Python is on track to be named Tiobe’s Programming Language of the Year for 2024, marking another major achievement in the language’s already impressive trajectory. The Tiobe Index, which ranks programming languages based on popularity, has seen Python experience the most significant rating increase this year. The language has not only led the charge in terms of growth but continues to dominate as the most popular programming language overall, further solidifying its place at the top.
Though Tiobe won’t officially announce the winner until January, Python has already posted a remarkable 10% increase in its ratings for 2024. This far outpaces the second and third-place contenders, Java and JavaScript, which saw increases of 1.73% and 1.72%, respectively. Python’s strong performance in 2024 comes after its previous victories as Tiobe’s Language of the Year in both 2020 and 2021, followed by C++ in 2022 and C# in 2023.
The surge in Python’s popularity can be attributed to several factors, most notably its dominant role in AI and data mining. With an extensive library ecosystem and a reputation for being relatively easy to learn, Python has become a go-to language for developers in cutting-edge fields. “Python is unstoppable thanks to its support for AI and data mining, its large set of libraries, and its ease of learning,” said Paul Jansen, CEO of Tiobe. However, he also cautioned that as the AI boom may be plateauing and with the growing demand for faster programming languages, Python’s dominance may face some challenges in the future.
Tiobe determines language popularity by evaluating a range of factors, such as the number of skilled engineers worldwide, the availability of courses, and the presence of third-party vendors for each language. They calculate ratings by analyzing the frequency of mentions across various platforms, including Google, Bing, and Wikipedia, ensuring a comprehensive reflection of global trends in the programming world.