Free report·
State of the Developer Nation 25th edition
JavaScript remains the most popular programming language for the sixth year in a row, with roughly 22.5M active developers worldwide.
The 25th edition of SlashData's State of the Developer Nation reports on a Q3 2023 survey of more than 17,000 developers across 154 countries, conducted between June and August 2023. It examines six major topics: updated estimates of programming language community sizes, how developers interact with and engage in technology-centric communities, developer perceptions of generative AI, the state of Web3 development, the software developers behind consumer electronics, and what practitioners are building in AR/VR. The report establishes that JavaScript continues to lead among languages, that developers are broadly optimistic about generative AI while holding ethical reservations, and that Web3 remains a nascent space with most backend and web developers never having worked on such projects. It also profiles how community culture, information quality and platform design shape whether developers join and participate in communities. Language estimates draw on SlashData's figure of 38.9 million active software developers worldwide as of Q3 2023.
/Key findings
- JavaScript leads with roughly 22.5M active developers, ahead of Java (17.5M) and Python (16.8M/16.9M).
- Dart was the fastest-growing language community in 2023, expanding by roughly 33%, with Rust close behind at a 31% increase.
- 80% of developers agree or strongly agree that generative AI will increase their potential and productivity, while 61% agree or strongly agree it raises ethical concerns.
- Nearly 60% of backend and web developers have never worked on a Web3 project; among Web3 developers, 31% work on decentralised finance (DeFi) applications, the most popular type.
- 52% of developers rank 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, with roughly 22.5M active developers worldwide, taking the top spot for the sixth year in a row, ahead of Java (17.5M) and Python (16.8M).
Which programming language grew fastest in 2023?
Dart was the fastest-growing language community, expanding by roughly 33% over the past year, with Rust growing by 31% to around 3.5M users.
How do developers feel about generative AI affecting their work?
The majority are optimistic: 80% agree or strongly agree that generative AI will increase their potential and productivity, though 61% also agree or strongly agree that it raises many ethical concerns.
Which developer roles are most concerned that AI will make their jobs obsolete?
CIOs, CTOs and IT managers are the most likely (40%) to strongly agree that generative AI could surpass their skills, whereas architects (61%) and programmers (55%) are most likely to disagree or strongly disagree.
How many developers are working on Web3 projects?
Nearly 60% of backend and web developers have never worked on a Web3 project, and another 20% were involved in the past but not currently, indicating Web3 remains a nascent space.
What do developers look for when joining a technology-centric community?
The quality of available information is the most decisive factor, cited by 52% of developers, followed by availability of courses/training (38%) and a friendly and welcoming culture (35%).
/Who it's for
- Developer relations and community leads benchmarking engagement strategies
- Toolmakers and SDK providers tracking programming language adoption
- Product and strategy teams assessing developer sentiment on generative AI, Web3 and AR/VR