Should you speak English to become a developer?

This is a question I see popping up more and more on social media, in groups of people wanting to get into the world of dev. And since my goal is to keep making our profession accessible, we're going to answer this question today!

Do you need to have a good level of English to make programming your career?

English, a reference language

Whether it's the invention of the first algorithm (Ada Lovelace), the transistor (Bell Labs), the first microprocessors (Intel/TI), the first personal computer (Altair), or even the first university program for learning IT professions (Cambridge), all these historical events came from English-speaking countries.

Since the culture of sharing and open-source is one of the driving forces of our industry, using a common language that is spoken by the majority of the world is one of the essential characteristics of our profession.

Today, even though many resources have been translated, programming languages are in English, and the documentation and help resources for emerging technologies are as well.

Of course, there are exceptions.

The French-speaking scientific and technical community is very significant, and always has been. There are even programming languages available in French, and today it's possible to fully learn programming-related professions while knowing only a few words of English.

But in the long run, this limits the possibilities for learning, sharing, and therefore progressing in the field.

What level is required?

Reading comprehension is what will be used the most in a developer's day-to-day life. Reading documentation, tutorials, forums, etc...

The problem with poor reading comprehension is that reading time will be longer, learning will be more limited, but it's also possible to understand certain concepts only superficially, and therefore learn something incorrectly, which could be detrimental later on.

Of course, good listening comprehension can open up new possibilities, and good speaking skills can even open doors to international opportunities, but it's reading comprehension that is truly decisive.

And if that's not the case?

As I said, some developers do good work even without mastering English, but what can make the difference is the desire to improve.

If you don't have a good level, but you want to progress, then it will work, because you'll enjoy reading, listening to, and watching content in English while improving your programming skills.

There's a great website for assessing your English level in reading and listening comprehension, and it's completely free: https://www.efset.org/fr/