A recent global developer survey has highlighted the continued dominance of JavaScript and Python, while also shedding light on the rapid rise of Rust, according to the “State of the Developer Nation, 22nd Edition” report by SlashData. The survey, conducted between December 2021 and February 2022, gathered insights from over 20,000 developers across 166 countries, offering a comprehensive look at the current state of programming languages.
For the tenth consecutive survey, JavaScript emerged as the most popular programming language, with approximately 17.5 million developers using it. This maintains the language’s status as the leading tool for web development. Over the years, JavaScript’s community has steadily expanded, solidifying its place as the go-to language for building interactive websites and web applications. Python continues to hold strong as the second most popular language, with 15.7 million users. Python’s growth trajectory has been particularly notable, with 3.3 million new developers joining the Python ecosystem within just six months, further cementing its position as a versatile language for everything from web development to data science and machine learning.
While JavaScript and Python continue to dominate, Rust has seen an explosive rise in adoption, with the number of developers using the language nearly quadrupling in just two years. From 600,000 developers in Q1 2020 to 2.2 million in Q1 2022, Rust has become a top choice for developers focused on performance and safety. According to Rebecca Rumbul, Executive Director of the Rust Foundation, the language’s focus on security and memory safety is one of the key factors driving its adoption. Rust’s design enables developers to create applications with greater confidence, reducing the risk of memory-related bugs. Additionally, the Rust community has fostered a welcoming and inclusive environment, encouraging more developers to get involved and contribute to its growth.
Rust’s popularity is not just limited to system programming; the language has found its place in emerging technologies such as IoT (Internet of Things) and AR/VR (augmented and virtual reality) development. As demand for Rust developers grows, the language is becoming an attractive option for those looking to advance their careers in high-performance and cutting-edge industries. The increasing use of Rust in these specialized areas reflects a broader trend of developers seeking languages that offer both speed and security, and Rust is certainly positioned as a future-forward language in the programming landscape.