What are the best programming languages for financial services?

[cpaprogrammer]

I am a CPA by trade and am looking to learn programming languages that will make it easier to manipulate data for clients and my own firm.

Most data is stored in excel, access or software like intuit quicbooks pro.

What is the best language to learn to work with data from these types of storage?

[Nepomuk]

What the best language is is relative; it depends on many things like the exact uses, your prior experience and who answers the question. Basically what you want is a language that offers easy communication with the software you're using.

From what I see, QuickBooks offers SDKs (Software Develoments Kits) for Java and .NET, so those are probably good choices. When it comes to Excel and Access, there are tools for both Java and .NET to access those; however as .NET is developed by Microsoft (as are of course Excel and Access) I would imagine that using .NET may be the easiest choice. Not being a .NET user and never having used the Java tools for that kind of stuff, this is however only a guess.

Now, .NET isn't one language but rather a framework that can be used by many languages, specifically designed to work with .NET - there's C#, ASP.NET, F#, VB.NET and many more. (You can check a list here.) This means that you could use any one of those languages for your means.
Which of those languages you choose is dependent on you - do you have any experience in programming? Do you know people who could help you learn a programming language? It's always useful to have someone close by who knows the language, at least a bit. If there's nobody around you could ask, choosing C# is probably the easiest choice simply because it is one of the (if not the) most common .NET languages around and you'll find loads of examples and many helpful people who could aid you while learning it. We even have a C# subforum here in addition to the .NET Framework one.

Now, this is just one of many ways in which you could approach the problem. If you know some Java, use Java. If you like mathematical terms, a functional language like F# might be great for you. If you've used VBA before, maybe go for VB.NET. And if someone tells you "language X is the best, I'll help you learn it" then go for that.

[kimboox44]

if you want to learn a programming language just to solve this problem (play with Excel and access data) then i think you should learn a language that doesn't need so much time to learn.
I recommand Java
Excuse my bad english ;)

[Sovchenko]

When it comes to programming languages for financial services, there are several options that are widely used and considered to be highly effective. Some of the best programming languages for financial services include:

Python: Python is known for its simplicity and versatility. It offers a wide range of libraries and frameworks specifically designed for financial analysis, data manipulation, and algorithmic trading. Its readability and extensive community support make it a popular choice for financial applications.

Java: Java is a robust and reliable language commonly used in the financial industry. It offers strong security features, scalability, and excellent performance. Java's object-oriented nature and extensive ecosystem of libraries and tools make it suitable for building complex financial systems.

C++: C++ is known for its high performance and low-level control. It is often used for developing financial software that requires intensive calculations, such as risk management systems and high-frequency trading platforms. C++'s efficiency and ability to directly interface with hardware make it a preferred choice in certain financial domains.

R: R is a language specifically designed for statistical computing and data analysis. It is widely used in financial analytics, econometrics, and risk modeling. R's extensive collection of statistical packages and visualization libraries make it a powerful tool for data-driven financial applications.

SQL: While not a programming language in the traditional sense, Structured Query Language (SQL) is essential for working with databases in the financial industry. SQL is used for querying, managing, and analyzing large volumes of financial data. It is a critical skill for building robust financial systems and performing data-driven decision-making.

For more in-depth information on financial software development and the best programming languages for financial services, I recommend referring to this guide by Cleveroad. This comprehensive resource provides insights into the key technologies and considerations in building financial applications, making it a valuable reference for developers and stakeholders in the financial industry.