Stack Overflow Survey 2023 Revealed
Engineering
Stack Overflow
Research
Summary
The Stack Overflow Survey 2023 offers a detailed snapshot of the global developer community, capturing the preferences and trends among over 90,000 developers. It highlights a notable shift towards online learning, with a surge from 70% to 80% in one year, particularly among younger developers. Full-stack engineering emerges as the most common role, underscoring its centrality in the tech industry.
Key insights:
Dominant Programming Languages: JavaScript remains the most preferred language for the eleventh consecutive year, followed by Python, which has overtaken SQL in popularity.
Database Preferences: PostgreSQL has become the preferred database, especially among professional developers, while MySQL remains popular among those still learning.
Framework Usage: Node.js and React.js are the top web technologies, with jQuery and Express also showing strong usage. Next.js has seen a significant rise in popularity, reflecting its increasing importance.
Emerging Technologies: AI integration is on the rise, with 70% of developers engaging with AI tools, highlighting a major trend in software development practices.
Salary Trends: High earnings are reported in emerging technologies like Zig, and traditional roles like senior executives and engineering managers continue to command the highest salaries.
Introduction
In May 2023, Stack Overflow conducted its annual survey, drawing responses from over 90,000 developers worldwide.
This expansive dataset provides a comprehensive look into the evolving landscape of the developer community, shedding light on learning patterns, technology preferences, and emerging trends.
Let's discover the key findings and gain insights into the Stack Overflow Survey 2023.
Developer Profile
The survey reveals a significant surge in online learning, with 80% of developers now turning to digital resources—an increase from 70% in 2022.
Notably, respondents aged 18 and under predominantly opt for online resources, while those between 25 and 34 lean towards online courses and certifications alongside traditional education.
Of all the developers surveyed, 33.48% reported being Full-stack engineers, followed by 17.88% backend developers and 6.6% front-end developers, indicating the importance and demand of full-stack engineers in the industry.
Most Popular Languages
JavaScript, HTML/CSS, Python, SQL, and TypeScript dominate the landscape, reflecting the ongoing prominence of these languages.
63.61% respondents chose JavaScript as their most preferred language, continuing JavaScript’s eleventh consecutive year on the top.
Python has overtaken SQL as the second post popular language, and ranks first among non-professional developers who are learning to code.
Most Popular Databases
In 2023, PostgreSQL has claimed the top position, surpassing MySQL. Among professional developers, 50% prefer PostgreSQL, while those in the learning phase lean towards MySQL (54%).
MongoDB sees a comparable level of usage among both professional developers and coding learners, securing the second position in popularity among the latter group, just behind MySQL.
Web Frameworks
Node.js and React.js emerge as the two predominant web technologies among the survey respondents. Interestingly, Professional Developers exhibit a balanced usage of both, while individuals in the learning phase favor Node.js slightly more than React (52% versus 48%).
Moreover, jQuery and Express secure the next spots in popularity among all respondents. Notably, Professional Developers show a greater inclination towards jQuery, with a usage rate of 24%, compared to those learning to code at 18%.
Conversely, Express gains more traction among learners, registering a usage rate of 25%, in contrast to the 20% reported by professionals.
A notable shift in the landscape is observed with Next.js, which catapulted from the 11th position in 2022 to the 6th spot this year.
The educational community's increasing adoption of Next.js suggests its rising significance as a gateway technology for individuals entering the coding arena.
Other Frameworks
The data reveals that among the frameworks listed, .NET (5+) has the highest popularity at 25.29%, securing a significant percentage of respondents.
NumPy at 20.25%, emerges as the second most favored framework among the survey participants.
Notably, Flutter captures attention with a growing percentage as compared to last year, indicating its growing significance in the realm of cross-platform mobile development.
Docker claims the top spot as the most widely used tool among all respondents, marking a notable rise from its second-place position in the previous year. However, those in the learning phase show a preference for npm or Pip over Docker, aligning with the languages they are mastering—JavaScript and Python.
Admired Technologies
Rust emerges as the most admired language, with over 80% of users expressing a desire to continue using it.
In contrast, MATLAB faces a lukewarm reception, with less than 20% of developers willing to revisit it. Phoenix, a web framework, surprisingly outshines popular choices like React and Node.js in terms of developer preference.
Top Paying Technologies
Zig takes the lead as the highest-paid language over $103,000 a year, showcasing the dynamic nature of the tech industry. Notably, Dart and SAS witness a remarkable increase in median pay, growing over 20% year-over-year.
AI in Development
70% of respondents are either using or planning to use AI tools in their development process, with a higher inclination among those learning to code (82%). This underscores the growing integration of AI into the developer toolkit, signaling a shift in industry practices.
Salary Status
Senior executives and engineering managers command the highest salaries, both making slightly over $124,000 a year.
This is followed by Marketing and Sales professionals at $116,000, with Site Reliability Engineers ranked fourth on the list at $115,000.
Developer Landscape of 2023
The Stack Overflow Survey 2023 paints a vivid picture of a dynamic and ever-evolving developer community.
From the rising prominence of online learning to the shifting preferences in tools and technologies, developers are adapting to a landscape defined by innovation and change.
The survey not only captures the current state of the industry but also serves as a compass, guiding developers and tech enthusiasts toward the trends that will shape the future.
