The Past, Present & Future of Programming Languages • Kevlin Henney • YOW! 2025

The Past, Present & Future of Programming Languages • Kevlin Henney • YOW! 2025

by Kevlin Henney

Formal & Physical Sciences Computing & Cybersecurity UMComputer programmingUMXProgramming and scripting languages: general
🎙 Kevlin Henney 👥 1.1M 📅 August 11, 2026 ⏱ 51 min 👁 100 📄 expert opinion 🧭 2026-08-11
Available in: English (current) Français

Keywords

programming languageshistoryfutureTIOBEparadigm

Summary

Kevlin Henney’s talk at YOW! 2025 explores the evolution of programming languages, emphasizing that they change slowly and are deeply rooted in history. He starts with John Backus’s 1977 Turing Award speech, which criticized the von Neumann style and advocated functional programming. Henney highlights that many modern languages still embrace decades-old ideas. He presents TIOBE rankings showing that the top five languages have remained stable over the past five years, with Python, C, C++, Java, and C# dominating. He notes that most top languages are from the 20th century, and only a few like Go, Rust, and TypeScript are from the 21st. He discusses the influence of early languages like Fortran, Algol, and Lisp, and mentions the importance of concepts like subroutines, block structure, and if-then-else. He also touches on the role of LLMs in programming and the potential for new paradigms. The talk concludes with a reflection on the slow pace of change and the importance of understanding the past to predict the future.

165 words

Critical Evaluation

Kevlin Henney’s presentation is a masterful blend of historical insight and contemporary analysis. He provides a well-structured narrative that traces the lineage of programming languages from Fortran to modern languages like Python and Rust. His use of primary sources, such as Backus’s Turing Award paper and Floyd’s paradigm speech, adds scholarly weight. The talk is not merely a recitation of facts; Henney offers critical perspectives, such as his disdain for Fortran’s design while acknowledging its importance. He effectively uses data from TIOBE, IEEE Spectrum, and RedMonk to illustrate the stability of language popularity, challenging the common perception of rapid change in tech. The argument that programming languages evolve slowly is compelling and well-supported. However, some points are subjective, such as his dismissal of R’s syntax, which may not resonate with all data scientists. The talk’s strength lies in its synthesis of historical context and current trends, providing a nuanced view of the field. The inclusion of personal anecdotes and humor makes it engaging, but the technical depth is moderate, suitable for a general developer audience. The sources cited are credible and directly relevant, including links to Backus’s paper and the TIOBE index. The talk’s adéquation to its title is excellent, as it genuinely covers past, present, and future. Overall, it is a thought-provoking and informative talk that encourages reflection on the trajectory of programming languages.

225 words

Title / Content Match

The title accurately reflects the content, which covers the history, current state, and future of programming languages.

Quality & Reliability

8/10

The talk is based on historical sources (Backus, Floyd), current rankings (TIOBE, IEEE, RedMonk), and personal expertise. The speaker is a well-known consultant and author. The content is well-referenced and balanced, though it includes personal opinions and some humor.

Chapters

Cited Sources

  • Can Programming Be Liberated from the von Neumann Style? — John Backus's 1977 Turing Award lecture, a foundational critique of imperative programming and a call for functional styles.
  • The Paradigms of Programming — Robert Floyd's 1978 Turing Award lecture that introduced the term 'paradigm' to programming.
  • TIOBE Index — Monthly ranking of programming language popularity, used to illustrate the stability of top languages.
  • IEEE Spectrum Top Programming Languages 2025 — Another ranking source for programming language popularity.
  • RedMonk Language Rankings — Ranking based on GitHub and Stack Overflow data, providing a different perspective on language popularity.
  • Superplan and Groovy — Historical note on early programming languages, possibly referenced for context.
  • if-then-else — Discussion on the history and significance of the if-then-else construct.
  • The History of Simula — Article on Simula, the first object-oriented language, likely referenced for its historical impact.
  • Lambda: The Ultimate Excel Worksheet Function — Microsoft Research blog on LAMBDA, bringing functional programming to Excel.
  • Stack Overflow's Traffic Dropped 50% — Article discussing the decline in Stack Overflow traffic, possibly related to LLMs.
  • TypeScript's Rise in the AI Era — GitHub blog on TypeScript's growth, possibly referenced for future trends.

Concurring Sources

Dissenting Sources

  • Stack Overflow's Traffic Dropped 50%

External References

Contribution & Novelties

The talk provides a comprehensive historical perspective on programming languages, emphasizing that they evolve slowly and are deeply influenced by past ideas. It challenges the notion of rapid change in tech and offers a data-driven analysis of language popularity. The speaker’s personal insights and anecdotes add a unique flavor.

Pour aller plus loin :

107 words

Radar Profile

The radar chart shows a balanced profile with high scores in information quantity, quality, and reliability, and a slightly lower but still solid technical level. This indicates a well-rounded, informative talk that is accessible to a broad technical audience.

Reliability 8/10

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