The latest Tiobe index of programming language popularity has revealed a significant trend: fast programming languages are gaining ground, but Python remains the top language despite being considered "slow" by Tiobe CEO Paul Jansen. According to the February 2025 rankings, Python holds a rating of 23.88%, followed closely by C++ at 11.37%, Java at 10.66%, C at 9.84%, and C# at 4.12%.

The rise of fast programming languages like C++, Go, and Rust can be attributed to the increasing importance of program speed in applications such as data mining, video processing, and trading. Jansen notes that AI is also a key driver of this trend, as it requires processing large amounts of data quickly. However, Python's ease of learning has allowed it to maintain its top spot, despite being outperformed by these "race monsters" in terms of speed.

Jansen attributes Python's enduring popularity to the growing need for more programmers, particularly among non-software engineers. As the number of graduated software engineers falls short of demand, individuals from other fields are turning to programming, and Python's accessibility has made it their language of choice. This is reflected in Python being named Tiobe's language of the year for 2024, having gained the highest increase in ratings in the index during that calendar year.

The Tiobe index is calculated using a formula that assesses the number of skilled engineers worldwide, courses, and third-party vendors pertinent to a language, by examining websites such as Google, Bing, Amazon, and Wikipedia. The top 10 languages in the February 2025 index are Python, C++, Java, C, C#, JavaScript, SQL, Go, Delphi/Object Pascal, and Visual Basic. Notably, Rust ranked 13th with a 1.37% rating.

In contrast, the Pypl Popularity of Programming Language index, which assesses language popularity by analyzing how often language tutorials are searched in Google, places Python at the top with a 29.85% share, followed by Java, JavaScript, C/C++, and C#. Rust ranked 8th with a 3.07% share in the Pypl index.

The growing importance of fast programming languages is likely to continue, driven by the increasing demands of AI, data mining, and other applications. However, Python's ease of learning and versatility have cemented its position as a staple in the programming world. As Jansen notes, "the world needs more programmers," and Python's accessibility has made it an attractive choice for newcomers to the field.

As the programming landscape continues to evolve, it will be interesting to see how the balance between speed and ease of learning plays out. Will fast languages like C++, Go, and Rust continue to gain ground, or will Python's popularity endure? One thing is certain – the demand for skilled programmers will only continue to grow, and the programming languages that can meet this demand will be the ones that thrive.