Kotlin again tops the list of favorite programming languages according to StackOverflow survey

Kotlin again at the top: why do developers choose this language?

The annual StackOverflow developer survey is one of the most authoritative sources of data on programmer preferences worldwide. In 2024, the results once again confirmed Kotlin's growing popularity. The language took second place in the "Most Loved Programming Languages" category, second only to Rust and leaving veterans like Python and TypeScript behind.

For the educational portal PythonLib, this is a great opportunity to look at Kotlin not as a competitor, but as a powerful tool that broadens the horizons of a modern developer. After all, knowledge of multiple paradigms and platforms is the key to professional growth.

What do the StackOverflow 2024 survey numbers say?

• Over 70% of respondents using Kotlin noted that they would like to continue working with it in the coming year.
• Kotlin confidently surpasses Java, Scala, and Go in terms of developer satisfaction.
• The language consistently ranks in the top 5 highest-paid skills on the international market.

Why has Kotlin become a community favorite?

The main reason is the combination of conciseness and safety. Kotlin frees the developer from the "boilerplate code" characteristic of Java, but is fully compatible with the JVM ecosystem. This allows you to use existing libraries and frameworks, but write code 2-3 times faster.

Additionally, Kotlin actively supports functional programming, making it a flexible tool for creating both server-side applications (Ktor, Spring Boot) and mobile projects for Android (Google officially recommends Kotlin).

Who should pay attention to Kotlin?

• Android developers — Kotlin has become the standard for new Google projects.
• Backend engineers — the Ktor framework allows you to create asynchronous microservices with minimal code.
• Data engineers — Kotlin is great for writing clean ETL processes and working with Apache Spark.
• Anyone who wants to learn a modern statically typed language while maintaining compatibility with the Java ecosystem.

The future of Kotlin: what's next?

JetBrains developers are not stopping: in 2024, the Kotlin 2.0 update was released, bringing a stable version of the K2 Compiler. This sped up compilation by 30-50% and improved support for multiplatform development (Kotlin Multiplatform). Now the same code can run on Android, iOS, Web, and Desktop.

For PythonLib readers, it's important to understand: Kotlin does not replace Python, but complements it. If Python is the ideal choice for prototyping, data analysis, and AI, then Kotlin is the best option for production systems where performance and strict typing are critical.

By mastering Kotlin, you will gain not just "another language on your resume," but a real tool for solving complex engineering problems. And the StackOverflow survey results only confirm that the community highly values this choice.

Want to learn more? Follow new materials on PythonLib — we are preparing a series of articles and mini-lessons on Kotlin for those already familiar with Python.