Image: TechnologyAdvice
Python stays far ahead after another dip; C holds second, Java retakes third from C++, and R rises to eighth as SQL slips, with Delphi steady in tenth.
May’s TIOBE Index has one of those charts that makes you do a double take. The top 10 looks familiar at first glance. Then you realize the order has shifted.
Python still sets the pace. Behind it, the chase pack stays tight, and May produces just enough separation to settle a few close races.
If you tend to skim straight to the lower end, this is a good month to do it. The same names are there, but the placements move, and that movement says something about where attention is pooling right now.
The TIOBE Index is an indicator of the most popular programming languages within a given month. Each month, we analyze the patterns and changes in the index, with a particular focus on the top 10.
According to the TIOBE Programming Community Index, the following are the top 10 programming languages in May 2026.
1. Python: A general-purpose programming language commonly used for back-end development and data science. It is a good programming language for beginners.
2. C: A programming language often used in app and system development. Its syntax is similar to that of other popular languages, making it a useful starting point for beginner developers.
3. Java: An excellent language for AI, app, and web development. Java requires relatively advanced skills to learn.
4. C++: Very similar to C, with the addition of classes and objects. C++ is well-suited for game and system development. It may be relatively difficult to learn.
5. C#: Used in app, game, and web development, C# is an object- and component-oriented programming language similar to the C and Java language families.
6. JavaScript: A scripting language often used for apps, games, and web development as well as web servers. JavaScript is simpler and more flexible than Java, so while it may be less suited for some programming tasks, it is often easier to learn.
7. Visual Basic: A programming language with a drag-and-drop user interface that is useful for front-end and full-stack development. Visual Basic is designed to be easy to use.
8. R: A programming language and environment designed for statistical computing, data visualization, and advanced analytics. R is widely used in academia and data science, offering extensive libraries for modeling and graphical analysis. However, its syntax and functional style can pose a steep learning curve for beginners.
9. SQL: A domain-specific language used to manage and query relational databases. SQL is widely adopted for data analysis and back-end development, and its simple, declarative syntax makes it beginner-friendly.
10. Delphi/Object Pascal: A general-purpose, object-oriented programming language derived from Pascal and commonly paired with the Delphi compiler. It is often used for desktop application development and is designed to be straightforward and beginner-friendly when learned alongside Delphi.
TIOBE’s proprietary points system ranks the most popular programming languages based on data from various large search engines. Image: TIOBE Software
May continues to look familiar at the top, with Python still well ahead of the field even after another rating decline. The lead remains decisive, but the month adds more downward pressure than the one before it.
The closest contest in the upper tier flips again. Java moves back into third place in May, with C++ just behind it, and the two are still close enough that small rating differences can decide the order. C remains second, while C# holds fifth and adds another gain, with several of the other leaders trending downward.
Movement is clearer near the bottom of the top 10. R climbs to eighth place in May, pushing SQL down to ninth, while Delphi/Object Pascal stays anchored at tenth. Visual Basic remains seventh and edges down, keeping this lower group tightly packed and still prone to reshuffles when one language manages a stronger month than its nearest neighbors.
The TIOBE Index’s proprietor, TIOBE Software CEO Paul Jansen, notes the index is not a prize for the “best” language or a list of programming languages with the most code written. Instead, he uses popular search engines to determine which languages are most used among professional programmers, programming courses, and third-party vendors.
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Liz Ticong is a staff writer for eWeek and TechRepublic focused on AI, cybersecurity, enterprise software, and data. She has more than 10 years of editorial experience as a technology industry writer, combining reporting, product research, and hands-on software testing in her coverage. Her work has been published on Datamation, Enterprise Networking Planet, and TechnologyAdvice.com. She writes technology news, software reviews, product comparisons, and buyer’s guides for business and IT readers.
