Julia is on the verge of returning to the top 20 of the TIOBE Index. The programming language is benefiting, in part, from its position in scientific applications and data processing. Meanwhile, little has changed at the top of the rankings.
Julia reached 21st place in September with a share of 0.74 percent, TechRepublic reports. This places the language directly behind COBOL. MATLAB, with which Julia competes in a number of application areas, has actually dropped two spots to number 27.
According to TIOBE CEO Paul Jansen, Julia has gained ground on MATLAB in numerical and scientific computing, modeling, and data processing. However, Julia is not yet a general-purpose programming language. According to Jansen, its use is still heavily concentrated in specialized applications.
Python remains unchallenged
At the top of the rankings, the shifts are limited. With 17.76 percent, Python remains by far the most popular programming language in the index, despite a decline that has been evident for much of 2026. Number two, C, stands at 10.28 percent.
The gap between C++ and Java, on the other hand, is widening. C++ rises to 8.67 percent and holds third place, while Java ranks fourth with 7.54 percent. In August, the difference between the two was just 0.37 percentage points; that gap has since widened to 1.13 percentage points. C# ranks fifth, followed by JavaScript and Visual Basic.
Rust holds its ground in the top ten
The ranking at the bottom of the top ten also remains unchanged for now. SQL ranks eighth and R ninth. Rust holds the tenth position for the third consecutive month with 1.34 percent. Fortran follows closely behind with 1.24 percent, meaning that tenth place is by no means secure.
The TIOBE Index is not a direct measure of the actual use of programming languages. The ranking bases popularity on search activity related to developers, educational programs, and vendors, among other factors. As a result, the figures primarily provide an indication of the visibility and interest in programming languages.