Key Takeaways:
- React and Next.js experience explosive growth as front-end technologies, soaring 60% and 83% respectively across Latin American countries.
- Java and Python dominate as the most popular backend-only languages, each boasting over 100,000 developers.
- FastAPI, NestJS, and Rust emerge as rising stars with remarkable growth rates, proving small yet powerful programming languages and frameworks in the region.
Introduction
Latin America, a thriving region with immense potential, has become a hub for software development, witnessing unprecedented growth in the tech industry. Today, Matilda, a leading tech recruiting firm, is unveiling its inaugural report on the state of software development in Latin America, offering invaluable insights into the region’s dynamic growth, diverse trajectories of countries, and the popularity of specific programming languages, libraries, and frameworks. With 377,000 active engineers shaping the tech landscape, the report showcases a remarkable 35% growth rate over the last 12 months, signifying a consistently upward trajectory since 2021.
Growth and Prominence of Front-End Technologies
Among the fascinating revelations in the Matilda report, the spotlight shines on front-end technologies that have seen exceptional growth across Latin American countries. React and Next.js, two dominant front-end technologies, have experienced meteoric surges. React grew by an impressive 60%, while Next.js soared even higher with a staggering 83% growth rate. These figures reflect the region’s emphasis on creating seamless and user-friendly web experiences, prompting developers to adopt these technologies en masse.
Java and Python Rule the Backend Arena
While front-end technologies witnessed significant growth, the report also highlights the programming languages ruling the backend domain. Java and Python have emerged as the undisputed champions, boasting over 100,000 developers each. With their versatility and robustness, Java and Python have become the go-to choices for back-end development, underpinning the foundation of numerous web applications and services in the region.
Changing Fortunes of Frameworks
The report delves into the fascinating journey of frameworks within Latin America’s software development landscape. While Ruby on Rails, once a popular choice, experienced a slowdown, there were pockets of growth in the last year, particularly in Peru (20%) and Ecuador (22%). On the other hand, Typescript witnessed a healthy 41% year-on-year growth rate, indicating its rising popularity across the region. The ever-evolving preferences of developers in Latin America shape the trajectory of frameworks, making it essential to stay updated with the latest trends.
Rise of the Mighty Minnows: FastAPI, NestJS, and Rust
The Latin American software development scene also presents intriguing small-scale success stories. Three lesser-known programming languages and frameworks have displayed remarkable growth rates in the last 12 months. FastAPI, with a staggering growth rate of 132%, NestJS with 120%, and Rust with 55%, have all grown significantly despite having fewer than 10,000 developers in the region. These agile and innovative technologies are becoming game-changers in specific niche markets, drawing attention from developers and businesses alike.
Country-Specific Growth Trajectories
The Matilda report offers valuable insights into the growth trajectories of different Latin American countries, shedding light on their unique positions in the software development landscape.
- Argentina’s Remarkable Engineering Surge: Argentina stands out as the country that experienced the most significant growth in the number of engineers, with an astounding 55% increase in the last 12 months. This growth signals a burgeoning tech scene and a fertile ground for tech startups and established companies alike.
- Brazil: The Powerhouse of Engineers: Boasting the most substantial number of engineers in the region, Brazil has cemented its position as a formidable force in Latin American tech. With a 61% share of Latam’s Spring Boot engineers and 54% share of NestJS developers, Brazil leads the pack in total volume and per capita basis for these tech stacks, showcasing its dominance in specific programming ecosystems.
- Mexico: Quantity vs. Quality: Mexico consistently ranks in the top three positions in terms of the number of engineers for various programming languages. However, when normalized by population size, it slips to the 10th position on average. This contrast indicates the need for a more focused approach towards nurturing and retaining top tech talent in the country.
- Uruguay’s Talent Concentration: Despite being a small country, Uruguay demonstrates a high concentration of tech talent. Ranking 10th in total engineers working with HTML/CSS, JavaScript, React, and Ruby, it claims the top spot on a per capita basis for each of these technologies. This remarkable feat showcases Uruguay’s commitment to fostering a tech-savvy workforce.
- Mighty Talents in Small Nations: Several other countries in Latin America exhibit a similar trend of excelling on a per capita basis. Chile, ranked 5th in total engineers with Pandas (the Python-based data analysis tool), claims the top spot on a per capita basis. Similarly, Costa Rica ranks 7th for C engineers but secures the first position on a per capita basis, underscoring the abundance of skilled developers in these small nations.
Conclusion
Matilda’s comprehensive report on the state of software development in Latin America unravels a vibrant landscape teeming with possibilities and opportunities. The region’s tech industry is marked by the soaring growth of front-end technologies like React and Next.js, the dominance of Java and Python in backend development, and the emergence of promising small-scale programming languages and frameworks. Moreover, country-specific insights showcase the unique growth trajectories of different nations, emphasizing the need for tailored strategies to harness the full potential of tech talent.
As the tech ecosystem in Latin America continues to evolve rapidly, Matilda’s report acts as a guiding light, offering valuable data and analysis. With continuous updates and expansions, this insightful report promises to be an invaluable resource for developers, businesses, and policymakers aiming to leverage the region’s burgeoning software development boom.
Source: https://www.matildaexp.com/reports/engineers-in-latam
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