Rust held onto its place in the TIOBE Index top 10 in August 2026 after entering the ranking for the first time in July. The systems programming language remained at No. 10, while its rating rose from 1.34% in July to 1.45% in August.
Python remained No. 1 at 18.53%, followed by C, C++, Java, C#, and JavaScript. The order of the top 10 did not change from July, while MATLAB dropped out of the top 20 for the first time in more than a decade.
Top 10 programming languages in September 2026
According to the TIOBE Programming Community Index, the following are the top 10 programming languages in August 2026.
- Python: AA general-purpose, high-level language used across web development, data science, machine learning, and automation. Python remains firmly in the No. 1 position with a 17.76% rating.
- C: A foundational procedural language used in operating systems, embedded systems, and systems programming. C remains No. 2 at 10.28%.
- C++: An extension of C used in embedded systems, game development, and financial trading software. C++ remains No. 3 with an 8.67% rating.
- Java: A platform-independent, object-oriented language used for enterprise applications and large-scale back-end systems. Java holds No. 4 at 7.54%.
- C#: A Microsoft-developed, object-oriented language used for Windows application development, game development via Unity, and enterprise software on the .NET platform. C# remains No. 5 at 4.22%.
- JavaScript: The primary language of the web, running natively in browsers and, via Node.js, on the server side. JavaScript remains No. 6 with a 2.76% rating.
- Visual Basic: A Microsoft programming language used for building .NET and Windows applications. Visual Basic holds No. 7 at 2.55%.
- SQL: Structured Query Language is the standard language for managing and querying relational databases. SQL remains No. 8 with a 2.16% rating.
- R: A language and environment for statistical computing and graphics, used heavily in academia, research, and fields such as epidemiology and biostatistics. R remains No. 9 at 1.69%.
- Rust: A systems programming language focused on memory safety and performance without garbage collection. Rust remains No. 10 with a 1.34% rating after entering the top 10 for the first time in July.
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Notable movements in the top 10 list in September 2026
The top 10 held the same positions from August to September. Python remained No. 1 despite falling from 18.53% to 17.76%, while C declined from 11.10% to 10.28%. C++ edged up from 8.62% to 8.67%, and Rust stayed at No. 10 despite slipping from 1.45% to 1.34%.
The biggest movement came outside the top 10. Julia ranked No. 21 with a 0.74% rating, nearing a return to the top 20, while MATLAB fell to No. 27. TIOBE CEO Paul Jansen said Julia has taken some of MATLAB’s territory in numerical and scientific computing but remains concentrated in niche areas. Ada and Objective-C returned to the top 20 at Nos. 17 and 19, while Ruby and Perl fell to Nos. 22 and 23.
Top 10 programming languages in August 2026
- Python
- C
- C++
- Java
- C#
- JavaScript
- Visual Basic
- SQL
- R
- Rust
Top 10 programming languages in July 2026
- Python
- C
- C++
- Java
- C#
- JavaScript
- Visual Basic
- SQL
- R
- Rust
Top 10 programming languages in June 2026
- Python
- C
- C++
- Java
- C#
- JavaScript
- Visual Basic
- SQL
- R
- Delphi/Object Pascal
Top 10 programming languages in May 2026
- Python
- C
- Java
- C++
- C#
- JavaScript
- Visual Basic
- R
- SQL
- Delphi/Object Pascal
Top 10 programming languages in April 2026
- Python
- C
- C++
- Java
- C#
- JavaScript
- Visual Basic
- SQL
- R
- Delphi/Object Pascal
What is the TIOBE Index?
The TIOBE Index’s proprietor, TIOBE Software CEO Paul Jansen, notes that the index is not a prize for the “best” programming language or a list of programming languages with the most code written. Instead, TIOBE uses popular search engines and websites to calculate programming-language popularity based on factors including skilled engineers, courses, and third-party vendors.
Read more: Rust’s rise has been one of the year’s biggest programming-language stories. See how Rust entered TIOBE’s top 10 for the first time in July 2026.
