A woman is typing code on a computer in a workplace.
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Which coding languages are used by the world’s top companies?

3 Sep 2020

This infographic from Flyaps looks at the coding languages used by companies such as Amazon, Apple, Dell and more.

Anyone who has taken a glimpse into the world of coding will know that there are hundreds of languages to learn. Whether you’re an experienced programmer or a newbie planning to pick up a new skill, it can be hard to know which ones you should focus on.

According to CodeLani, it’s estimated that there are between 250 and 2,000 coding languages. Since the appearance of high-level programming language Fortran in 1957, there have been massive advancements in this area.

However, some languages are more in demand than others. A 2019 study by Coding Dojo suggested that Python, Java, Javascript, C/C++ and Ruby were the five most popular programming languages used by the top 25 unicorn companies.

A more recent insight came from freelancing platform Upwork, which compiled a list of the 15 highest-paying programming languages based on the rates of freelancers on its site. Topping Upwork’s list were Objective-C, Golang, Windows Powershell, Excel VBA and Kotlin.

This infographic from software company Flyaps takes another look, assessing the languages used by 25 different Fortune 500 companies when developing new products. Variations in the tools different companies adopt are mainly due to speed, reliability and scalability.

Amazon, for example, draws mostly on Java, Javascript, C++, Ruby and Swift, according to Flyaps. Meanwhile, Bank of America uses Java and Python; Citi uses Java, C++, C# and Python; and Verizon opts for Java, Python, Javascript, Swift and PHP.

The infographic also lists some the languages used by programmers at tech giants such as Apple, Dell, HP, IBM, Google, Twitter and more.

An infographic from Flyaps detailing the coding languages used by major companies.

Click to enlarge. Infographic: Flyaps

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Lisa Ardill
By Lisa Ardill

Lisa Ardill joined Silicon Republic as senior careers reporter in July 2019. She has a BA in neuroscience and a master’s degree in science communication. She is also a semi-published poet and a big fan of doggos. Lisa briefly served as Careers Editor at Silicon Republic before leaving the company in June 2021.

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