Objective-C, once a dominant language in the Apple ecosystem, has seen a significant decline in popularity, as evidenced by its recent slip in the Tiobe Index. For the first time since late 2009, it has fallen out of the top 20 most popular programming languages. In the latest April ranking, Objective-C dropped to 23rd place with just a 0.67 percent share. This marks a considerable decline from its earlier standing, where it had held a top 20 position consistently for several years, even being named Tiobe’s Language of the Year in 2011 and 2012 due to its growth in popularity.
The shift can largely be attributed to the rise of Swift, Apple’s newer programming language designed for iOS and macOS development. Released in 2014, Swift was built to offer a more modern, safer, and faster alternative to Objective-C, which has contributed to its increasing adoption by developers. In the latest index, Swift is ranked 15th with a rating of 1.19 percent, further highlighting the language’s growing prominence and the gradual shift away from Objective-C.
Tiobe, a software quality services provider, explains that the drop in Objective-C’s popularity came later than many had anticipated. While Swift’s introduction was initially seen as a potential disruptor to Objective-C’s dominance, the transition was slower than expected. The enduring presence of Objective-C in the top 20 rankings for several years after Swift’s release shows how deeply entrenched it was in Apple’s developer community. However, as Swift continues to mature and gain widespread support, Objective-C’s decline seems inevitable.
The Tiobe Index is based on a complex algorithm that tracks search engine queries, online resources, and community engagement around programming languages. By measuring the activity of skilled engineers, training programs, and relevant third-party services, it offers insights into the relative popularity of programming languages. Despite Objective-C’s drop in the rankings, it remains important for legacy Apple applications, but the industry’s future seems to be shifting toward Swift.