2025 Stack Overflow Survey: Top Languages, Databases & AI Tools

Stack Overflow released its 2025 Developer Survey, with over 90,000 developers participating.

The full report includes developer demographics, technology usage, AI adoption, career trends, and community insights; this article highlights the technology and AI findings.

Lazy Directory

Most popular programming language: JavaScript

Most "profitable" language: Zig

Most popular database: PostgreSQL

Most popular web framework/technology: Node.js

Most popular IDE: Visual Studio Code

Most popular AI search tool: ChatGPT

Most popular AI development tool: GitHub Copilot

Trust in AI tools: 39% somewhat trust

AI tool usage scenario: 82.55% use AI to help write code

Future expectation: developers believe AI will change workflows within a year

Most Popular Database

Among professional developers, 49.09% use PostgreSQL, up 2.61% from last year; MySQL holds 40.59%, SQLite 30.17%, DynamoDB 10.31% (overtaking Oracle at ninth), and Oracle 10.06% (tenth). For learners, MySQL is used by 45.71%, MongoDB 28.15%, and SQLite 26.93%.

Most Popular Programming Language

JavaScript has been the most popular language for 11 consecutive years. Python has overtaken SQL to become the third most popular language. Other languages such as Bash/Shell, C, Ruby, Perl, and Erlang all moved up one rank. Usage of Go and Rust also increased compared with last year.

Most "Profitable" Programming Language

Zig developers have a median annual income of $103,611 (≈ ¥740,000). Zig is a general‑purpose language designed for stability, maintainability, and performance, aiming to replace C in system programming.

PHP and Dart rank at the bottom of the salary list, while last year’s top‑earning language Clojure fell to fifth place.

Most Popular Web Frameworks and Technologies

Node.js and React.js are the two most popular web technologies. Professional developers use them in roughly equal proportions, while learners favor Node.js (52% vs 48% for React). Other popular choices include jQuery, Express, Angular, Next.js, and Vue.js.

Most Popular Integrated Development Environment

Visual Studio Code remains the top IDE, with usage rising from 75% to 81% of respondents.

Most Popular AI Search Tool

ChatGPT is the leading AI search tool, used by 83% of respondents, followed by Bing AI (20%), WolframAlpha (13%), and Google Bard AI (10%).

Most Popular AI Development Tool

GitHub Copilot is the most widely used AI development assistant (55% of respondents), with Tabnine at 13% and AWS CodeWhisperer at 5%.

Trust in AI Tools

Less than 3% of users highly trust AI tools, while about 6% strongly distrust them. Approximately 39% express some trust, 30% are neutral, and the remainder have no particular trust or distrust.

AI Tool Usage Scenarios

The majority of developers use AI tools to help write code; other uses include debugging, documentation, learning codebases, and testing.

Future Expectations for AI Tools

Both professional developers and learners believe that AI tools will change development workflows within the next year.