In a recent update of the Tiobe index, which ranks the popularity of programming languages, the Fortran language, introduced in 1957, has re-entered the top 10. This marks the first time Fortran has been in the top 10 since April 2002.
As of May 2024, the 67-year-old Fortran holds 10th place in the TIOBE ranking with an indicator of 1.24%, slightly down from 1.47% the previous month.
Paul Yansen, CEO of TIOBE, attributes the renewed interest in Fortran to its strengths in numerical and mathematical calculations. Despite its numerous competitors, Fortran remains significant for its speed, maturity, support for mathematical calculations, and absence of licensing fees.
In contrast to other languages, Python, though ranking first, operates at a slower pace; Matlab requires an expensive license; C and C++ are quick but lack built-in calculation support; R is also sluggish; while the rising Julia language has not yet reached maturity. In this context, Fortran distinguishes itself with its efficiency.
The Tiobe index assesses language popularity based on the number of qualified engineers, courses, and third-party suppliers globally, utilizing data from Google, Bing, Wikipedia, and more than 20 other sites.
According to the rankings from pypl, which gauges popularity based on Google search frequency for teaching materials, Python leads with a share of 29.98%. Java follows in second place with 15.97%, trailed by JavaScript, C#, and C/C++.
The return of Fortran to the list of top programming languages underscores its relevance in mathematical computations and reinforces the idea that even older technologies can find practical applications in the modern era.