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Stack Overflow Reveals Which Programming Languages Are Most Used At Night (stackoverflow.blog)

Posted by EditorDavid on from the coding-with-coffee dept.

Stack Overflow data scientist David Robinson recently calculated when people visit the popular programming question-and-answer site, but then also calculated whether those results differed by programming language. Quoting his results:
  • "C# programmers start and stop their day earlier, and tend to use the language less in the evenings. This might be because C# is often used at finance and enterprise software companies, which often start earlier and have rigid schedules."
  • "C programmers start the day a bit later, keep using the language in the evening, and stay up the longest. This suggests C may be particularly popular among hobbyist programmers who code during their free time (or perhaps among summer school students doing homework)."
  • "Python and Javascript are somewhere in between: Python and Javascript developers start and end the day a little later than C# users, and are a little less likely than C programmers to work in the evening."

The site also released an interactive app which lets users see how the results for other languages compared to C#, JavaScript, Python, and C, though of those four, "C# would count as the 'most nine-to-five,' and C as the least."

And they've also calculated the technologies used most between 9 to 5 (which "include many Microsoft technologies, such as SQL Server, Excel, VBA, and Internet Explorer, as well as technologies like SVN and Oracle that are frequently used at enterprise software companies.") Meanwhile, the technologies most often used outside the 9-5 workday "include web frameworks like Firebase, Meteor, and Express, as well as graphics libraries like OpenGL and Unity. The functional language Haskell is the tag most visited outside of the workday; only half of its visits happen between 9 and 5."


42 of 99 comments (clear)

  1. Or maybe by tomhath · · Score: 4, Insightful

    "C programmers start the day a bit later, keep using the language in the evening, and stay up the longest. This suggests C may be particularly popular among hobbyist programmers who code during their free time (or perhaps among summer school students doing homework)."

    They're spending more time to get the same amount of work done.

    1. Re:Or maybe by behrooz0az · · Score: 1

      This means you don't know any statistics.
      When majority doesn't ask questions in work hours the average is shifted towards afternoon.

      --
      Moderating "-1, Disagree" is simple censorship. Have the guts to post your opinion. -- Spazmania (174582)
    2. Re: Or maybe by jimtheowl · · Score: 1

      The efficiency of resulting the code is not affected by how much analysis the compiler has to do to produce that code.

      "drivers often have to run before the entire system is loaded."

      One can use Kernel modules, unless your OS of choice doesn't support it.

      https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/...

  2. 9to5 by spongman · · Score: 1

    So... If you want to earn money coding, learn C#?

    1. Re:9to5 by techno_dan · · Score: 2

      Not really, if they threw in Java, it would be a lot higher. If you look at some of the later graphs, Java is higher in both quadrants. As well, they had to remove it off one graph because it would have squished the rest further to the the left and down. I use C++, php, java, and C#, and some C, and for most enterprise workhorse applications, I am in the Java world.

  3. Duh by Lije+Baley · · Score: 1

    And a resounding one at that.

    --
    Strange things are afoot at the Circle-K.
  4. Re:Where is Rust? Where is Nim? by WarJolt · · Score: 1

    I was thinking the same thing. Haskell has an interesting peak a little later in the day. I imagine rust would be the same.

  5. Look at the graphs by darkain · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Just look at the graphs. It is almost possible that these "numbers" are within statistical error. Every single language I've looked at using their graph has the EXACT same trend line, with only a very subtle variation of up/down by a fraction of a percentage.

    1. Re:Look at the graphs by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      Look at Haskell; It clearly stands out. For the other language I must agree with your conclusion, though.

    2. Re:Look at the graphs by quantaman · · Score: 3, Interesting

      Just look at the graphs. It is almost possible that these "numbers" are within statistical error. Every single language I've looked at using their graph has the EXACT same trend line, with only a very subtle variation of up/down by a fraction of a percentage.

      Close, but unless they they did smoothing I suspect the effect is statistically significant, there really is a bigger drop-off for C#

      Interestingly Linux has a bigger day vs night drop-off than C.

      --
      I stole this Sig
    3. Re:Look at the graphs by phantomfive · · Score: 2

      If you ask a C# programmer what language he uses when he programs for fun at home, he will say, "I don't program for fun." It won't be C#.

      (The above of course is a generalization, and if you happen to be a C# programmer who programs in C# for fun, I don't understand you, but I don't judge you either).

      --
      "First they came for the slanderers and i said nothing."
    4. Re:Look at the graphs by Jeremi · · Score: 1

      Just look at the graphs.

      No.

      Ah c'mon. Just once. You'll like them, I promise.

      --


      I don't care if it's 90,000 hectares. That lake was not my doing.
    5. Re:Look at the graphs by murdocj · · Score: 1

      I'm a c# programmer and when I program for fun at home, I use the most convenient language. Which automatically eliminates Perl, but then there are still a lot of choices.

  6. But what about RUST RUST RUST by Suiggy · · Score: 1

    RUST RUST RUST
    Rewrite everything in RUST
    Or else!

  7. Re:Where is Rust? Where is Nim? by Suiggy · · Score: 1

    Exactly, Rust is the most important language ever created. No one programs in anything anymore except Rust. Rust is the only language allowed for programming. Kill those who defile Rust.

  8. Re:Incoherrent Measure by Sperbels · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Are you saying professional programmers never need help? I've been a professional for 20 years, and coding for 30 years. I still find stack overflow extremely useful. I don't understand the hate.

  9. Re:Code-sharing leads to widespread bug sharing by 93+Escort+Wagon · · Score: 1

    Yes, be sure you write your own encryption algorithms - gotta avoid those code-sharing bugs.

    --
    #DeleteChrome
  10. Note to self, slashdot is not the place by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    ... for intelligent discussions about pros and cons of programming languages. At least, not anymore.

  11. C coders are brain damaged by AndroSyn · · Score: 3, Funny

    Once you get your head around crap like triple pointers, function pointers and all of the other head bashing elements of C, your brain is just..screwed. C is such a masochistic language that you REALLY must be in love with it to persist. Normal people just go FU and move on to something with more hand holding, not that there is anything wrong with that. So this is why C programmers stay up late, they simply cannot help themselves :(

       

    1. Re:C coders are brain damaged by OrangeTide · · Score: 3, Insightful

      I love it when people perceive C has difficult or archaic or obsolete, because that's job security for me. C is in some ways a high level somewhat portable macro assembler, and it gets some real work done. It's a 45 year old programming language designed for writing a kernel, that we've adapted for hundreds of other purposes. It's not perfect, but luckily you don't have to be perfect to be useful.

      --
      “Common sense is not so common.” — Voltaire
    2. Re:C coders are brain damaged by OrangeTide · · Score: 1

      I make roughly $120/hour as well (I'm salaried though), and I've been doing this for over 15 years. A valuable skill set, a good job history, leadership experience and living in an area that tends to pay above average all help.

      --
      “Common sense is not so common.” — Voltaire
    3. Re:C coders are brain damaged by OrangeTide · · Score: 1

      Several implementations of SmallTalk, including its VM and Compiler are written in SmallTalk. And if you've ever used SmallTalk, it's almost a complete operating system and has a graphical environment. It's quite possible to do fancy whizbang languages without coding in C, although many times these languages will have a meta-language that is converted to C to feed to the native compiler. (I don't count that as "programming in C")

      --
      “Common sense is not so common.” — Voltaire
    4. Re:C coders are brain damaged by OrangeTide · · Score: 1

      That's pretty good money. California? I'd love to make that kind of cash as an engineer.

      Yea, good old Silicon Valley treats me well. Of course the houses here are expensive, median home price has just tipped over $1M in Santa Clara County. At this rate I will only be able to afford a slightly below average home.

      --
      “Common sense is not so common.” — Voltaire
    5. Re:C coders are brain damaged by Drethon · · Score: 1

      I grew up with C and still use it but for my own quick programs, I stick with C# now as I can make something work nearly as good as an optimized C program in much less time. If I need performance, I can go back later and work on that.

    6. Re: C coders are brain damaged by spongman · · Score: 1

      > I get paid $120/hour to solve other people's C problems.

      Yay!!! Learn "C" so you can fix other people's problems for a living!!!

      How dull.

      I prefer to make my own stuff.

    7. Re:C coders are brain damaged by StormReaver · · Score: 1

      I started with BASIC, then Assembly, then C. Coming from Assembly, C pointers were absolutely trivial. Once you understand why C pointers exist, which Assembly requires you to understand rather early on, then all levels of C pointer indirection are extremely easy to grasp.

  12. EMACS vs vi might have been more interesting by 140Mandak262Jamuna · · Score: 1

    All the plots look the same. May be if they had plotted emacs vs vi may be the curves will fight with one another....

    --
    sed -e 's/Chuck Norris/Rajnikant/g' joke > fact
  13. Re:Where is Rust? Where is Nim? by OrangeTide · · Score: 1

    Rust and Nim are languages are people talk about, not use. So it is difficult to measure the time they are used.

    (tongue firmly planted in cheek)

    --
    “Common sense is not so common.” — Voltaire
  14. Re:Where is Rust? Where is Nim? by Joce640k · · Score: 1

    Apparently C++ isn't used at all. By anybody.

    --
    No sig today...
  15. Assembly by SharpFang · · Score: 2

    You think C is late-night?
    Add the keyword 'assembly'. It only drops off after midnight, leaves the rest in the dirt in the evening hours and falls way behind the curve during the day.

    --
    45 5F E1 04 22 CA 29 C4 93 3F 95 05 2B 79 2A B2
    1. Re:Assembly by SharpFang · · Score: 1

      > Interestingly enough I found myself coding

      there, no need to elaborate more, you are a nerd :)

      --
      45 5F E1 04 22 CA 29 C4 93 3F 95 05 2B 79 2A B2
  16. Re:C programmers work in the evening... by Joce640k · · Score: 1

    Either that or nobody uses C# outside of cubicle farms. C is used for fun things, at home.

    --
    No sig today...
  17. Re:Where is Rust? Where is Nim? by JaredOfEuropa · · Score: 1

    Only on leap days; I think they missed that.

    More interesting, though harder to measure, would be the average level of intoxication while coding in each of these languages.

    --
    If construction was anything like programming, an incorrectly fitted lock would bring down the entire building...
  18. Re:C programmers work in the evening... by murdocj · · Score: 1

    If you know how to program in C, you don't run into the those bugs. And guess what, in managed languages you still run into null reference exceptions.

  19. Re: Incoherrent Measure by zaphirplane · · Score: 1

    I am neither, but want to point out that they were hired by Americans, they are not stealing jobs, American executives are handing out the jobs and you are so whipped you take it out on the worker, so sad so dumb can't tell it's his own people doing him over

  20. Lambda... by Pseudonym · · Score: 1

    Lambda: the Ultimate Central Nervous System Stimulant

    --
    sub f{($f)=@_;print"$f(q{$f});";}f(q{sub f{($f)=@_;print"$f(q{$f});";}f});
  21. Re: Where is Rust? Where is Nim? by toucan_mathieu · · Score: 1

    why so rude?

  22. Re: C# is 9 to 5 by spongman · · Score: 1

    People who write c# obviously have other stuff to do outside of work hours. Like spend time with people they love, or read a good book, or sit in the dark in their mom's basement frantically drinking Diet Coke and coding some meaningless tripe.

    Oh, no, not that last one...

  23. Statistical error only Applies to Statistics by wisnoskij · · Score: 1

    Yes, but this is not really statistics. The author took the entire population, and made a graph out of it. Since not even a single user was left out, it is impossible for errors to creep in because of sampling problems. Therefor all results are significant.

    now it sort of becomes statistics when we try to infer things from these graphs, but then the problem is are SL users representative of general programmers, not that the results non-significant.

    --
    Troll is not a replacement for I disagree.
  24. Correlates with getting paid to code by RogueWarrior65 · · Score: 1

    It would appear that nobody in their right mind would code in C# unless they were getting paid for it.

  25. Re:Where is Rust? Where is Nim? by david_thornley · · Score: 1

    I'm going to be programming in C++ right after I post this comment.

    --
    "When you have eliminated the unacceptable, whatever is left, however improbable, must be the truthiness" - Holmes
  26. Re: Where is Rust? Where is Nim? by jimtheowl · · Score: 1

    The "Coward" in "Anonymous Coward" is embolden and shows his/her true nature.