Swift (iOS/macOS) Tops Stack Overflow's Most Loved Languages Ranking

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Swift (iOS/macOS) at the Top of Stack Overflow's Most Loved Languages



The annual Stack Overflow developer survey is one of the most authoritative studies in the IT community. In 2024, the Swift language, created by Apple for development on iOS, macOS, watchOS, and tvOS, took first place in the "most loved programming language" category. Over 70% of developers using Swift stated they would like to continue working with it in the future.



Why Did Swift Become the Leader?



Swift is a relatively young language, introduced in 2014. However, over a decade, it has evolved from an experimental tool into a mature ecosystem. Here are the key reasons for its popularity:



  • Safety and Performance — Swift combines the speed of C-like languages with type safety, drastically reducing the number of runtime errors.
  • SwiftUI and Combine — Modern Apple frameworks allow you to write declarative interfaces and reactive code with minimal boilerplate.
  • Open Source — Swift is available not only for Apple platforms: it runs on Linux, Windows, and even on cloud servers (Vapor, Hummingbird).
  • Code Readability — Swift's syntax is inspired by Python and Ruby, making it intuitively understandable for beginners.
  • Active Community — Swift has one of the friendliest and fastest-growing ecosystems on Stack Overflow and GitHub.


What Does This Mean for Developers?



Swift landing in the top "most loved" languages is not just a statistic. It's a signal to the market:



  • Demand for iOS/macOS developers will continue to grow — especially in fintech, healthcare, and edtech.
  • Swift specialists can expect high salaries (average rate is $130,000–$170,000 in the US according to Glassdoor).
  • The transition from Objective-C to Swift has become an industry standard — old projects are being massively rewritten.


Swift vs Python: Competition or Complement?



For readers of pythonlib.ru, it's important to understand: Swift and Python are not competitors, but complementary tools. Python dominates in Data Science, ML, and backend development, while Swift dominates in mobile and native desktop development. Increasingly, projects use both languages: Python for server-side logic and models, Swift for client-side applications on Apple platforms.



How to Start Learning Swift?



If you want to join the ranks of the most in-demand specialists, here's an action plan:



  • Install Xcode (free on the Mac App Store).
  • Take the "Swift Programming" course on Swift.org or Apple Developer Documentation.
  • Write a simple app (a to-do list or a weather client) using SwiftUI.
  • Sign up for Swift Forums and Stack Overflow — the community is very responsive to beginners.


Swift has proven it can be not only powerful but also loved. If you're looking for a language that combines innovation, development speed, and career prospects — take a closer look at the Apple ecosystem. And Python will remain your reliable partner in analytics and automation.

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