The 5 Most Popular Programming Languages in 2024

The technology is developing very fast. There are more than 600 programming languages that offer different functions and possibilities for the development of applications, websites, algorithms and games. This creates a dynamic labour market for developers.

Learning a new programming language is important now and in the future and should therefore be seen as an investment. Since there are countless programming languages, we have made a list of 5 programming languages that are the most popular and most in demand.

These programming languages are well established in the software development industry and are at the top of the list of well-known websites dealing with programming languages. Their popularity is growing day by day and that is why they are most sought after on the job market and offer crazy salaries.

The 5 most popular programming languages are listed below.

Python

Guido van Rossam developed Python in the nineties as a side project. Python is considered to be the most important programming language and is widely used in the business world. It is easy to learn and use. Python has applications in data science, data analysis, artificial intelligence, advanced learning, business applications and web development. PYPL, a ranking site for programming languages, has called Python the number one programming language. According to a study by Python, Python is the most popular programming language on the American labour market and ranks third with an annual salary of $120,000.

JavaScript

JavaScript is one of the most widespread and popular programming languages in the world. It works almost anywhere, whether browsers, servers, mobile devices, clouds, containers or microcontrollers. It is used to develop web products for different sectors such as banking, healthcare and others. It is used for web development, backend development, mobile application development, serverless computing, browser game development, etc. Indeed, it is the third most popular programming language in the United States, with an average annual salary of $114,000.

Java

Java is ideal for Android application developers. It is an interpreted, object-oriented, much simpler programming language. However, Java has lost some of its markets to Python and JavaScript. Used for the development of business applications, the development of web pages, the development of large data and the development of the web. It is the second most popular programming language in the United States, with an annual salary of $104,000.

C++

C++ is one of the most efficient and oldest programming languages. C++ is faster than many programming languages. This feature makes C++ valuable in areas where latency is very low and performance is very critical. C++ has lost the popularity of Java in the development of enterprise software and Big Data. However, with the growing popularity of GPUs, containerisation and cloud computing, they are regaining popularity on the labour market. According to Indeed reports, C++ is the fourth most popular programming language with $108K per year.

PHP

PHP stands for Hypertext Preprocessor. PHP is a dynamic programming language for general use, mainly used for the development of server-side web applications. In January 2024 TIOBE was ranked 8th. Place in the popularity of PHP. It is the seventh most popular programming language in the U.S. labor market, with a reasonable salary of $90,000.

The above list gives an overview of the 5 most popular programming languages in 2024 according to softwaredevelopment.co.uk. There are over 600 programming languages, which makes it difficult to choose what you want to learn. An important point is that the choice of programming language should not only be based on the popularity of the language, but also on the requirements of the project you are working on.