🐍 Why Python Still Reigns

Hey everybody,

Today, we’re diving into the top programming languages of 2024, some surprising shifts, how LLMs are being manipulated, and a few useful new CSS tricks you’ll want to know about.

Quick Links

🎨 The Undeniable Utility Of CSS :has 
The CSS world has been buzzing with excitement as major browser vendors and spec authors roll out highly anticipated features like container queries, CSS nesting, and balanced text. Among these, the :has pseudo-class has surprised many with its incredible utility, opening up new possibilities for developers.

👑 Why GitHub Actually Won
Scott Chacon, GitHub cofounder, wrote a blog post on the platform's rise, pinpointing two key reasons: GitHub launched at the perfect time and it had "good taste" in its design and approach. These factors resonated perfectly to fuel its dominance.

💼 Your company needs Junior devs
BigTech now seeks elite Staff devs who can immediately tackle major initiatives, often AI-focused. Some argue that AI will replace junior developers, dismissing them as "code monkeys" easily swapped for LLMs. However, this overlooks the value of coaching juniors, which fosters innovation at scale by creating a learning culture that drives growth and creativity.

🏖️ The LLM honeymoon phase is about to end
This blog highlights how LLMs can be manipulated to deliver biased results, and warns that this will soon be automated and weaponized. With chatbots now central to our information systems, bad actors have massive incentives to exploit them. Unless AI vendors discover a new solution, LLMs might face an "AltaVista moment," where their usefulness crumbles under the weight of these issues.

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The Top Programming Languages 2024

Python once again holds the top spot in 2024, cementing its dominance thanks to its versatility and strong presence in fields like AI. It's the first language most students learn today, making it crucial in education and highly attractive to employers. However, in the job market, Python’s lead is a bit narrower, often taking second place to SQL, a database language essential for managing the cloud-based architectures that are now industry standards.

Key Movers and Shakers

While familiar names like Java, JavaScript, and C++ continue to rank highly, a few languages are making significant strides this year:

• TypeScript leaps from 11th to 4th place in job demand. This superset of JavaScript offers static typing, improving code reliability and making it a favorite for employers seeking more robust applications.

• Rust continues to gain momentum. Known for its memory safety, a feature that prevents dangerous security vulnerabilities. Rust is seen as a future replacement for C and C++ in system-level programming. Its rise was boosted by a February report from the White House urging the adoption of memory-safe languages.

Declines and Newcomers

C is seeing a notable decline, dropping from 4th to 9th in the Spectrum ranking, and from 7th to 13th for job demand. However, two languages have made their first appearance in the rankings:

• Apex: Built for creating business applications using Salesforce backends.

• Solidity: A specialized language for developing smart contracts on the Ethereum blockchain, reflecting the growing influence of blockchain technologies.

This year's list highlights how security, cloud infrastructure, and new technologies are driving changes in the tools developers need.

The full article has an interactive chart where you can see all languages ranked by various factors.

Laravel is all the talk this year. And with the success of another Laracon and the announcement of Laravel Cloud, it looks to be on par for success for many years to come.

In my latest video, I give 5 reasons why I think personally many more people are finding a newfound enjoyment or a re-found enjoyment in the Laravel ecosystem.

The video is live, let me know what you think. 👇️ 

Programming Humor

Until next week,

Travis.