 4

It seems that the author of the article is a shkolota.
For you: you need to clearly distinguish between:
1. Knowledge of the application architecture (object dependencies, OOP, etc.).
2. Knowledge of algorithms, as applied to a specific task (formulas, pseudo-code).
3. Knowledge of algorithmic programming language. (syntax, variables, functions)
For your task - you need to start from the right point (depending on the task): Do you
want to develop the project architecture - from point 1 (architect) Do you
want to expand the functionality - from point 2 (programmer)
Do you want simple coding according to detailed TOR - from point 3 (developer / coder)
1. The higher the level of manipulation of structures, the more expensive such a position and the more languages ​​this person can master, even without knowing their syntax and seeing for the first time.
2. If a person is not an architect and says that he knows 2 algorithmic languages ​​well, he is most likely disingenuous. (Architect - can know up to 3-4 alg. languages.)

Answer 5

You exaggerate the importance of knowing syntax.
It takes from a couple of hours to a couple of days to study.
Only.
I use 3 languages ​​in my work. Yes, I do know them.

Answer 6

This is the opinion of a particular author expressed from his own life principles and laziness.
How can you not normally understand a variety of languages ​​​​if you have to write in them for decades?
For example, web development previously required knowledge of more than 2 languages. (Javascript for the front and another for the backend, Javascript + Node.js is now possible).

Answer 7

Absolutely as much as you like, it’s hard to just memorize the syntax and other “raw” information and constantly keep it in the upper layers of memory without relying on Google, etc., but understanding the principles is not a problem, the brain stores such information very well, because it perfectly compressed with the loss of subtleties that, if necessary, are recalled or reproduced in practice, from documentation, etc. If you don’t have enough brain volume, then simply “connect” digital media that are well suited for this to store “raw” information, from Notepad notes to Google’s servers, and you will be happy.
Does this author at least know how to repair digital computers?
And the analog one, which is in the head, is a thousand times more complicated.

Answer 8

The language itself is not important. Almost everywhere the same thing, only the brackets are different.