According to the TIOBE index, C has grown in popularity, proving that sometimes the old ones are the best. The TIOBE index reflects changes in the current interest in languages. According to the index, C language gained 1.69% interest in 2017 and has remained in 2nd place behind Java, but above runners-up Python (1.21% growth) and Erlang (0.98%).
*The ratings are based on the number of skilled engineers world-wide, courses and third-party vendors. Popular search engines such as Google, Bing, Yahoo!, Wikipedia, Amazon, YouTube and Baidu are used to calculate the ratings. It is important to note that the TIOBE index is not about the best programming language or the language with the most lines of code written.
C Language
C is a very powerful and useful language. It forms the core of many popular programming languages such as Java and C++. It has been around for over 40 years and as a result, there is a wealth of source code available. It is used worldwide in a multitude of applications and operating systems like UNIX. Not only is it the language of operating systems, but it is also the inspiration for almost all of the most popular high-level languages available today e.g. Perl, PHP, Python and Ruby.
C has maintained its popularity despite efforts to replace it with something better. It has a unique place on the list of popular languages because it is the closest thing we have to being a machine-independent assembler.
Over to Our Consultants;
Our consultants have first-hand experience with the C language and C based languages such as C# and C++ and how they have grown in popularity in the Irish tech scene.
"I personally have seen a rise in the popularity of C# and people wanting to cross train over to the C# language from other object orientated programming languages. I think this is due to versatility because you can build desktop, web, game and mobile applications with ease using the C# language. Coupled with its vast range of functions, it is also a relatively easy high-level programming language to learn with one of the best IDE’s around."
"C is one of the top and fastest growing languages because everything is becoming an embedded system these days. It is the perfect language for embedded operating systems which are found in everything from car dashboards to alarm clocks. With the increase of smart domestic appliances and wearable technology, you would struggle to find a household without multiple C programmed devices."
C has features that make it perfectly qualified for operating systems and embedded systems. Thanks to its relatively small runtime, C is perfect for keeping these systems lean. With the universal nature of C language and the absence of an alternative that isn't highly complex and labour extensive, its popularity looks to remain on an upwards trend.
We have a wide variety of jobs available using C languages, if you would like more information, contact us.