C++ is enjoying a surge in popularity, according to the latest update to the TIOBE Index, which tracks programming languages’ “buzz.”

C++ currently sits right behind C and Python on TIOBE’s list. “A few months ago, the programming C++ language claimed position 3 of the TIOBE index (at the expense of Java). But C++ has not finished its rise. C seems to be its next victim,” added the note accompanying the data.

Other programming languages are enjoying a similar surge: “JavaScript reaches position #6, which is an all time high. Matlab, Scratch and Rust also match their all time high records at respectively positions #10, #12 and #17. Elsewhere in the TIOBE index, we see that COBOL, after a long time, re-enters the top 20, while Julia is seriously approaching it.” 

To create its rankings every month, TIOBE leverages data from a variety of aggregators and search engines, including Google, Wikipedia, YouTube, and Amazon. For a language to rank, it must be Turing complete, have its own Wikipedia entry, and earn more than 5,000 hits for +”<language> programming” on Google. That methodology has sparked some controversy, with critics insisting it’s not a great way to truly measure a language’s adoption and usage. However, it does offer some insight into which languages are generating buzz, at least online.

C++ is a particularly old language; the first commercial implementation appeared in 1985. It powers a huge variety of legacy apps and services, which helps explain its popularity. A huge number of software tools (such as compilers) are still written in the language. If you’re interested in learning C++, start by checking out tutorials and documentation online (much of it free). For instance, w3schools has an extensive C++ tutorial; online learning hubs such as Codecademy and freecodecamp are likewise good places to begin your learning journey.