Instagram was initially built using a combination of several programming languages and technologies, which have evolved over time. Here are the key programming languages and technologies that contributed to Instagram’s development:

1. Python (Django Framework)
– Primary Backend Language: Instagram was initially developed using Python, and its web framework of choice was Django. Python is still heavily used in Instagram’s infrastructure due to its simplicity and readability.
– Django: This high-level Python web framework allowed Instagram to quickly scale its platform and manage complex data models, especially in the early stages of development.

2. JavaScript
– Frontend Development: For the web version of Instagram, JavaScript is used for client-side scripting to make pages interactive and responsive.
– React Native: Instagram has used React Native, a JavaScript framework developed by Meta (formerly Facebook), to build parts of its mobile app. It allows for cross-platform mobile app development, running on both iOS and Android using a shared codebase.

3. Swift (iOS App)
– As Instagram’s iOS app grew, Swift (Apple’s preferred language for iOS development) was used for building native iOS applications to improve performance and take advantage of native capabilities.

4. Kotlin (Android App)
– Instagram’s Android app was built using Java initially, but Kotlin (a modern language preferred for Android development) has become the language of choice for building newer features and improving the app’s performance.

5. Java
– Early Android Development: The Android version of Instagram was initially built with Java, which is still widely used for various components in the app.
– Backend Services: Java is also used in some backend services, especially in distributed systems and microservices architecture.

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6. C++
– High-Performance Features: Some components of Instagram, like image processing, use C++ for high performance and efficiency. It helps in improving the speed and performance of backend systems and certain operations like real-time video processing.

7. Objective-C
– In the early stages of Instagram’s iOS app development, Objective-C was used before Swift became more popular. Some parts of the app may still rely on Objective-C, especially legacy code.

8. GraphQL
– Data Querying Language: Instagram uses GraphQL (a query language developed by Meta) to optimize how data is fetched from the server, especially in its mobile apps. This allows the apps to request specific data more efficiently than with traditional REST APIs.

9. PostgreSQL (Database)
– Instagram initially used PostgreSQL as its primary relational database management system (RDBMS). Over time, they scaled this database to handle large amounts of data efficiently.

10. Other Technologies:
– Redis & Memcached: These are used for caching to reduce database load and improve performance.
– Amazon Web Services (AWS): Instagram uses AWS for hosting and cloud services.
– Nginx: A popular web server used by Instagram for handling HTTP requests and serving content efficiently.

In summary, Instagram was initially built on Python and the Django framework but has since adopted multiple languages like Java, Swift, Kotlin, JavaScript (React Native), and C++ for various parts of its infrastructure. This combination allows Instagram to deliver a high-performance, scalable, and cross-platform experience for its millions of users.

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