C++ Secures Second Place in TIOBE Index for June, C Drops to Third, and Go and Rust See Gains
Developers appear to have largely ignored a recent White House advisory to move away from C++ and C due to concerns over memory safety. According to the Tiobe Programming Community Index for June, C++ has surged to the second spot in the rankings, just behind Python. Meanwhile, C has dropped to third place, its lowest position ever in the index.
C++’s ascent to second place marks a significant shift from last month, when it held the third position and C was in second. Paul Jansen, CEO of Tiobe Software, highlighted C++’s strengths and weaknesses in a blog post about the index. He noted that C++ is praised for its performance and scalability but criticized for its complexity and rich idiom of features. The language’s long history and emphasis on backward compatibility have led to numerous ways to achieve the same task, making code harder to understand and maintain.
Despite the White House Office of the National Cyber Director (ONCD) report in February recommending developers move away from C and C++ due to memory safety concerns, C++ has remained popular. The ONCD report aimed to reduce cyberattack risks and suggested languages like Rust, which the report deemed safer. Jansen criticized the White House’s recommendation, arguing that it was not well-thought-out.
Jansen contends that the recommendation to switch to Rust is problematic given the current state of tools and developer expertise in the language. He points out that Rust, while promising in terms of safety, is relatively complex to learn and not yet widely adopted. Jansen believes that C++ can be used safely if developers are well-informed and skilled in its best practices.
The rise of C++ in the Tiobe index, despite the advisory, suggests that the language’s robust performance characteristics and established presence continue to make it a preferred choice for many developers. Meanwhile, C’s drop to third place indicates a shift in preference but also highlights the ongoing relevance of C++ in the programming community.
Overall, the Tiobe index reflects ongoing trends and debates within the programming community, revealing how language popularity can shift in response to both technical advancements and external recommendations.