Rust Received the Most Admiration, Erlang the Best Salaries. We Know the Latest Trends in Programming Languages

It is essential for the development community to understand the changing trends in programming languages and to gain new knowledge in the right areas. At TITANS, we’ve compiled data from several respected leaderboards to tell you what programming language to choose when developing a new software system – is it better to use Erlang, Go, Python or a different one?

Snake language is spoken everywhere

According to Statista, JavaScript was the most used programming language worldwide in 2024.  Developers love it for its simplicity, versatility and strong community support. About 53% of respondents use HTML/CSS, and while HTML provides the structure of a web page, CSS is mainly used to create its responsive design. Python, SQL, which is the foundation of the database world, and TypeScript round out the top five most used programming languages and technologies worldwide. TypeScript is a superset of JavaScript that provides instant code review at compile time, allowing JavaScript to be used in a much safer way. Python‘s popularity, in turn, lies in its versatility, simplicity, and ecosystem of libraries that cover almost every application area.

The PYPL PopularitY of Programming Language Index also provided interesting results in October. According to the index, Python is the most popular language worldwide, while Java, JavaScript, C/C++ and C# also made the top five. The rankings also show that Rust has grown the most over the past 5 years, taking the 10th spot, and Java has lost the most popularity. Interest in Rust is growing, especially with the US government recommending it over C/C++ for security reasons. It is also worth highlighting the success of Kotlin, which climbed to 13th position. Its strengths are its stability, its full interoperability with Java, and the fact that it is popular for Android app development.

Go is growing in importance

Another indicator of the popularity of programming languages is the TIOBE Programming Community index. Its September edition puts Python in first place, with C++ in second, Java in third and C and C# rounding out the top five. The decline of one of the mothers of all programming languages, C, can be explained by the fact that it is not designed to scale, which is why the IT sector is switching to C++. Moreover, C is among the languages that the US government wants to ban because they are not memory-safe. For Java, however, the predicted decline is still very much premature. Along with another perennial, C#, it maintains its relevance and generates both a large number of jobs and high interest.

JavaScript, Go, and old familiar languages like Visual Basic, Fortran, and SQL also made the top ten in the index. Visual Basic, developed by Microsoft, is designed for easy learning and fast code writing. It is often used to create a prototype of an application that will later be written in a more complex and efficient language. Fortran is a language dating back to the late 1950s. It is particularly good at numerical analysis and computational mathematics, which is why it appeals to IT experts in data analysis and artificial intelligence.

The fast-rising star of the TIOBE index is Go, which is seen by many as another potential replacement for C/C++. Because it is well-structured, consistent, and efficient, it is starting to be used extensively in cloud computing, web development, and even data science. However, PHP, which is losing the battle to more modern competitors, and Swift, Apple’s programming language, which has dropped to 20th, did not make the top 10.

Erlang will make you the most money

Developers working with Nim, Erlang, and Apex have seen their median reported salary increase in 2024. According to a global survey by Stack Overflow, all other developer technologies saw a decline in median salary. Nim is a newer language suited for creating programs that need to manage memory well. Erlang is used to create distributed and reliable real-time systems, and Apex was created by Salesforce to develop applications on its platform.

Erlang developers also topped the list of highest reported median salaries this year with a salary of $100,636 (USD). They are followed by those working with Elixir (US$96,000), Clojure (US$95,541), Nim (US$94,924) and Ruby (US$90,221). Sites such as Apple, GitHub, Twitter, Hulu, ZenDesk, and Urban Dictionary have all been created using Ruby. Clojure has been popular for introducing innovative features that solve contemporary programming problems. Elixir, a very robust programming language, combines the efficiency and fault-tolerance of Ruby with the runtime features of Erlang to enable the creation of low-latency programs and systems.

According to Stack Overflow, the most admired programming language this year is Rust, with a score of 83%. However, when it comes to the most popular language overall, JavaScript has claimed the top spot in the survey since its first release (except for two years) and has held it proudly ever since. Interestingly, however, people who are learning to code have chosen Python as the most popular. According to the survey, they also plan to try an average of 12 other languages in the next year, while professional developers plan to try eight.

How to start a career as a programmer?

The answer probably depends on your current skills. If you’re just starting to learn how to program, Python or JavaScript would be a great first step. If you’re proficient in JavaScript, learn TypeScript. If you already know one language, find out what other languages are used with that language and which are popular, for example, if you know C, explore C++, if you know Java, C# or C++, try Go or Rust. If you want to work in AI or data analytics, learn Python. But if you plan to work in the Microsoft .Net world, learn C#.

Regardless of your technology preference, freelancing is one of the most effective ways to improve your portfolio. Every project at TITANS is an opportunity for you to learn new skills and gain valuable experience. Last year, Java was the most in-demand programming language on the Slovak market, but if you excel in legacy technologies, it can be your asset with clients who are building complex solutions based on stable technology. As a freelancer, you’ll also build better communication skills, a new perspective on development, interpersonal skills, and resilience to the stress of change by working on different assignments in different teams. Above all, you’ll gain a better understanding of what you want to focus on in your career.