In the world of programming, there is a number of languages that reign supreme. These languages are used by most developers and are considered to be the most popular for their among programmers.
But what are the most popular programming languages in 2024? Will they remain the same or will something new come along and take their place? Let’s look into that.
The different programming languages ranking systems
It is possible to see some tendencies in the relevance of programming languages through hiring requirements, general talk, and prevalence of language usage in code repositories. However, most of these factors do not give a concrete overview of the most popular languages.
Lucky for us, there exist several objective ranking systems for programming languages. In our review of the most in-demand and popular programming languages in 2024, we will use the following ranking systems:
1. IEEE Spectrum
The IEEE Spectrum is a monthly magazine that covers all aspects of electrical and electronic engineering. Every year, they release their “Top Programming Languages” list which is based on data they collect from their annual survey.
2. PYPL (PopularitY of Programming Language)
The PYPL PopularitY of Programming Language index is created by analyzing how often language tutorials are searched on Google. The more a language tutorial is searched, the more popular the language is assumed to be.
3. RedMonk Programming Language Rankings
The RedMonk Programming Language Rankings are based on a combination of GitHub and Stack Overflow data. The languages are ranked according to the number of projects on GitHub written in that language as well as the number of questions asked about that language on Stack Overflow.
What are the top 10 most popular programming languages 2024
Now that we have familiarized ourselves with the different ranking systems of programming languages, let’s take a look at what these indices list as the top 10 most popular programming languages in 2024.
| IEEE | PYPL | RedMonk | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Python | Python | JavaScript |
| 2 | C | Java | Python |
| 3 | C++ | JavaScript | Java |
| 4 | C# | C# | PHP |
| 5 | Java | C/C++ | CSS |
| 6 | SQL | PHP | C# |
| 7 | JavaScript | R | C++ |
| 8 | R | TypeScript | TypeScript |
| 9 | HTML | Go | Ruby |
| 10 | TypeScript | Swift | C |
Our ranking of the top 10 most popular programming languages 2024
Based on the results of the three programming language ranking systems, we have compiled our own ranking of the top 10 most popular programming languages in 2024, along with the descriptions of each language.
1. Python
- Year of origin: 1989
- Difficulty: Easy
- Uses: Web development, scientific computing, artificial intelligence
Python is a high-level, interpreted, general-purpose programming language which considers readability as one of its most important features. It was created by Guido van Rossum in 1989 and continues to be maintained by a large community of volunteers.
Due to its popularity, Python has been used in a variety of domains such as web development, scientific computing, data analysis, artificial intelligence, and more. In addition, the Python language has been consistently ranked as one of the most popular programming languages due to its ease of use and comprehensibility.
Python is a versatile language that can be used for both small and large-scale projects. Some of the most popular applications written in Python include Instagram, Reddit, and Spotify.
2. Java
- Year of origin: 1995
- Difficulty: Moderate
- Uses: Android development, web development, enterprise software
Java is a high-level, object-oriented, platform-independent programming language which was created by James Gosling in 1995. It is one of the most widely used programming languages in the world with a community of over 12 million developers.
Java is most commonly used for developing Android applications, enterprise software, and web applications. It is also a popular language for server-side development and big data processing.
One of the most notable features of Java is its portability which means that applications written in Java can run on any platform that supports the language.
3. JavaScript
- Year of origin: 1995
- Difficulty: Easy
- Uses: Web development, front-end development, game development
JavaScript is a high-level, interpreted programming language, which was created by Brendan Eich in 1995. It is most commonly used for front-end web development but is also used in game development and back-end programming.
JavaScript is a versatile language that can be used to create interactive websites, games, and applications. It is also one of the most popular programming languages in the world and is used by millions of developers.
4. C++
- Year of origin: 1979
- Difficulty: Hard
- Uses: System programming, game development, embedded systems
C++ is a high-level, object-oriented, compiled programming language which was created by Bjarne Stroustrup in 1979. It is an extension of the programming language C and is one of the most widely used languages in the world.
C++ is most commonly used for system programming, game development, and embedded systems. It is also used in a variety of other domains such as scientific computing, graphic design, and network programming.
C++ is a powerful language that allows for low-level memory manipulation. This makes it an efficient language for system programming and game development.
5. C#
- Year of origin: 2000
- Difficulty: Moderate
- Uses: Game development, web development, desktop applications
C# is a high-level, object-oriented, compiled programming language which was created by Microsoft in 2000. It is most commonly used for developing desktop applications, web applications, and games.
C# is a versatile language that can be used to create a variety of applications. It is also one of the most popular languages on the Microsoft .NET platform. C# is used by such popular applications as Visual Studio, Unity, and Xamarin.
6. PHP
- Year of origin: 1995
- Difficulty: Easy
- Uses: Web development, server-side scripting
PHP is a high-level, interpreted, server-side scripting language which was created by Rasmus Lerdorf in 1995. It is most commonly used for developing dynamic websites and web applications.
PHP is a versatile language that can be used to create a wide range of applications. It is also one of the most popular languages on the web, powering such popular websites as Facebook, WordPress, and Wikipedia.
PHP is sometimes considered an outdated language, but these claims are largely unfounded. PHP is regularly updated and improved, and it remains a popular choice for web development.
7. SQL
- Year of origin: 1974
- Difficulty: Easy
- Uses: Database management, data analysis
SQL is a standard, declarative programming language which was created by Donald D. Chamberlin and Raymond F. Boyce in 1974. It is most commonly used for managing data in relational databases.
SQL is a simple but powerful language that can be used to query, update, and delete data. It is also widely used for data analysis and data mining.
SQL is used by such popular platforms as Microsoft SQL Server, Oracle Database, and MySQL.
8. R
- Year of origin: 1993
- Difficulty: Easy
- Uses: Data analysis, statistical computing, machine learning
R is a high-level, interpreted programming language which was created by Ross Ihaka and Robert Gentleman in 1993. It is most commonly used for data analysis and statistical computing.
R is a versatile language that can be used to create a wide range of applications. It is also widely used for machine learning and artificial intelligence.
R is used by such popular platforms as RStudio, Anaconda, and Microsoft R Open.
9. Swift
- Year of origin: 2014
- Difficulty: Easy
- Uses: Mobile development, desktop applications, server-side scripting
Swift is a high-level, object-oriented, compiled programming language which was created by Apple Inc. in 2014. It is most commonly used for developing iOS and macOS applications.
Swift is a powerful language that is easy to learn. It is also safe and fast, making it a great choice for mobile development.
10. Go
- Year of origin: 2009
- Difficulty: Easy
- Uses: Server-side scripting, web development, network programming
Go is a high-level, interpreted, garbage-collected programming language which was created by Google in 2009. It is most commonly used for developing web applications and server-side scripting.
Go is a simple but powerful language that is easy to learn. It also has garbage collection and built-in concurrency support, making it a great choice for server-side development.
Go is used by such popular platforms as Google App Engine and Heroku.
What will be the most popular languages in 5 years?
Unfortunately, this is impossible to predict for sure, as the popularity of programming languages can change rapidly. However, some of the most popular languages today, such as Python and Java, are likely to remain popular in the future.
New languages, such as Swift, are also likely to gain popularity. Ultimately, the most popular languages in the future will depend on the needs of programmers and the applications they want to create.
Some branches of computer science are expected to gain popularity, including artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning. As these fields grow, the demand for languages that are well suited for AI and machine learning, such as Python and R, is likely to increase.
Consequently, these languages are expected to remain popular in the years to come. However, fields such as web development, mobile development, and desktop development are also expected to stay highly demanded, so any of the languages on this list could become the most popular in the next five years.
What language should I learn?
This is a difficult question to answer, as there are many factors to consider. Some languages are more popular than others, but popularity is not the only factor to consider. You should also think about what you want to use the language for, as different languages are better suited for different tasks.
If you want to learn a language that is popular and versatile, you should consider learning one of the languages on this list.
If you have a specific task in mind, you should choose a language that is well suited for that task. Whichever language you choose to learn, make sure you enjoy the process and stick with it – learning a new language can be rewarding and satisfying.
Conclusion
The most popular programming languages in 2024 are likely to be those that are versatile and well-suited for a variety of tasks.
Python, Java, and JavaScript are currently the most popular programming languages in the world and are likely to remain popular in the future.
New languages, such as Swift and Go, are also expected to gain popularity. Ultimately, the most popular languages will depend on the needs of programmers and the applications they want to create.
We hope our list of the top 10 most popular programming languages 2024 has been helpful and enlightening for you. So what’s the next language you are planning to learn? Let us know in the comments!
Elmar Mammadov is a software developer, tech startup founder, and computer science career specialist. He is the founder of CS Careerline and a true career changer who has previously pursued careers in medicine and neuroscience.
Due to his interest in programming and years of past personal experience in coding, he decided to break into the tech industry by attending a Master’s in Computer Science for career changers at University of Pennsylvania. Elmar passionately writes and coaches about breaking into the tech industry and computer science in general.