Python’s ascent in the programming world has reached a new zenith, capturing an unprecedented 25.35% share in the May 2025 TIOBE Index, marking its highest rating ever and establishing the largest lead any language has held in the index’s history.
This surge, an increase of approximately 2.2 percentage points from its April 2025 rating of 23.08%, and a significant +9.02% increase compared to May 2024, places Python more than 15 percentage points ahead of its closest competitor, C++.
This milestone is particularly significant when considering the evolution of the TIOBE Index itself. While Java briefly touched a higher percentage in 2001, TIOBE CEO Paul Jansen, in the May 2025 report, emphasized that Python’s current achievement is more noteworthy because the index now tracks 282 languages, compared to just 20 in 2001.
”Hence, it was easier to get such a high score in 2001,” he noted. The TIOBE Index’s definition clarifies it serves as an indicator of programming language popularity, drawing on data from skilled engineers, educational courses, third-party vendors, and search engine trends, rather than being a measure of the “best” language or total lines of code written. “It is important to note that the TIOBE index is not about the best programming language or the language in which most lines of code have been written.”
Python’s remarkable growth isn’t a new phenomenon. It was named TIOBE’s Programming Language of the Year for 2024, after a significant ratings jump. This continued momentum is widely attributed to its simplicity, extensive libraries, and its pivotal role in the rapidly expanding fields of artificial intelligence and data science. The PYPL Popularity of Programming Language Index, which analyzes Google search frequency for language tutorials, also consistently places Python at the top with a current usage share of 30.41%.
Factors Fueling Python’s Reign
The language’s dominance in AI and machine learning is a key driver. Arnal Dayaratna, an analyst at IDC, previously highlighted that Python, with frameworks like TensorFlow and PyTorch and libraries such as Hugging Face’s Transformers, leads the generative AI developer ecosystem.
This sentiment is echoed by Zestminds, which points to Python’s extensive libraries and readable code structure as critical for its AI supremacy. Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella even stated in April that AI is generating a significant portion of Microsoft’s code, with Python showing more promise in this area than C++.
Beyond AI, Python’s versatility is showcased by its integration into widely used tools. Microsoft’s introduction of Python into Excel, first previewed in August 2023, and later enhanced with a dedicated Python Editor and local execution capabilities via Anaconda’s Toolbox, has significantly broadened its accessibility to data analysts and business users. OpenAI has also embedded Python execution into its ChatGPT Canvas tool, further democratizing its use.
Acknowledged Limitations Amidst Popularity
Despite its widespread adoption, Python’s known drawbacks, primarily its lower performance compared to compiled languages and its interpreted nature which can lead to unexpected runtime errors, are consistently acknowledged. TIOBE CEO Paul Jansen has repeatedly pointed this out, stating, “The only reason other languages still have a reason for existing is because of Python’s low performance, and the fact that it is interpreted and thus prone to unexpected run-time errors.”
This means that for safety-critical or real-time systems, languages like C or C++ often remain the go-to choices. In February Jansen also noted that while Python leads, faster languages such as C++, Go, and Rust are gaining traction due to the increasing demand for computational speed.
This performance consideration is a key reason why other languages maintain their relevance. However, as Jansen also observed, “This means that safety-critical and/or real-time systems still have to rely on other languages, but in most other domains Python is slowly but surely finding its way to the top.”
The language’s ease of learning and a vast, active community, as detailed in our overview of Python’s strengths and weaknesses, contribute significantly to its sustained growth, making it a primary choice for new developers and a staple in enterprise environments, a trend also reflected in its high demand among recruiters, according to Statista data cited by DEV Community.
The Broader Language Landscape
While Python solidifies its top position, the rest of the TIOBE top 10 for May 2025 includes C++ (9.94%), C (9.71%), Java (9.31%), and C# (4.22%). The GitHub Octoverse 2024 report had previously indicated Python overtaking JavaScript as the most used language on its platform, largely fueled by the AI boom.
The development of AI-powered coding assistants, like Google’s Gemini Code Assist Enterprise and Mistral AI’s Codestral-22B, which support Python among many other languages, further illustrates the symbiotic relationship between Python’s growth and the AI revolution. Even specialized tools like OpenAI’s Codex CLI and Pydantic’s sandboxed Python execution server for AI agents are emerging, underscoring the language’s integral role in the evolving AI landscape.
