World's top programming languages Created 15 years ago2009-11-22 01:19:14 UTC by Tito

I came across this site that tracks and ranks the use and popularity of all the world's programming languages. This site is called "The TIOBE Programming Community index". Anyway, what really astounded me was the sheer number of so many different programming languages around. Hell, about 75% of them I have never heard of! For an example, these are some actual names of apparently legit programming languages out there in use:

"Awk"
"Groovy"
"MOO"
"SuperCollider"
.....and the list goes on! There's even one called "Boo"!

They also have a top 100 list of the most popular programming languages in use today, and to tell you the truth, I was a bit surprised at who's #1! I for one, thought it would be C++ or C#, but no! But hey, at least good' old C came in at a very close #2 in the list.

By all means, see for your selves: http://www.tiobe.com/index.php/content/paperinfo/tpci/index.html

Java isn't surprising at all. It's used in everything now days.

True. I was only just a "bit" surprised, but I already knew it was high up there on the list. But the thing is, a lot of people hate Java, sometimes it can be a bit messy to deal with, it's also a misunderstood programming language by newbees. I my self like it most of the times, you can do so many things with it, offline or online.

I know Java is becoming increasingly popular as of late, but I dont really believe the numbers on that site because programming is a decidedly "offline" sport.

Java is a fucking bitch.

Java is indeed pretty awesome to work with. It's so simple and already has libraries for pretty much everything.

I don't like Java because it's full of bad choices and the like that can't be changed for backwards compatibility reasons. It's one of the reasons I prefer C#.

This thread had Captain P, potatis_invalid and Penguinboy written all over it!

I prefer c++.

I prefer c++.

Me too. Besides, most open source programs use c++ because it's cross-platform.

I'm more of a JavaScript person. It's useful off the web as well as on the web. I'm currently writing a 2D fighting/shooting multiplayer game using jslibs.
I also like PHP. I want an ElePHPant for Christmas.

I like c and c++ myself.

I know Java is becoming increasingly popular as of late...

Java becoming increasingly popular as of late you say? I think is more than just of merely "late"! If you take a look at this chart scale, you will notice Java has been the most popular programming language since at the very least 2002. In fact, by the way it looks on the chart scale below, it looks like it gets even more popular the further back you go in time:

...but I don't really believe the numbers on that site because programming is a decidedly "offline" sport.

Really?.....I guess you have never heard then of Java applets inside HTML, or JavaScript powered web forms, or ActionScript powered Flash sites or even C#.net powered web databases? Maybe programming was an "offline sport" as you put it years ago, but in today's so-called "Web 2.0" internet, that's no longer the case. Yep, programming is indeed an online sport now as much as it is still a offline one too.

And as for the numbers you do not believe on that site, well.....you did read this part, right?:

The ratings are based on the number of skilled engineers world-wide, courses and third party vendors. The popular search engines Google, MSN, Yahoo!, Wikipedia and YouTube are used to calculate the ratings.

I mean, how much of a research do you really need?

If you take a look at this chart scale, you will notice Java has been the most popular programming language since at the very least 2002.

Java has been the recent trend in "starting" programming languages in uni's and grade schools all over the world. Considering that the site bases its ratings off of search engines, and that learning programming students use search engines an extremely large amount, I think the chart might be a bit bias. Its not popular as much as it is forced down peoples throats. It doesn't account for the number of professionals who actually contribute to programming society.

I guess you have never heard then of Java applets inside HTML, or JavaScript powered web forms, or ActionScript powered Flash sites or even C#.net powered web databases?

You're missing my point. Many online ones do exist, sure, but the "Majority" of all code written is done for an offline platform. I can confidently vouch that the sheer amount of offline prone code alone outnumbers the amount of javascript or java applets even; Online tasks aren't too particularly complicated. Theres absolutely no way a single site could calculate the number of people actively using a language based off of its search engine results.

The ratings are based on the number of skilled engineers world-wide, courses and third party vendors.

You realize how vague that is? I dunno about you, but personally I have trouble finding the rosters of a business, let alone every programming business on the planet. On the topic of courses, the guy who designed that system must be a fucking master at artificial intelligence. It can search every school website, find its exact class listing, and derive what languages they're using!

I mean, how much of a research do you really need?

The kind of research thats not bullshit. >_>

Seeing how strongly you feel on your points you just gave, and the fact that I just don't have the energy right now to continue the way I was, you can have the last say on this, at least between me and you. The way I see it, the world of programming is so huge, so multi-faceted and diverse in all kinds of ways, it's just impossible for any one single person to really know what's going on. I will be the first one to say that at this juncture, what I have said so far, is just speculative and educative opinion based on somebody else's research. Yep, I have the balls to say that.

Where's Captain P? I miss him.