AI Boosts Developer Jobs Despite Layoffs

Developer job growth has seen a notable increase since late 2025, surprising many given recent industry layoffs. This upward trend in demand for coders has outpaced overall job market growth, particularly in the period between February and June 2026. This phenomenon is closely linked to the advent and increasing capabilities of AI coding agents.

Despite the rise of AI, traditional programming languages maintain their strong positions. Python, Java, and JavaScript continue to lead in popularity, a trend that has shown remarkable stability. However, the data also highlights the persistent relevance of older languages such as COBOL and Fortran, underscoring the ongoing need for maintenance and support of legacy systems.

The impact of AI coding tools, like OpenAI's Codex and Claude Code, is evident. While these tools can generate substantial amounts of code, their emergence has not led to a decline in developer job postings. Instead, the data suggests that companies are hiring more developers to leverage these AI advancements and capitalize on increased project capacity.