Welcome to IEEE Spectrum’s third interactive ranking of the most popular programming languages. As it’s impossible to look over the shoulder of every programmer, Spectrum uses various metrics as proxies for gauging the current use of a language. Working with data journalist Nick Diakopoulos, from 10 online sources we’ve chosen 12 metrics, each one of which gives insight along a different axis of popularity. Combining the metrics produces a single ranking.

Because each of you may value different things—What’s hot with the folks in open source? What are employers demanding?—Spectrum’s Interactive Top Programming Languages lets you adjust the weight of each metric in contributing to the ranking. You also have the option to filter the results: for example, looking only at languages used in embedded systems or mobile applications. You can customize each weighting yourself or use one of our presets.

The default preset is intended to echo the interests of the average IEEE member. So what are Spectrum’s Top Ten Languages for 2016?…[Read more]