Python rises above C and Java to take the top position in the index of programming language popularity for the first time. Credit: Andre Chinn Python this month has taken the top spot in the Tiobe index of programming language popularity, becoming only the third language to ever lead the index in its 20-plus years of existence. With the October index, published October 6, Python joins C and Java as languages that have led the Tiobe index, which was first published in June 2001. Tiobe assesses the popularity of programming languages based on language-related searches in search engines such as Google, Bing, Yahoo, and Wikipedia. Python’s ascent was not unexpected, with the language gaining in popularity in recent years. Tiobe cited Python benefits such as a good ecosystem, ease of use, plentiful libraries, and fast edit-run cycles. “The longstanding hegemony of C and Java is over,” software quality services provider Tiobe said. The company expects Python to eventually hold onto the top spot, although it might swap places with C during the next few months. Python already had taken the top spot in the rival PYPL (Popularity of Programming Language index, which is based on searches for language tutorials in Google. The Tiobe top 10 for October 2021 was as follows: Python, with a rating of 11.27% C, 11.16% Java, 10.46% C++, 7.5% C#, 5.26% Visual Basic, 5.24% JavaScript, 2.19% SQL, 2.17% PHP, 2.1% Assembly, 2.06% The PYPL index top 10 for October 2021 was as follows: Python, with a 29.66% share Java, 17.18% JavaScript, 8.81% C#, 7.3% C/C++, 6.48% PHP, 5.92% R, 4.09% Objective-C, 2.24% TypeScript, 1.91% Kotlin, 1.9% PythonJavaC LanguageProgramming LanguagesSoftware Development