TIOBE has recently released its latest Programming Community Index, a ranking system that assesses the popularity of programming languages based on data gathered from the Internet.

To compile this index, TIOBE utilizes various search engines and online platforms, including Google, Bing, Yahoo, Wikipedia, Amazon, YouTube, and Baidu. The data pool encompasses the number of skilled engineers proficient in specific programming languages and the availability of courses dedicated to each language. It’s important to note that the index doesn’t make any judgments about the inherent quality of a programming language or determine which language has been used to write the most code.

In the October 2023 index, Python retained its top position as the most popular programming language, boasting a 14.82% rating. C secured the second spot with a 12.08% rating. However, both Python and C experienced a decline in their ratings compared to the previous month, with Python down by 2.25% and C by 3.13%. Meanwhile, Java, previously in the top 3, saw a significant drop with a new rating of 8.92%, marking a 3.92% decrease from its prior rating. Java was replaced by C++, which gained 0.74% to achieve a rating of 10.67%.

Notably, TIOBE Software CEO Paul Jansen highlighted that C# is making substantial strides, closing in on Java’s standing. The gap between C# and Java is currently just 1.2%, and if current trends persist, C# is poised to surpass Java in approximately two months.

Here’s a list of the top 20 most popular programming languages in October 2023, according to the TIOBE Programming Community Index.

Java and C# have a history of being used in similar domains and competing for more than two decades. Jansen attributes Java’s dwindling popularity to Oracle’s decision to introduce a paid licensing model for the language after Java 8. In contrast, Microsoft adopted a different strategy with C#, making it free and open source, which has garnered the support of many developers.

Beyond the hindrance of a paid model, the Java language definition has seen limited evolution in recent years. Kotlin, a fully compatible direct competitor, is both easier to use and free. For several years, Java was the reigning champion on the TIOBE index, only occasionally conceding the top spot to C up to the beginning of 2020. At its zenith, Java commanded a share of over 25% among the programming languages in the community.

The swift decline in Java’s popularity in recent years can be partly attributed to Android’s switch from Java to Kotlin as its preferred app development language in May 2019.

The chart below illustrates the shifts in the popularity of programming languages on the TIOBE Programming Community Index over the past two decades.