IEEE Spectrum Publishes 2023 Programming Language Popularity Rankings

Python and SQL Lead the Rankings, but Don't Disregard Older Languages

IEEE Spectrum, the journal of the American Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, has released its annual programming language popularity rankings for 2023. The rankings consist of three sections:

Spectrum: This section features the primary graph displaying the popularity of programming languages among developers. It is created using manually curated data from various sources, including Google searches, the Stack Overflow forum, as well as digital libraries such as IEEE Xplore, GitHub, and Discord.

Jobs: The Jobs section highlights the demand for technology among employers. The list is compiled based on job requirements posted on platforms like CareerBuilder and IEEE Job.

Trending: This section provides insights into programming languages that are currently gaining popularity.

No Surprises: Python Leads the Way

In 2023, Python retained its top position in popularity among developers. The language's popularity has remained consistent compared to the previous year. Experts at IEEE Spectrum attribute Python's success to its widespread use among school students and the increasing number of AI-based projects.

Other factors contributing to Python's popularity include the presence of popular machine learning and data analysis frameworks in its codebase, as well as its ease of learning. Beginners often choose Python as their first language due to its straightforward syntax and the abundance of free learning resources.

However, IEEE Spectrum points out that expertise in Python alone may not be sufficient for career advancement. Looking at the Jobs ranking, SQL surpasses Python in terms of demand from employers. Nonetheless, specializing exclusively in SQL may not yield significant earnings, making it advantageous to pair it with another language like Java, C++, or Python.

Another consideration is Python's limited suitability for resource-intensive applications, where "interpreter costs remain relatively high." For such tasks, languages like Java and other C-like languages are often more appropriate.

Overall, the landscape in the Jobs ranking has shifted considerably compared to previous years. A year ago, employers showed more interest in Java developers, with SQL also in demand. However, Python's rapid rise in popularity has led to its displacement of competitors, securing the top spot among sought-after programming languages in the job market.

In the Popularity Growth ranking (Trending), Python continues to lead, as it did the previous year, followed by Java, JavaScript, C++, and SQL. According to the ranking's authors, aspiring developers can be confident that Python will remain in demand for the foreseeable future. Companies extensively employ Python in web development, machine learning, and various other domains, showing no inclination to abandon this technology.

The researchers emphasize that the software development field evolves rapidly. Therefore, it is crucial to independently monitor the industry to identify promising career paths or transitions. While rankings provide valuable insights, they can quickly become outdated, and objectively analyzing and evaluating data for them can be challenging.