Rust tops the ranking of most loved programming languages according to Stack Overflow again

Rust tops Stack Overflow's ranking of most loved programming languages again

Stack Overflow's annual developer survey is one of the most authoritative studies in the IT community. In 2024, as in the previous eight years, Rust holds the top spot in the "most loved language" category. More than 83% of respondents working with this language said they would like to continue using it. This figure is steadily growing, confirming that Rust is not just a passing trend, but a mature and in-demand tool.

Why do developers love Rust so much?

Rust's success is explained by its unique characteristics that solve long-standing problems in systems programming.

• Memory safety without a garbage collector. The Rust compiler strictly monitors object lifetimes, preventing memory leaks, data races, and segfaults. This makes code reliable "out of the box."
• High performance. Rust compiles to machine code and has no overhead from a GC (garbage collector). Its speed is comparable to C and C++.
• Modern syntax and tooling. The Cargo package system, built-in dependency manager, testing, and documentation — everything works "out of the box." Developers note that writing in Rust is convenient and enjoyable.
• Wide application. Rust is actively used in web development (Actix, Rocket frameworks), systems programming, embedded systems, blockchain, and even the Linux kernel (experimental support added in 2023).

What do the Stack Overflow 2024 survey numbers say?

More than 65,000 developers from around the world participated in the survey. Here are the key results:

• Rust took 1st place in the "most loved language" category (83% positive feedback).
• In second place is TypeScript (about 75%), in third is Python (72%).
• However, Rust is not yet in the top 5 most used languages (share — about 6% of respondents). This means that those who have learned it are very satisfied, but the audience is still small.
• The salary of Rust developers in the US and Europe remains one of the highest — on average 15-20% higher than that of Python or JavaScript developers.

The future of Rust: what awaits the language?

Experts predict further growth in Rust's popularity. Major companies (Microsoft, Google, Amazon, Meta) are investing in its development. For example, Microsoft is rewriting some parts of Windows in Rust, and Mozilla (the language's creator) uses it in its projects. Additionally, the ecosystem is actively developing — new libraries, frameworks, and tools are emerging. In 2024, the stable release of Rust 2024 Edition is expected, which will bring even more improvements.

If you are not yet familiar with Rust, now is a great time to start. On the PythonLib website, we have prepared a selection of materials for the first steps: from installation to writing your first application. Rust is a language that not only gives you control over memory but also makes development safe and efficient. Give it a try — it might just become your next favorite tool.