What if the coding skills you’re investing in right now are quietly sinking into quicksand? Imagine spending months learning a language, only to discover that the tech world has moved on without you. As 2025 approaches, some programming languages are fading fast—losing support, shrinking in job demand, and getting overshadowed by modern alternatives. Before you dive into your next project or online course, check this list. It might just save your future in tech.
JavaScript Is Losing Its Magic Touch
For decades, JavaScript was the lifeblood of the internet. Every flashy website and interactive button seemed to run on it. But as we move closer to 2025, developers are getting frustrated with its unpredictable quirks and spaghetti code chaos. TypeScript and new frameworks are making JavaScript feel ancient, like trying to run a marathon in flip-flops. Even big companies are shifting to more robust solutions. If you want to be ready for the jobs of tomorrow, think twice about doubling down on vanilla JavaScript.
PHP Is Fading From the Web’s Spotlight
Remember when PHP powered almost every blog and online store? Those days are slipping away. The language’s clunky syntax and security headaches are hard to ignore now that cloud-native, lightning-fast alternatives exist. In 2025, most new startups and web apps are skipping PHP entirely. If you’re building your coding future, don’t tie yourself to a language that’s quickly becoming the dusty attic of the internet.
Ruby Is Losing Its Shine
Ruby was once the darling of startups—think early Twitter and GitHub. Its code looked clean and beautiful, but the party is over. Job listings for Ruby are dropping, and the community feels quieter each year. Developers are moving to Python and JavaScript frameworks that offer more speed, flexibility, and modern tools. If you’re hoping to join the next big tech wave, Ruby might leave you stranded on yesterday’s shore.
Perl Feels Like Ancient History
Perl helped automate the internet behind the scenes—until it didn’t. The language’s syntax feels like a secret code from another era, and newcomers are steering clear. In 2025, there’s little incentive to learn Perl when Python and Go offer cleaner, safer ways to script and automate. Unless you love digital archaeology, learning Perl is more likely to close doors than open them.
Visual Basic Is a Nostalgia Trap
Visual Basic once made desktop programming feel easy, but that era is fading fast. Today, its dated approach and limited versatility are clear red flags. Many companies are retiring VB-based systems, and few are hiring for new projects. It’s a bit like learning to repair VHS players in the age of streaming: the nostalgia is sweet, but the future is somewhere else.
Objective C Is Overshadowed by Swift
If you ever dreamed of building the next iPhone sensation, Objective C used to be your ticket. Not anymore. Apple’s relentless push toward Swift means Objective C is being left behind, like a beloved but slow-moving train. New updates, libraries, and job opportunities are all centered around Swift. Learning Objective C in 2025 is like buying a map to a city that’s no longer on the grid.
ColdFusion Is Running Out of Steam
ColdFusion, once a go-to for rapid web development, now feels like a relic. The few companies still using it struggle to find fresh talent, and the language itself hasn’t kept pace with modern needs. Think of it as a once-popular gadget now collecting dust. If you want to future-proof your skills, ColdFusion shouldn’t be on your radar.
Assembly Language Is Losing Practicality
Assembly is the ultimate low-level language. If you love tinkering at the level of ones and zeroes, it’s still fascinating. But practical demand is shrinking. Most hardware tasks are handled by higher-level languages now, with only a handful of specialized jobs remaining. Unless you’re aiming at a very specific niche, Assembly is more likely to be a curiosity than a career booster in 2025.
Groovy Is Getting Sidelined
Groovy once promised to make Java development fun and flexible. But its community is shrinking as developers flock to Kotlin and Java’s own improvements. New projects rarely pick Groovy, and it’s being quietly phased out in many workplaces. Investing time in Groovy now is like learning to use a typewriter when everyone else is moving to voice-to-text.
Fortran Is a Museum Piece
Fortran powered the earliest rockets and scientific calculations, but its glory days are behind it. While a handful of legacy systems still run on Fortran, most industries have modernized. Universities and research labs are moving to languages that are easier to learn and maintain. Unless you’re working on decades-old science software, Fortran is best admired from a safe distance.
This list is a wake-up call for anyone mapping out a future in tech. Which language would you have guessed would make the list?