Old favourites and cutting-edge technologies alike prepare to share the stage with the Internet of Things (IoT) in the list of what is predicted to be the most used programming languages in 2020. Java obtained the language title of the year 2019, according to the TIOBE index, but will it be able to retain its title for another 12 months? What will companies demand and which options will best respond to their changing needs?
At BETWEEN Technology we have prepared our own assessment of the programming languages that will be used most throughout 2020. Stick around and we'll tell you all about it!
Which will be the most used web programming languages this year?
Web development, both for desktop and mobile, is a great niche for computing professionals. There are several classic programming languages that have become strong in this niche and will continue to ride the wave of this development throughout this year. We talk about:
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Java. Multiplatform language with 25 years of history behind it, Java will be one of the most used programming languages in 2020, as it is the language most used in the programming of native Android applications, the most widespread operating system in the world.
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PHP. Open source language whose main advantage is that it can be embedded in HTML. 79% of websites are programmed in PHP on the server side, according to W3Techs.
- C++. Despite its lengthy tenure and the difficulty of learning this language compared to some of its counterparts, C++ continues to be present in numerous databases, web browsers, video games and operating systems.
- JavaScript. The king of front end development and the favourite of websites worldwide for its agility, simplicity, and the interactivity that it provides to the user experience.
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Python. Versatile and offering a lot of potential: it integrates easily with other languages, serves to program generic applications and is very reliable for video game creation and in big data and machine learning
What will be the most sought after programming languages by employers in 2020?
To determine the programming languages that are most sought after by companies in 2020, we can look to the latest Stack Overflow Developer Survey for clues. Industry professionals who participated in the 2019 survey point out that the next language they would ike to learn is:
- Python (25.7%)
- JavaScript (17.8 %)
- Go (15.0 %)
- TypeScript (14.6 %)
- Kotlin (11.1 %)
This is a summary of the skillsets that developers consider most appropriate to improve their employability, enrich their profile and allow them to continue to grow in the sector. Knowledge of Python and JavaScript is a requirement to become a full stack developer, the development profile most valued by companies.
The State of the Octoverse report, prepared based on the activity of GitHub collaborators, confirms these needs by concluding that JavaScript and Python are the two most popular languages of the platform. The report also highlights the growth of C# and Shell.
Which programming languages will be used for IoT development?
The programming languages that will be most used for IoT development in 2020 will be C, C++, Java, JavaScript and Python, according to the IoT Developer Survey 2019 of the Eclipse Foundation. The rise of the IoT is also responsible for keeping the C language relevant as it continues in second position in the TIOBE index, as C is very reliable for programming small devices.
Programming languages for Legacy systems that will remain very much alive in 2020
Finally, we must not forget the programming languages that will be used most in 2020 for the maintenance of Legacy systems, technology that has become outdated but remains in force in many companies for economic or organisational reasons. Programming languages in this category include names like Fortran or Delphi, not to mention COBOL, who turned 60 last year, yet continues to be irreplaceable for the financial sector. According to Thomson Reuters, 43% of bank computer systems in the United States are built with COBOL, and 95% of ATM operations continue to depend on this outdated programming language.
It is very difficult to find support for the languages of Legacy systems in the case of any incident. Specialists in these programming languages are highly valued, and can access highly paid jobs within the scope of development.
In contrast to these Legacy programming languages, we must not ignore the emerging languages. According to GitHub, two languages of particular note are Dart and Rust, whose use grew by 532% and 235% respectively in 2019, compared to the previous year.
