What Programming Language Should I Learn for My Healthcare Software?

If you're leaning towards a web-based solution, start with understanding databases—W3Schools has a great introduction to SQL. For a healthcare application that needs to handle many users, consider using PostgreSQL for your database. Also, learning Java is a good idea as it's a solid choice for web and server applications. You can use tools like NetBeans or Eclipse which have plenty of tutorials to get you going.

You might want to consider learning both a programming language and a framework to go along with it. Usually, a single language without any libraries isn't enough for a full project. First, it would help to know if you're interested in developing a desktop application or a web app. That'll help narrow down your language choices.

I think it's essential to note that anything related to healthcare should ideally be developed by professionals, given the potential risks involved. However, if you're still eager to learn, I'd say focus on the fundamentals of programming rather than getting too hung up on the specific language. Understanding core concepts can really set you up for success in any language you choose.

Just because your app has a lot of fields doesn't necessarily mean it's super complicated! Building a form-filling application can actually be pretty straightforward, especially with healthcare data since there's often a lot of standardization in how it's handled. I'd suggest really thinking through your needs before diving in, though.

Be cautious when working with healthcare-related software—there's a ton of regulations, like HIPAA, that you need to keep in mind. But if you're set on this, I recommend starting with Python. Check out the MOOC "Python Programming 2025" from the University of Helsinki, and after you learn some basics, mix in "Automate The Boring Stuff With Python". It’s a great way to get practical experience.

Check out The Odin Project for a comprehensive learning path. Just a heads-up, it's going to take you about 1.5 to 2 years to really get comfortable enough to start building your app. Learning isn't just about the language—you're going to need to understand a framework, both frontend and backend, and even some database knowledge. Plus, if you want your app to be secure and production-ready, you’ll need to brush up on security and hosting as well. It's a big journey, but having a project to work on can really motivate you!