Stack Overflow 2024 Developer Survey Python just dropped down the rankings as the most popular programming language among people learning to code, a result that aligns with the preferences of the Codecademy community: our “Learn Python 3” course is the most popular in our catalog and the one that learners visit and enroll the most.
Millions of experienced developers and beginners choose Python. This year, the Stack Overflow Annual Developer Survey received over 65,000 responses from people in 185 countries. Most respondents are full-time professional developers, but the survey also included people who are learning to code, people who code as a hobby, and people who code occasionally as part of their work or studies.
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Why Python is the most popular language for learners
Survey participants were asked to list the programming, scripting, and markup languages they have extensive experience with and select the languages they would like to continue using in the future. Learn to code66% said they liked Python the most.
People who are just beginning their learning journey are drawn to Python because its syntax is clear, concise, and reads like plain English. Guido Van Rossum, the creator of Python, intentionally designed the syntax to make it easy for even complete beginners to understand new programming concepts. Below is a Python code snippet from a program that calculates the factorial of a number. Let’s take a look at the easy-to-understand syntax:
def factorial(n):
if n == 0:
return 1
else:
return n * factorial(n - 1)
# Example usage
number = 5
result = factorial(number)
print(f"The factorial of {number} is {result}")
Another advantage of Python is its versatility, which allows it to be used in a variety of fields, including web development, machine learning, data science, and financial analysis. When you first learn to code, you may not know which programming area interests you most. Python gives you the flexibility to learn the basics of web development and expand into data analysis and machine learning later. Additionally, Python has a large number of pre-built libraries, tools, and frameworks that increase what you can do with the language.
Survey responses from professional developers differed slightly from the learner group, with 65% citing JavaScript as their most preferred language, followed by SQL, HTML/CSS, and Python. Professional developers often use a variety of languages based on their organization’s technology stack and their own expertise and job function. If you’re a professional developer looking to hone your skills in one of these languages, be sure to check out our intermediate and advanced courses.
Other Programming Languages to Learn to Code
So what other programming languages do people who are learning to code (people like you) value? Here are the most popular programming, scripting, and markup languages, according to people who are learning to code (there are courses for beginners too):
Python
Try it yourself: Learn Python 3
HTML/CSS
Try this: Learn HTML, learn CSS
JavaScript
Try it yourself: Learn JavaScript
Java
Try it: Learn Java
C++
Try it yourself: Learn C++
syntax
Try it yourself: Learn SQL
C
Try it yourself: Learn C
Bash/Shell
Try it yourself: Learn the command line
Typescript
Try it yourself: Learn TypeScript
C#
Try it yourself: Learn C#
If you’re overwhelmed with all the languages to choose from, our free Codecademy course, Choosing a Programming Language, will help you find the right language for you. We’ll cover key factors and guide you to the best Codecademy courses and skill paths.
Start learning Python now
Ready to get started with Python? We recommend starting with our introductory course, Learn Python 3, then taking our free course, Getting Started with Python for Data Science, to gain hands-on experience working with real datasets in Python. If you’re getting into web development, try Build Python Web Apps with Django or Build Python Web Apps with Flask. Explore 130+ Python courses and projects to explore everything the language has to offer.
For more detailed survey results, please read the full report. Stack Overflow 2024 Developer Survey.
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