C Isn't The Most Popular Programming Language, JavaScript Is (networkworld.com)

An anonymous reader quotes Network World: U.K.-based technology analyst firm RedMonk just released the latest version of its biannual rankings of programming languages, and once again JavaScript tops the list, followed by Java and PHP. Those are same three languages that topped RedMonk's list in January. In fact, the entire top 10 remains the same as it was it was six months ago...
Python ranked #4 on RedMonk's list, while the survey found a three-way tie for fifth place between Ruby, C#, and C++, with C coming in at #9 (ranking just below CSS). Network World argues that while change comes slowly, "if you go back deeper into RedMonk's rankings, you can see slow, ongoing ascents from languages such as Go, Swift and even TypeScript."

Interestingly, an earlier ranking by the IEEE declared C to be the top programming language of 2016, followed by Java, Python, C++, and R. But RedMonk's methodology involves studying the prevalence of each language on both Stack Overflow and GitHub, a correlation which "we believe to be predictive of future use, hence their value."

Comments

CSS?

[Khyber]

CSS is hardly a programming language. Thus, RedMonk can be safely ignored.

Javascript

[damiantgordon]

Is this a joke??? JavaScript is a SCRIPTING Language, not a PROGRAMMING language.

Re:Javascript

[chrism238]

Unusual distinction that you make. So where do you stand on the languages Python, the Unix shell, Tcl/Tk, ..... ?

Re:Javascript

[angel'o'sphere]

All scripting languages are programming languages.
And considering how JavaScript is used, it is hardly a scripting language anyway. The word "Script" in its name is misleading.
If you want to argue about Scripting languages than ksh, bash, TCL, JCL are scripting languages, JavaScript is far from those in every regard.

This probably overlooks embedded development

[El Cubano]

But RedMonk's methodology involves studying the prevalence of each language on both Stack Overflow and GitHub, a correlation which "we believe to be predictive of future use, hence their value.

I know smartphones are all the rage, but there are tonnes of old school embedded devices out there and tonnes more still being developed. By old school I mean run on some embedded-type CPU or ASIC, run some custom OS, and only have a C compiler available (probably the one written by the team that bootstrapped development of the initial version of the device).

I doubt that developers working on those devices regularly post their code to GitHub and fairly positive that not many of them would post to StackOverflow asking how to make a flubord close with a genie effect on Ubuntu using clang when there is a PS/2 mouse connected.

A methodology that relies on GH and SO posts is likely to be strongly biased toward new web-based and open source development.

Widely used != popular

[wonkey_monkey]

Is this actually measuring popularity, or just usage?

Just because something's used a lot, doesn't mean it's actually popular with the people who use it...

The hammer or the screwdriver?

[swillden]

Programming languages are all general-purpose in some important senses, since they're all Turing Complete, but in practice they tend to have rather well-defined contexts and purposes. In a lot of ways I think asking "Which is the most popular programming language?" is a lot like asking "Which is the most popular hand tool?". The question doesn't make a lot of sense without some context.

misleading headline

[brasselv]

it's a case of misleading headlines (yeah, shocking)

as others have pointed out, the authors don't make any claim that their list represents the 'most popular languages', just that those languages enjoy particularly high visibility on two specific platforms - github and stack overflow.

you have a virtually infinite number of ways to count "popularity", some more useful than others, but each of them inevitably somewhat arbitrary.
last time I checked, oracle claimed java to be the world's most popular language, and by the way they measure it, they must be right.
heck, you could instead count each web pageview with one line of js as instance of 'program execution', count the big number and have a different winner. don't take it too seriously.

Not all developers are the same

[gweihir]

For the semi-competent, you have Java. For those that do not manage that level, you have JavaScript. For those that actually understand what they are doing, you have a large faction that prefers C and the rest is all over the place.

Just remember that we have far too many "developers" and most of them are bad at it. This thing is a Pyramid with the largest and least competent group being at the bottom with JavaScript.

Red who?

[geoskd]

Python ranked #4 on RedMonk's list, while the survey found a three-way tie for fifth place between Ruby, C#, and C++,

Their methodology according to the link is to scan github and sourceforge and determine what frequency those projects use what languages. This is absolutely asinine, as it completely precludes all closed source work. Most embedded systems, drivers, and other low level work is not going to be open source, as it is work for hire. This list can best be described as the ranking of the popularity of languages for peoples pet projects, and or what languages they use when not getting paid. I will also say that given the choice between a website with only a dozen years of existence vs IEEE with almost 100 years of existence with an interest in all things electronic and computing, I will go with IEEE every time. Sorry RedMonk, its just hard to take you seriously when you are clearly some guys blog, and you're competing with an international professional organization with membership measured in the millions and decades of exceptional science and technology reporting.