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State of the Developer Nation 25th edition
80% of developers agree or strongly agree that generative AI will increase their potential and productivity.
The 25th edition of SlashData's State of the Developer Nation report presents key developer trends from a Q3 2023 global survey of more than 17,000 developers across 154 countries. It focuses on six topics: updated programming language community sizes, how developers interact with technology-centric communities, developer perceptions of generative AI, the state of Web3 development, the software developers behind consumer electronics devices, and what practitioners are building in AR/VR. The report estimates there were 38.9 million active software developers worldwide as of Q3 2023, and applies a redesigned methodology to estimate the number of developers using each major programming language. It establishes JavaScript's continued lead, the growth of smaller communities such as Dart and Rust, widespread optimism about generative AI alongside ethical reservations, the nascent state of Web3 adoption, and the application categories most common among consumer electronics and AR/VR developers.
Key findings
- JavaScript remains the most popular programming language for the sixth year running, with roughly 22.5M active developers, ahead of Java (17.5M) and Python (16.8M).
- Dart was the fastest-growing language community in 2023, expanding by roughly 33%, with Rust growing 31% over the same period.
- 80% of developers agree or strongly agree that generative AI will increase their potential and productivity, while 61% agree or strongly agree it raises many ethical concerns.
- Nearly 60% (58%) of backend and web developers have never worked on a Web3 project, with 31% of Web3 developers working on decentralised finance (DeFi) applications.
- 52% of developers consider the quality of available information among the most important factors when joining a technology-centric community.
Questions this report answers
What is the most popular programming language in 2023?
JavaScript took the top spot for the sixth year in a row, with roughly 22.5M active developers worldwide, leading Java and Python by 5M or more.
How many active software developers are there in the world?
SlashData estimates there were 38.9 million active software developers globally as of Q3 2023, growing 16% between Q3 2022 and Q3 2023.
Do developers think generative AI will make their jobs obsolete?
CIOs, CTOs and IT managers are the most likely (40%) to strongly agree that generative AI could render their role obsolete, whereas architects and programmers are the most likely to disagree (61% and 55% respectively).
How many developers are involved in Web3 projects?
Among backend and web developers, 58% have never been involved in a Web3 project and 24% are currently involved; of those with past involvement, 44% are no longer actively working on such projects.
What do developers value most when joining a technology-centric community?
The quality of available information is the most important factor, cited by 52% of developers, ahead of availability of courses/training (38%) and a friendly and welcoming culture (35%).
What are AR/VR practitioners building?
Games is the most popular application category among AR/VR practitioners (33%), followed by virtual worlds (29%) and 3D models, plans, and diagrams (27%).
Who it's for
- Developer relations and community leads shaping engagement programmes.
- Toolmakers and platform teams tracking programming language adoption.
- Product and strategy teams assessing generative AI, Web3 and AR/VR trends.