The State of Programming in 2025

Every year, the Stack Overflow Developer Survey gives us a health check on the software industry. The 2025 results are in, and while some trends continue, others have accelerated in surprising ways. From Python's dominance to the enduring love for Rust, here is what you need to know.

1. Python's Unstoppable Rise

If there is one headline from this year's survey, it is the massive acceleration of Python.

After more than a decade of steady growth, Python saw a significant 7 percentage point increase in adoption from 2024 to 2025. This isn't just steady climbing; it's a rocket.

Why the jump?

The primary driver is likely the explosion of AI and Large Language Models (LLMs). Python has firmly established itself as the lingua franca of AI, Machine Learning, and Data Science. As more companies integration AI features into their products, more developers are reaching for Python. It remains a top choice for backend development as well, making it a versatile powerhouse.

2. Rust Reigns Supreme (Again)

For the umpteenth year in a row (OK, it feels like it, but it's been several years), Rust is the Most Admired Programming Language, with 72% of developers who have used it saying they want to continue using it.

Rust's focus on memory safety without garbage collection, combined with a fantastic tooling ecosystem, continues to win over developers despite its steep learning curve. The survey also highlighted that Cargo, Rust's package manager, is the most admired cloud development and infrastructure tool (71%), proving that a great language needs great tools.

3. Enter Gleam and Zig

A surprise contender this year is Gleam, a friendly type-safe language for the Erlang VM (BEAM). It debuted on the list with an impressive 70% admiration score, right behind Rust. This signals a growing appetite for languages that offer both reliability (like Erlang/Elixir) and a modern, type-safe developer experience.

Zig (64%) and Elixir (66%) also remain high on the list, showing that the trend toward performance-oriented and concurrent-friendly languages is strong.

4. PostgreSQL: The Default Database

In the database world, PostgreSQL achieved a rare double victory: it is ranked highest for both Most Admired and Most Desired database technology. Since 2023, Postgres has solidified its reputation as the "just works" database that scales from small side projects to massive enterprise workloads.

Conclusion

The 2025 landscape is clear: AI is driving adoption, leading to Python's massive growth. Meanwhile, Developer Experience (DX) is king, keeping Rust top-of-mind and creating space for newcomers like Gleam.

If you are looking to learn a new skill this year, you can't go wrong with doubling down on Python for employability or Rust for pure joy and systems programming.

Source: Stack Overflow Developer Survey 2025