TIOBE Adjusts Programming Language Popularity Calculations. Python, C, and Java Still Popular

“As of the 1st of May, the Alexa web traffic ranking engine is going to stop its services,” the TIOBE Index reminds us. So for the first time, TIOBE has switched to Similarweb this month to choose which search engines’ results to use for its ranking of the popularity of programming languages.

Fortunately, there are no big changes in the index due to this swap. The only striking difference is that the top 3 languages, Python, C, and Java, all gained more than 1 percent in the rankings. We are still fine-tuning the integration with Similarweb, which is combined with a shift to HtmlUnit in the back-end. Some websites are not onboarded yet, but will follow soon.

Now that HtmlUnit is applied for web crawling, it will become possible to add more sites to the index, such as Stackoverflow and Github. This will hopefully happen in the next few months. TechRepublic reports: Python continues to sit atop the index, with C and Java directly behind it. In Feb. 2021, those three also occupied the top spot, but with Python in the number three position, C at top, and Java in second place.

Beyond the top three, there hasn’t been much movement in the index, with positions four through eight unchanged from the same time last year. Those slots are occupied, respectively, by C++, C#, Visual Basic, JavaScript and PHP. Positions nine and 10 swapped from Feb. 21 to now, with Assembly Language and SQL now occupying each other’s positions.

The one big move of note between Feb. 2021 and Feb. 2022 was with the Groovy programming language, an object-oriented language for Java. Over the course of the year, Groovy fell from 12th position all the way to 20th, putting it perilously close to the “other programming languages” list. Thanks to Amigan (Slashdot reader #25,469) for sharing the story.

TIOBE Adjusts Programming Language Popularity Calculations. Python, C, and Java Still Popular

The TIOBE Index, which measures the popularity of programming languages, has recently adjusted its methodology for calculating language rankings. Despite these changes, Python, C, and Java continue to dominate the top spots, reflecting their enduring relevance in the software development landscape.

Key Highlights:

1. Python: Python remains the most popular programming language, thanks to its versatility, ease of use, and widespread adoption in fields like data science, machine learning, web development, and automation.
2. C: The C language holds its position as one of the most widely used languages, particularly in systems programming, embedded systems, and performance-critical applications.
3. Java: Java continues to be a staple in enterprise environments, Android app development, and large-scale systems due to its robustness, portability, and extensive ecosystem.

TIOBE’s Methodology Adjustments:

TIOBE has refined its approach to better reflect the actual usage of programming languages. The changes include:

• Improved Data Sources: Incorporating more diverse and up-to-date data from search engines, GitHub, and other platforms.
• Weighting Adjustments: Rebalancing the weight given to different metrics to ensure a more accurate representation of language popularity.
• Exclusion of Noise: Filtering out irrelevant or misleading search results to focus on genuine programming-related queries.

Why These Languages Stay Popular:

• Python: Its simplicity and readability make it accessible to beginners, while its powerful libraries and frameworks cater to advanced users.
• C: Its low-level capabilities and efficiency make it indispensable for hardware-related programming and performance optimization.
• Java: Its “write once, run anywhere” philosophy, strong community support, and continuous updates keep it relevant in modern development.

Other Notable Trends:

• Rising Languages: Languages like Rust, Go, and Kotlin are gaining traction due to their modern features and suitability for specific use cases.
• Declining Languages: Some older languages, such as Perl and Visual Basic, continue to lose ground as developers shift to more modern alternatives.

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Summary

• Most Popular Language: Python
• TIOBE Methodology: Based on search engine data, weighted metrics, and filtering of irrelevant results.
• C: Still popular, especially for systems and performance-critical applications.
• Java: Still popular, particularly in enterprise and Android development.

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