The most popular programming languages in 2022

The IT industry continues to develop and change, and with it, new programming languages rise in popularity. They all have their own unique benefits and drawbacks, approaches and use cases. In this blog post, we will take a look at the most popular programming languages in 2022. We will discuss what made these languages so popular, and why you should consider using them for future software development projects.

What makes a top programming language

When choosing which programming languages to feature on our list, we considered the demand for them (how many companies were using or wanted to use them), how much developers enjoy working with them, and their future potential. We consulted sources such as the Stack Overflow Developer Survey 2022. The results are presented more or less in the order of popularity, showcasing the most in demand programming languages used around the world.

JavaScript

JavaScript was the top programming language of 2020 and it is not slowing down. This versatile language is used for web development, mobile app development, game development, and more. It has become a go-to language thanks to its relative ease of use and wide range of libraries available. Companies like PayPal, Netflix, Microsoft, eBay, and many more use JavaScript for various projects.

Biggest advantages of JavaScript for developers

• Easy to learn yet powerful language
• Lots of helpful resources for developers online
• Popularity means more development jobs available

Biggest advantages of JavaScript for businesses

• Easy to find developers with the right skill set 
• Versatility and scalability of language means fewer resources needed

Python 

Python has been steadily increasing in popularity since its launch in 1991 and is now widely used by developers all over the world. It is preferred due to its readability, scalability, flexibility, and the large number of libraries available that can be used to quickly develop complex applications. Companies like Google, Facebook, Instagram, Dropbox, and many more use Python for various projects.

Biggest advantages of Python for developers

• Gentle learning curve
• Quick and efficient development process
• Comprehensive libraries for various tasks

Biggest advantages of Python for businesses

• Cross-platform compatibility, easy deployment and maintenance 
• Speed and scalability with shorter development times 
• Excellent choice for projects that involve heavy calculations

Java

Java is a widely used object-oriented programming language. It is popular due to its versatility, as it can be used for web, mobile, and desktop application development. The main advantages of Java include its scalability, performance, and security. Companies like Amazon, LinkedIn, Twitter, Uber, and many more use Java for various projects.

Biggest advantages of Java for developers

• Deeply versatile language 
• Popularity means many resources available online
• Flexible platform with access to multiple libraries

Biggest advantages of Java for businesses

• Scalability, performance, and security make it a safe bet for large-scale applications 
• Robust ecosystem with solutions for almost any problem

C#

C# has been around for a long time and is a top choice for developers thanks to its ability to quickly build robust applications. It is especially popular in the gaming industry, with many top-tier companies using it for their projects. Companies like Microsoft, Sony, Ubisoft, and more all use C# in their projects. 

Biggest advantages of C# for developers

• Many helpful resources available online 
• Powerful language for building complex applications quickly

Biggest advantages of C# for businesses

• Cross-platform compatibility, high scalability and easy maintenance 
• Speed and scalability with shorter development times

TypeScript

TypeScript is a superset of JavaScript that is becoming increasingly popular. It has all the advantages of JavaScript and adds features like static typing, making it easier to write large-scale applications. Companies like Slack, Asana, Airbnb, and more use TypeScript in their projects.

Biggest advantages of Typescript for developers

• Static typing makes large-scale applications easier to debug and maintain 
• Comprehensive library of tools for efficient development processes 
• Easy to learn, thanks to its similarity to JavaScript

Biggest advantages of TypeScript for businesses

• Cross-platform compatibility, easy deployment and maintenance 
• Fast development time with few bugs in the long run

C++ 

C++ is a popular language that has been around since the 1980s. It is used for developing high-performance applications with low level access to hardware components. C++ was used by NASA, SpaceX and Microsoft for a variety of projects.

Biggest advantages of C++ for developers

• Highly versatile language used for a variety of tasks 
• Fast development time and great performance 
• Well-documented language with plenty of online resources

Biggest advantages of C++ for businesses

• Ability to create high-performance applications with low access to hardware components 
• Cross-platform compatibility, easy deployment and maintenance

Rust

Rust is a relatively new language that is quickly growing in popularity. It is particularly popular for developing high-performance, safe applications with low memory usage and great performance. Companies like Amazon Web Services, Dropbox, Microsoft Azure and more use Rust in their projects.

Biggest advantages of Rust for developers

• High performance, low memory usage and secure applications 
• Support for a wide range of platforms 
• Comprehensive library of tools for faster development cycles

Biggest advantages of Rust for businesses

• Cross-platform compatibility, easy deployment, and maintenance 
• Speed, scalability, and stability make it ideal for large-scale projects

Perl

Perl is another older language that is still popular among certain developers. It is mostly used for web development, data manipulation and text processing applications. Popular companies like Amazon, Facebook, LinkedIn and more use Perl in their projects.

Biggest advantages of Perl for developers

• Comprehensive library of tools for faster development cycles 
• Flexibility for creating custom applications

Biggest advantages of Perl for businesses

• Cross-platform compatibility, easy deployment and maintenance 
• Fast development with few bugs in the long run

Go

Go is an open source programming language developed by Google in 2009. It emphasizes scalability, simplicity and safety. Companies like Uber, Dropbox, and Google use Go for various projects.

Biggest advantages of Go for developers

• High performance, low memory usage and secure applications 
• Easy to learn, thanks to its simple syntax 
• Comprehensive library of tools for faster development cycles

Biggest advantages of Go for businesses

• Cross-platform compatibility
• Hassle-free deployment and maintenance 
• Speed, scalability, and stability

Swift

Swift is a top choice for developing mobile applications, especially on Apple platforms. Companies like Uber, LinkedIn, and Apple use Swift in their projects. 

Biggest advantages of Swift for developers

• Robust ecosystem for creating mobile applications 
• Comprehensive library of tools for faster development cycles

Biggest advantages of Swift for businesses

• Cross-platform compatibility
• Easy deployment and maintenance 
• Short development time

Predictions for 2023 most popular programming languages

Based on the current statistics and trends, it is safe to say that the top programming languages in 2023 will be a mix of the popular ones mentioned above. We can expect to see an even wider adoption of Rust and Swift as developers continue to look for better ways to create high-performance applications. 

Go might also continue to grow in popularity, as businesses look for ways to create faster and more scalable applications. We may also see an increase in the use of TypeScript as more organizations adopt it for their development projects.

We can expect some things to remain largely the same. JavaScript is likely to maintain its top spot, while Python and Java continue to be reliable options within their niches. 

It will be interesting to see how this landscape changes over time and which languages come out on top.