SlashData’s Developer Nation survey is the leading developer research programme on mobile, desktop, industrial IoT, consumer electronics, embedded, third-party app ecosystems, cloud, web, game, AR/VR and machine learning technologies, as well as data scientists, researching developers’ experiences across platforms, technologies, programming languages, applications and API categories, revenue models, segments, and regions.

The Pulse report is based on data from our 24th Developer Nation global survey wave, which ran from December 2022 to February 2023 and reached nearly 26,000 developers in 166 countries. It delves into key developer trends for Q1 2023 and beyond.

The opening chapter of the Pulse report touches upon developer demographics, reflecting a widespread developer community in a more connected global world. This insight highlights the diversity of developers from various regions actively participating in the survey and making valuable contributions to the industry.

Out of 26,000 developers, the data reveals that 18% of the developers are from “Western Europe-Israel”, and North America, respectively, indicating a significant representation from these regions, which are known for their well-established tech industries and thriving developer communities.

Middle East and Africa account for 14.8% of the surveyed developers, showcasing a notable presence in the developer community. This region has been witnessing a growing focus on technology and innovation, even more since web3, leading to increased participation and contribution from developers.

South Asia contributes 12.6% of the surveyed developers, indicating a substantial representation from countries like India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Philippines and others. South Asia has emerged as a prominent hub for IT services, outsourcing, and software development, leading to a large and active developer population.

The Greater China region, including mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan, represents 10.8% of the surveyed developers. This region has a robust technology industry and is home to many major tech companies, making it a significant contributor to the global developer community.

Among 25,512 developers participating in the survey, the result reveals that the majority (77.2% ) identify as males, while the remaining percentage represents females in the developer community. Though improving by each survey wave, the gender split in the developer community continues to highlight a significant under-representation of female coders.

Read more about the demographics of female coders.

The gender disparity in the developer community is a well-known issue, and efforts are being made to address and rectify this imbalance. It is important to foster an inclusive and diverse environment that encourages and supports the participation of women in the field of development. This can be achieved through initiatives such as mentorship programs, coding workshops, and creating inclusive work environments that promote gender equality.

Encouraging more women to pursue careers in development not only promotes diversity but also brings in unique perspectives and ideas, leading to more innovative and inclusive solutions. It is crucial for the developer community to promote diversity and equal opportunities for all genders, ensuring that everyone can contribute their skills and expertise to the field.

Around 31% of developers are either under 18 or at the age span of 18-24, indicating the presence of young talent entering the developer community.

33.8% of developers identified with the age group of 25-34 years representing a significant proportion of developers in their prime working years. This group often has substantial experience and expertise in their respective fields.

The data shows diversity in the type of involvement of developers in software development, with 29.1% of respondents being professionals, 11.2% students, and 9.16% hobbyists. The involvement ranges from the active participation of professionals contributing their expertise to students preparing for future careers and hobbyists engaging in software development as a personal interest or to support a side project. Together, these roles showcase the dynamic nature of the developer community and their collective contributions to advancing the field.

Following from the previous chart and looking at the years of experience, 18.5% of developers said that they have less than one year of experience, 19% have 1-2 years of experience, 24.5% have 3-5 years of experience, while the majority (38% have over 6 years of experience. This highlights the range of expertise within the professional developer community, from early-career developers to seasoned professionals with extensive experience.

It is evident that developers learn in a variety of different ways. Self-learning is impressively prominent, with 48.2% of developers taking this route, followed closely by utilising online courses (46.9%). Holding an undergraduate degree in Computer Science (37.8%) comes next, while 20.7% also pursue a postgraduate degree. On-the-job training is also quite prominent, with 25.5%. Learning is a very personal experience and as the data show different types of people embrace different learning patterns.

It is worth mentioning that while collecting this insight, the respondents were able to choose more than 1 option.

The graph reveals the top five developer roles, with programmers or software developers comprising the largest group at 43.8%. Data science students make up 14.7%, while individuals in engineering teams, designing architecture, and data science roles account for 9.56%, 9.43%, and 8.34% respectively. This showcases the diverse range of developer roles, including programming, data science, engineering, and architecture, within the surveyed population.

This interesting graph highlights the motivations behind developers' contributions to corporate or vendor-owned open-source software projects. The data reveals that 36.9% of developers contribute to enhancing their coding skills and learn better by actively participating in such projects.

Additionally, 30% contribute because they use the software and have a desire to improve it, showcasing user-centric motivation.

Furthermore, 21.1% contribute to be part of something bigger than themselves, highlighting the intrinsic value of collaboration and being part of a larger community.

Lastly, 20% contribute to having their code reviewed by knowledgeable individuals, indicating a desire for feedback and improvement and somewhat related to learning to code better.

Interestingly, 25.3% of the survey participants do not contribute to vendor-owned open-source projects, suggesting a diverse range of engagement levels within the developer community.

13,646 developers shared their current total yearly compensation in US dollars. The data shows that 7.1% of developers earn between $1 to $1,000, 15.1% earn between $1,001 to $10,000, and 7.96% earn between $20,000 to $30,000. This information provides developers with a general understanding of the range of compensation levels reported by their peers, but it is important to consider individual circumstances, industry factors, and regional variances when evaluating one's own compensation.

12.8% of developers shared that they work independently, 8.56% work in organizations with 2-5 employees, and 26% work in organizations with 51-500 employees. This highlights the diverse range of work environments available to developers, including freelancing, small team settings, and mid-sized companies and also the variety of opportunities available for developers to contribute their skills and expertise in different organizational sizes.

The data indicates that 17.8% of developers work in teams consisting of 2-5 people, highlighting the prevalence of small, tight-knit teams. Additionally, 12.4% work in teams of 6-10 developers, followed closely by 12% in teams of 11-20 people. Moreover, 10.9% work in teams of 21-50 people, suggesting a significant number of developers in mid-sized teams. Interestingly, 10.4% work alone, indicating a notable portion of developers who prefer to work independently. The team size developers operate in may be indicative of their work style preference since the size of the team could be a contributing factor to developers' productivity.

Zooming into salaries in EU countries we can see that the majority of developers (35.8%) earn salaries within the range of $50,001 to $100,000. This indicates a significant portion of developers in the EU regions receive relatively higher compensation. Additionally, 8.54% of developers have salaries ranging from $10,001 to $20,000. This suggests a smaller percentage of developers earning salaries in the lower range. These insights shed light on the salary distribution within the EU countries, emphasizing the presence of both higher-paying positions and lower-paying positions, with a larger proportion falling within the mid-range salary bracket.

The graph illustrates the top five programming languages used by developers. According to the data, JavaScript, including TypeScript and CoffeeScript, continues to be the most widely used language, with a usage rate of 56.1%. This can be attributed to the widespread adoption of JavaScript for web development and its versatility for both frontend and backend development.

Java follows closely at 48%, reflecting its long-standing popularity and extensive use in enterprise applications and Android development. Python is also highly prevalent, with a usage rate of 47.9%. Python's simplicity, readability, and extensive library support have contributed to its popularity in areas such as data science, machine learning, and web development.

C++ and C# complete the top five list, with usage rates of 32.1% and 31.5% respectively. C++ remains widely used for systems programming, game development, and embedded systems due to its performance and low-level capabilities. C#, on the other hand, is commonly utilised for Windows development, enterprise software, and Unity game development.

Developers commonly rely on a wide range of applications and development scenarios. The popularity of these languages is influenced by factors such as their suitability for specific domains, ecosystem support, community engagement, and industry demand.

If you wish to find out more about the latest trends on programming languages -check out this blog.

Abundance of open-source frameworks and libraries makes Python the preferred language among AI/ML developers at 75.5% closely followed by Javascript at 58.8%. A significant fraction of developers 36.6% uses C# for the same.

Javascript incl TypeScript and CoffeeScript leads the usage in Education and Research centric organisations at 65.4%, Python follows very closely at 59.4%. Scientific distributions like Anaconda and IPython notebooks seem to have gained traction in education and scientific communities. Java usage is at 51.1% which is also not very far behind.

We asked developers to indicate the top 5 emerging areas they are interested in( working on, learning about, or expressing interest. AI-assisted software development tops the list at 62.5%, indicating the significant attention and investment in leveraging artificial intelligence techniques to enhance software development processes. This interest is driven by the potential for automation, intelligent code generation, and improved productivity.

Generative AI follows closely at 56.5%, reflecting the growing fascination with AI models capable of generating creative content, such as music, art, and text. This area offers developers new opportunities for innovation and exploration in creative applications.

Robotics is another notable area of interest, with a rate of 55.5%. The field of robotics continues to advance, opening doors to diverse applications ranging from industrial automation to autonomous drones and robotic assistants.

Quantum computing, with a rate of 50.2%, represents a rapidly evolving field with the potential to revolutionise computing power and solve complex problems. Developers are showing keen interest in learning about quantum computing and its applications, despite it being a nascent and specialised area.

Finally, self-driving cars round out the top five at 50%, showcasing the growing interest in autonomous vehicle technologies. As the automotive industry moves towards autonomous transportation, developers are drawn to this domain, where they can contribute to building safer, efficient, and intelligent transportation systems.

These emerging areas of interest reflect the evolving landscape of technology and the exciting opportunities for developers to expand their skill sets and contribute to cutting-edge fields. The reasons behind the interest in these areas include the potential for innovation, the demand for specialized expertise, and the prospect of shaping the future of technology in diverse industries.

It’s no surprise that AI has taken the world by storm, 70% of developers from EU have shown interest in AI-assisted software development, followed by Generative AI at 62%. Robotics, Quantum Computing and Self-Driving cars are next in line of trending emerging technologies for Developers in EU

The graph shows the measures taken by employees in large companies to reduce work-related stress and prevent burnout. Remote working arrangements lead at 74.4%, followed by flexible working hours at ~ 69%. Promoting work-life balance is at 62.6%, social activities at 61.7%, and recognition of employee achievements at 58.6%. These measures, including remote work, flexible hours, work-life balance promotion, social activities, and recognition, potentially help alleviate stress and prevent burnout among developers working in large companies.

Recently we also published the State of Developer Wellness Report which covers this topic in detail. Check it out here

Other means include social activities at work, promoting work life balance and having an employee achievement recognition program

The graph displays the geographical distribution of enterprise developers across different regions. North America has the highest representation at 29.4%, followed closely by Western Europe and Israel at 27.5%. Eastern Europe, Russia, and former CIS countries account for 10.6%, while South Asia and South America stand at 9% and 8%, respectively.

One possible reason for this distribution is the concentration of technology hubs and established tech ecosystems in North America and Western Europe. These regions have historically been at the forefront of technological advancements and have a strong presence of major tech companies, startups, and research institutions. This creates a favorable environment for attracting and retaining skilled developers.

Eastern Europe, Russia, and former CIS countries have also emerged as notable technology hubs, benefiting from a strong technical education system, and a growing startup culture. These factors contribute to their significant representation in the enterprise developer community.

South Asia and South America, while slightly lower in percentage, still showcase a considerable presence of enterprise developers. There has been a significant rise in IT outsourcing and remote work opportunities in these regions over the past several years.

Other factors influencing this distribution may include a large population base and increasing technology adoption.

Overall, the graph highlights how the concentration of technology hubs, industry maturity, education systems, and economic factors contribute to the geographical distribution of enterprise developers across different regions.

We looked at the enterprise developer distribution across different software development areas and there is quite some diversity. From web/SaaS and backend to desktop, mobile, and data science, the opportunities available to enterprise developers across different areas of expertise within the enterprise sector represent a broad spectrum of variety.

Web/SaaS development comes at the top with 66.2%, followed by backend development at 64.2%. Desktop application development accounts for 43.2% of representation, mobile development for 36.9%, and data science for 32%. It’s worth mentioning that respondents were able to pick more than one domain when answering this during the survey.

Then we also zoomed in the enterprise developer distribution across industry verticals. What we saw was that SaaS and software products have the highest representation at 40.2%, followed by FinTech and banks at 24%. Data analysts and business intelligence account for 21% of enterprise developers, while telecommunication and networks have 17.2%. HealthTech rounds out the graph with 13.6%. This data highlights the significant presence of enterprise developers in these industries and their role in creating innovative solutions and supporting crucial sectors like finance, data analysis, telecommunication, and healthcare technology.

The graph illustrates the popularity of CI/CD (Continuous Integration/Continuous Deployment) . Among the various tools, Jenkins emerges as the most prevalent choice, with a usage rate of 53.7%. The maturity of Jenkins as CI platform has enabled wide adoption across organisations of all sizes for its robust capabilities in automating build, test, and deployment processes.

GitLab, specifically the self-hosted version, holds a significant share of 45.8%, indicating its popularity as an integrated DevOps platform that includes CI/CD functionality along with version control.

Azure Pipelines (self-hosted) follows at 20.4%, showcasing its utilization in organizations that have a preference for Microsoft's ecosystem. TeamCity captures a usage rate of 15.9%, known for its enterprise-grade CI/CD capabilities and strong integration with JetBrains IDEs. Lastly, CircleCI stands at 13.3%, highlighting its presence as a CI/CD tool for organizations using the self-hosted version.

Jenkins has proven to be the de-facto choice of tool in CI/CD category for companies having more than a thousand employees at 63.9%, followed by self-hosted Gitlab (43.4%), and self-hosted Azure Pipelines (21.3%)

The graph displays the top five technologies utilised by backend developers, offering valuable insights into their preferences. At the forefront, containers emerge as the most favoured technology, capturing a significant share of 62%. Container technologies like docker enable developers to package their applications along with their dependencies, ensuring consistent deployment across various environments; hence we continue to see the development trend of microservice architecture.

Following closely is Database-as-a-Service (DBaaS) at 40.5%, indicating its popularity among backend developers for streamlined database management.

Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS) stands at 34%, highlighting its appeal as a comprehensive platform for developing, deploying, and managing applications.

Container orchestration, with a 31.8% share, demonstrates the significance of tools like Kubernetes in efficiently managing containerized applications at scale.

Lastly, virtual machines or IaaS secure a 30.4% share, showcasing their long-lasting enduring relevance in the backend development landscape. This graph underscores the dominance of containers as the go-to technology for backend developers, followed by the popularity of DBaaS, PaaS, container orchestration, and virtual machines, all of which play integral roles in modern backend development workflows.

According to the insight showcasing the top five end-to-end platforms used by DevOps practitioners, GitHub stands out as the most popular choice with a significant share of 30.1%, It could be because of its seamless Github actions baked in and tons of other 3rd party integrations built specifically to seamlessly work with your github repos ranging from Code Linting to Security checks.

Next is GitLab at 12.3%, indicating its widespread adoption within the DevOps community. Google Cloud holds a notable 11.8% share, highlighting its growing prominence in supporting DevOps workflows. Azure, Microsoft's cloud platform, captures 11.5% of the market, showcasing its position as a strong contender in this landscape. Lastly, custom solutions account for around 7% of the overall usage, indicating that a considerable number of DevOps practitioners opt for tailor-made solutions to cater to their specific needs. This graph emphasises the dominance of GitHub as the leading platform while also highlighting the presence of other prominent players like GitLab, Google Cloud, Azure and the significance of customised solutions in the DevOps ecosystem.

Developer Nation is the community behind the independent developer research program powered by SlashData. It’s a global developer community helping software creators set the right foundations for their career, learn how they stack up against emerging software development trends, get tips and discover opportunities for professional growth as well as plan wisely their next moves. Each year we engage over 30,000 developers from more than 165 countries.

The community is currently 83k+ developers strong, keeping its promise to help software creators grow throughout their coding journey and be their best. The way we achieve this mission is by bringing engaging and exceptional content and resources to our community members including blog posts, webinars, workshops, video streams, Pulse reports like this and other developer research reports, resources and tools being worked on. We also partner with tech companies, organisations, communities etc to bring collaborative resources helping developers learn and master new skills and take their career to the next level.

By participating in the Developer Nation survey you help us and our partners bring you the best developer experience across a wide variety of tools, technologies and platforms that you use daily. The insights you provide gets to eventually shape an overall optimised developer ecosystem.

We always love to hear your thoughts, how this report helped you and what can we do to make it even more helpful, so feel free to fill in our feedback form and let us know:

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If you have any questions please don’t hesitate to contact us at : community@developernation.net and stay up-to-date with what’s new in the community by visiting : https://developernation.net/links

Don't forget to watch the Pulse Report Discussion with our Market Research Analyst, Brayton Noll here:

https://youtu.be/01bx2qPEGaM?