Java Rises to the Top of StackOverflow's Most Loved Programming Languages in 2024

Java burst into the top three: StackOverflow 2024 survey results

The annual StackOverflow developer survey is one of the most authoritative sources of data on sentiment in the IT community. In 2024, the results brought a surprise: Java not only strengthened its position but also entered the top 3 most "loved" programming languages, overtaking heavyweights like C# and TypeScript. For a language that is almost 30 years old, this is an impressive success.

According to the survey data, which involved over 65,000 developers from around the world, Java took third place in the "Most Loved" language category, yielding only to Rust and Python. Moreover, more than 30% of respondents using Java noted that they would like to continue working with it next year. What is behind this renaissance in popularity?

Why is Java back in favor?

Experts attribute the growing sympathy for Java to several key factors:

• Modern JDK updates: The transition to a 6-month release cycle gave developers long-awaited features: pattern matching, sealed classes, records, and virtual threads (Project Loom). This made the code more concise and performant.
• The era of microservices and Spring Boot: Java remains the undisputed leader in enterprise development. The Spring Boot 3.x framework with support for GraalVM and reactive programming makes Java an ideal choice for high-load systems.
• Android and Kotlin: Despite the growth of Kotlin, Java is still the foundation for Android development. Many companies maintain legacy projects in Java, and new projects often choose a hybrid approach.
• Stability and ecosystem: In the era of "hype" languages, employers value predictability. Java offers a huge number of libraries, tools (Maven, Gradle), and a 20-year history of enterprise solutions.

Java vs Python: an unexpected neighborhood

Interestingly, in the "loved" top, Java is next to Python, which took second place. However, while Python dominates in Data Science and AI, Java maintains absolute leadership in the following niches:

• Backend of high-load banking and financial systems;
• Cloud service development (AWS, Azure, GCP);
• Internet of Things (IoT) and embedded systems;
• Large corporate ERP systems (SAP, Oracle).

Thus, Java is not just a "loved language" — it is a language that provides employment for millions of developers worldwide. According to the survey, the average salary of a Java developer in the USA is $120,000 per year, which is 15% higher than the market average.

What do developers say?

In the survey comments, many respondents noted that the "new Java" (starting from version 17) has ceased to be cumbersome and bureaucratic. "I hated Java in 2010, but I love it in 2024. Virtual threads and records changed everything," wrote one participant. Another developer added: "Java is like a reliable Swiss Army knife: a bit boring, but when you need working code, you grab it."

On the PythonLib website, we regularly track these trends so that our readers can make informed decisions about