According to TechRepublic, the November 2025 TIOBE Index shows Python maintaining its dominant lead with 23.37% share while C holds second place at 9.68%. C++ and Java both lost ground, sitting at 8.95% and 8.54% respectively, while C# surged to 7.65% – narrowing the gap with Java to less than one percentage point. TIOBE CEO Paul Jansen called C# the fastest-rising language and suggested it could become Programming Language of the Year 2025 if trends continue. In the lower ranks, Perl returned to the top 10 at ninth place with 1.84%, SQL held tenth at 1.80%, and Go dropped out entirely after previously holding eighth position in October.
The C# vs Java showdown
Here’s the thing about this C# surge – it’s never actually ranked above Java in the TIOBE Index before. But now we’re looking at a real possibility of that changing in the near future. Jansen makes a compelling case that C# has systematically removed all the traditional objections: it’s cross-platform now, it’s open source, and Microsoft continues pouring resources into it. Meanwhile, Java still dominates finance, but in most other domains, the two languages are basically neck and neck. So what happens when the numbers finally flip? It would be a symbolic shift that could influence new project decisions across the industry.
Python’s comfortable lead
While everyone’s watching the C# vs Java drama, Python’s just sitting there with nearly a quarter of the entire index share. 23.37% is massive when you consider how many languages are competing. But interestingly, Jansen notes that Python’s earlier surge is starting to level off. It’s still growing year-over-year, but the explosive growth phase might be behind it. Which makes sense – at some point, you can’t keep doubling down when you already dominate. The real question is whether anything can realistically challenge Python’s position in the next couple years. I’m not seeing it.
Surprises in the lower ranks
Perl coming back at #9? That’s the kind of plot twist nobody saw coming. It jumped significantly year-over-year to hit 1.84%, which shows that legacy systems and maintenance work still drive substantial search volume. SQL holding steady at #10 demonstrates that database languages remain fundamentally important, especially for industrial applications where reliable data collection and processing are critical. And Go dropping out entirely after being in the top 10 last month? That’s pretty brutal. It suggests that while Go has its niches, it’s not maintaining the broader momentum some predicted.
What this means for developers
Look, these rankings aren’t perfect – they measure search volume, not actual usage. But they do reflect what developers are curious about and learning. The tight grouping of C, C++, Java, and C# in that 7-10% range means we’re looking at a really competitive middle tier. For enterprise development, the C# rise is particularly interesting. Companies making long-term platform decisions are watching this closely. And for hardware and industrial applications, C’s strong position at #2 reflects ongoing needs for performance and control that higher-level languages can’t always deliver. When you’re dealing with industrial systems that demand reliability, the language landscape looks very different than in consumer software.
