2020 Developer Internet Survey Highlights Go Popularity, Data Science Interest, and Remote Work Preferences

The 2020 developer internet survey shows Go as the most desired programming language, with 29% of students and 32% of professionals ranking it first; students also favor JavaScript and Kotlin, while professionals look to Python and Kotlin next.

Data science emerges as the leading field of interest, nearly twice as popular as the runner‑up, followed by network security and IoT; blockchain, game development, robotics and other areas also have a presence.

Despite strong interest in data science, few developers have practical experience, and among those who do, the majority are newcomers with only 1‑3 years of experience.

Full‑stack and backend experience dominate the respondent pool (over 35% each), whereas frontend experience is much lower, accounting for less than 10%.

Machine‑learning enthusiasm is high, yet the proportion of developers with experience in this area is the lowest among all fields.

Learning is now primarily self‑directed through online coding platforms, video tutorials, and web courses, with traditional printed books largely abandoned.

When choosing a career, students place higher value on career development paths, technical challenges, company financial stability, and culture before salary; professionals prioritize technical challenges, salary, and career path, and also give strong weight to the possibility of remote work.

Both groups prefer remote interview processes, favoring video calls and online coding assessments.

To boost productivity, 70% of developers want fewer meetings, 61% desire multiple monitors, and many seek a freer workspace with unlimited coffee and food supplies.