TIOBE Index 2025: Fortran Reenters the Top 10 While SQL Drops to a Historic Low
For the first time in recent memory, SQL has fallen out of the top 10 most popular programming languages, according to the TIOBE Programming Community Index for June 2025. This unexpected change reflects the progression of contemporary programming trends. In the meantime, Fortran, a legacy language has returned to the top 10 demonstrating the resilience of scientific computing as well as the ever-changing developer environment of today.
The index for this month provides a glimpse of more significant changes in the way developers design, write and construct systems. As 2025 moves into its second half it’s important to consider the true implications of this disruption for the sector.
TIOBE Index: What Is It?
One of the most often used indicators of the popularity of programming languages is the TIOBE Index. It uses information from search engines like Google, Bing, Yahoo, Wikipedia and YouTube to calculate the number of qualified engineers, courses, and third party suppliers in the world.
In contrast to other developer rankings (like the Stack Overflow Developer Survey), TIOBE places greater emphasis on search engine activity, which provides information on what individuals are learning, figuring out or investigating instead of merely what they are using for work right now.
What Caused SQL to Drop?
The decline of SQL from the top 10 to 12th place in June 2025 is indicative of more general patterns in software development:
1. The popularity of serverless and NoSQL architectures
Many contemporary developers and companies are choosing NoSQL databases (such as MongoDB, Firebase and DynamoDB) over conventional relational databases due to their scalability, flexibility and document based schemas especially as cloud-native architectures continue to gain ground.
These more recent technologies frequently call for less manual SQL queries.
2. Query Layers Driven by AI
Many developers no longer write raw SQL by hand thanks to programs like ChatGPT, GitHub Copilot and LangChain.
Rather, they employ ORMs (Object Relational Mappers) that abstract away conventional query authoring or interface with plain language to SQL generators.
3. A change in the priorities for education
Python, JavaScript, Rust, and Go the languages that power contemporary development stacks are being emphasized in boot camps and computer science degrees.
Although it is no longer taught as a primary language SQL is increasingly taught as a supporting ability.
Fortran's Comeback: Is Older Better?
Unexpectedly, the 1950s born language Fortran has resurfaced in the 10th spot on the TIOBE Index.
This revival is mostly because of:
- Ongoing need for scientific computing particularly in the areas of aerospace simulations physics and meteorology.
- The rise in government and research institutes upkeep of legacy code.
- Renewed interest in supercomputing and high performance computing (HPC) two fields in which Fortran continues to shine.
Fortran has proved robust in situations where raw performance and numerical precision are crucial despite not being the first language that most novice developers learn.
Top 10 Languages (TIOBE Index – June 2025)
- Python
- C++
- C
- C#
- Java
- JavaScript
- Go
- Rust
- Visual Basic
- Fortran
SQL, once a staple of every full-stack developer’s toolkit now sits just outside the top 10
a symbolic moment in the evolution of modern development.
The Implications for Developers
SQL is still relevant even if its rating may have declined. Rather, it indicates a change in the context and use of SQL.
- In data science processes, reporting, and corporate backends SQL remains crucial.
- However, automation and abstractions are decreasing the necessity for manual querying for startups and younger engineers.
- These days, it is frequently concealed by LLM-based tools, ORMs and APIs.
This serves as a reminder to seasoned developers that learning a single language is becoming less significant than adjusting to new tools particularly those that use artificial intelligence.
Concluding remarks
The removal of SQL from the top 10 of the TIOBE Index in 2025 does not signal the language’s demise rather, it signals a change in its function. Even while most developers may no longer use it as their primary language it is still the foundation of many systems.
Programming is changing as a result of AI-driven development no code platforms, and cloud native stacks. Languages that adapt, whether they are decades old like Fortran or created for the demands of the modern world like Rust and Go will continue to be useful.
