The GitHub ranking of the most used programming languages ​​has a new number one. Python is dethroning JavaScript and according to GitHub it has to do with AI.

GitHub releases its annual Octoverse report, looking back at what happened on the developer platform over the past year. The report also includes the hit list of the most commonly used programming languages ​​each year. And this year there is a new number one.

After years of JavaScript dominance, Python can call itself the GitHub champion this year. Python took second place in 2019, ahead of Java, which fell one place this year and now takes the lead. TypeScript can enter the stage for the first time.

Thanks to AI

The rise of Python on GitHub is no coincidence. In many other rankings, Python has held first place for years. GitHub attributes Python’s rising popularity to the AI ​​craze, which is also attracting other profiles beyond the stereotypical developer to the platform.

Python is widely used in machine learning, data science, scientific computing, hobbyists, and home automation. GitHub is also seeing a more significant increase in the use of systems programming languages ​​such as Rust, although Rust is not yet in the top ten.

GitHub is bigger than ever in 2024. The number of projects increased by 25 percent to 518 million, representing more than 5 billion contributions to these projects. In particular, GenAI-related activities increased rapidly. GitHub reports a 98 percent increase in projects to 137,000 and a 59 percent increase in contributions.