Microsoft’s C# has been named the Tiobe Programming Language of the Year for 2025. This marks the second time in three years that C# has earned this recognition, thanks to its significant year-over-year ranking jump. The language continues to show strong growth and relevance in the developer community, with experts watching closely to see if it can maintain its momentum.

C# Continues Its Rise in Popularity

In January 2026, Tiobe announced that C# had increased its rating by nearly 3 percentage points compared to the previous year. It now holds a 7.39% share of the programming language market and ranks fifth overall. This rise was expected, especially since C# also took the top spot in 2023. Its ability to adapt to modern development trends has helped it stay competitive.

Paul Jansen, Tiobe’s CEO, highlighted C#’s evolution in a recent bulletin. He pointed out how the language was among the first to adopt new trends and successfully shifted from being Windows-only to cross-platform. It also moved from a primarily Microsoft-owned project to an open-source community effort, which broadened its appeal. Jansen noted that C# has evolved just at the right moments to stay relevant in a fast-changing tech landscape.

The Competitive Landscape and Future Predictions

Jansen had expected C# to challenge Java for dominance in business software, but the competition remains tight. Java, which is still ranked third, holds an 8.71% rating and is known for its verbose style and strong ties to Oracle. The future of Java versus C# in enterprise settings is still uncertain, with both languages fighting for supremacy.

Another interesting point Jansen made was about TypeScript, a language that adds types to JavaScript. Currently ranked 32nd, Jansen believes TypeScript could soon break into the top 20. He sees this as likely because many front-end projects now prefer TypeScript over JavaScript for its safety features. Developers find it easier to avoid common mistakes when using TypeScript, especially since it compiles down to JavaScript, allowing easy fallback options.

Jansen admitted he’s not always right about predictions, but he’s confident that increasing adoption of TypeScript in web development will push it higher in the rankings. Its popularity is driven by its ability to improve code quality and the fact that it’s compatible with existing JavaScript projects, making it a low-risk choice for developers.

Other Languages and the Index Trends

Looking at the broader picture, Jansen mentioned that some languages like Go and Ruby have lost ground in recent years. Go, once in the top 10, seems to have fallen out permanently, while Ruby has slipped out of the top 20 and shows little sign of returning soon. Interestingly, Perl made a surprising comeback, jumping from 32nd position in January 2025 to 11th by the end of last year.

Languages like R also regained popularity, returning to the top 10 in 2025. This resurgence was largely driven by increased use in data analysis and scientific computing. These shifts reflect changing developer needs and industry trends, with some languages fading while others gain strength.

Overall, the Tiobe index continues to be a useful snapshot of language popularity, based on factors like skilled engineers, courses, and vendor support. As the landscape evolves, C#’s strong showing demonstrates its adaptability, while the rise of TypeScript signals the ongoing importance of web development tools in the industry.

Inspired by

• https://www.infoworld.com/article/4112993/c-wins-tiobe-programming-language-of-the-year-honors-for-2025.html

Sources

• tiobe.com