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Python Displaces C++ In TIOBE Index Top 3 (infoworld.com)

Posted by EditorDavid on from the newer-kid-on-the-block dept.

InfoWorld described the move as a "breakthrough": As expected, Python has climbed into the Top 3 of the Tiobe index of language popularity, achieving that milestone for the first time ever in the September 2018 edition of the index. With a rating of 7.653 percent, Python placed third behind first-place Java, which had a rating of 17.436 percent, and second-place C, rated at 15.447. Python displaced C++, which finished third last month and took fourth place this month, with a rating of 7.394 percent...

Python also has been scoring high in two other language rankings:

- The PyPL Popularity of Programming Language index, where it ranked No. 1 this month, as it has done before, and has had the most growth in the past five years.

- The RedMonk Programming Language Rankings, where Python again placed third.
Tiobe notes that Python's arrival in the top 3 "really took a long time," since it first entered their chart at the beginning of the 1990s. But today, "It is already the first choice at universities (for all kinds of subjects for which programming is demanded) and is now also conquering the industrial world." In February Tiobe also added a new programming language to their index: SQL. (Since "SQL appears to be Turing complete.")

"Other interesting moves this month are: Rust jumps from #36 to #31, Groovy from #44 to #34 and Julia from #50 to #39."

5 of 154 comments (clear)

  1. If Java is the first... by mi · · Score: 4, Insightful

    behind first-place Java

    Whatever the list, if Java is in the first place, there is no honor in being anywhere near the top.

    --
    In Soviet Washington the swamp drains you.
    1. Re: If Java is the first... by jd · · Score: 3, Insightful

      The list is compiled from a restricted pool and lists popularity.

      That may mean a vendor throwing out ten individually packaged Python scripts counts as ten sources with one C program of equalling counts as one. If that's the case, Python would be ten times as popular in the stats whilst being equally popular in practice.

      So if Python needed ten times as many modules to be as versatile, it would seem popular whilst only being frustrating.

      The fact is, we don't know their methodology. We don't know if they're weighting results in any way to factor in workarounds and hacks due to language deficiency that might show up as extra use.

      We do know they don't factor in defect density, complexity or anything else like that as they do say that much. So are ten published attempts at a working program worth ten times one attempt in a language that makes it easy first time? We will never know.

      --
      It's a small world and it smells funny; I'd buy another if it wasn't for the money; Take back what I paid (SoM)
  2. Re: Warrior by jd · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Static typing isn't just about clarity to the programmer. In strict typing languages, the rule is to use the type that matches the range that actually applies. This is to help testing (something coders should not ignore), automated validation, compilation (a compiler can choose sensible values, optimise the code, etc etc etc) and maintainers (a clear variable name won't tell anyone if a variable's range can be extended without impacting the compiled code).

    Besides, I've looked at Python code. I'm not convinced their idea of a good variable name is in any way related to mine.

    I have no problem with Python, it's ideal for many cases, but dismissing obviously poorly understood reasons is not a valid reason for using it. Either understand the reasons and give a valid counter, or accept that different languages suit different needs.

    --
    It's a small world and it smells funny; I'd buy another if it wasn't for the money; Take back what I paid (SoM)
  3. Re:Love Python by Tough+Love · · Score: 3, Insightful

    I found Python and loved it. I still love it. You can't find anything better for both heavy duty programming...

    What? Python is hopelessly inefficient for heavy duty programming, unless you happen to be doing something that is mainly handled by a Python library, written in C. Python's interface to C disgusting, so if you have a lot of small operations handled by a C library, you will get pathetic performance.

    --
    When all you have is a hammer, every problem starts to look like a thumb.
  4. Depends on the results / message, actually by raymorris · · Score: 2, Insightful

    > C++ pre and post namespace breaks fstreams in programs, but compilers provide flags to override that, so it depends on what you mean by breaking. Does it count if the compiler by default breaks, but providing flags fixes it?

    If it results in weird runtime errors, that's definitely a problem.
    If the compiler I'm using gives the message "incompatible use of fstream, try '-fstreamcompat' flag", that's no big deal.