Python has overtaken JavaScript as the most used language on GitHub, according to the latest report from code hosting platform Octoverse (GitHub 2024 Octoverse).
The company attributes this momentum to a massive influx of “data scientists and machine learning on GitHub,” which has seen a 59% increase in the number of contributions to AI production projects.
As Python is heavily used in machine learning, and other related fields, the rise is logical.
Additionally, the news is good for open source, with GitHub reporting that "1,4 million new developers worldwide have joined open source, with the majority contributing to commercially created and supported AI projects."
A major advantage of Python is its simple syntax, which excels in data manipulation. This undoubtedly made her popular among beginners. Thus, lately many people are flocking to the platform to participate in the modern "gold mine" of artificial intelligence.
For new coders, Python is easier to learn, understand, and adapt than many low-level programming languages.
Additionally, the Python language is a constant feature in the Linux software landscape. It comes preinstalled on most Linux distributions, has extensive support, and can be used to build very complex projects (as well as very basic ones) in Qt, GTK, and other user interfaces.
GitHub reports that Rust usage still trails Python, JavaScript, TypeScript, and Java despite its advertising.
