More recently I've been hearing rumors that C# is finally going the way of the dinosaur. That the .NET ecosystem is too fragmented and that newer "faster" front-end frameworks, like React, Vue.js, or Svelte are the only way forward.
Truthfully, those rumors have been around since 2002. If React wasn't going to take out C#, then Ruby sure was. And if not Ruby, then Python. Yet, C# has managed to survive its own supposed annihilation time and time again.
Going into 2026 however, just how relevant is C#? Is it a language destined to meet its untimely fate? Or has the rise of AI given it a second wind?
All that, and more, down below.
FYI, I have been a C# developer for nearly 20 years, so my perspective might be a bit biased. Read on.
A Brief History
Let's first start off with a brief history of C#, because it has definitely come a long way since its inception.
As mentioned above, C# was first introduced by Microsoft in 2002 as one of the primary languages of the .NET Framework along with it's sibling language VB.NET.
It had a strong resemblance to C++ and Java, which lead to some criticism at the time from the Java community.
It was developed by Anders Hejlsberg originally and is now managed by Mads Torgensen at Microsoft.
In 2005, C# 2.0 was released with features setting it apart from Java and thus giving it some much needed freedom.
C# has received several large updates since that time and is now in version 14.0 which was released along with .NET 10.
C# is no longer the 'young kid' on the block. At roughly 26 years old, it is a mature, battle-tested language. While languages like Go or Rust are the new newcomers, C# sits comfortably alongside Java and Python as a pillar of modern software engineering.
And if you go back even further, you have other more mature languages that have been around for decades longer and that are still in high use, such as C and Java.
Popularity
When we hear about things "dying out", we typically mean that they aren't as popular in the moment. And popularity tends to shift alot through the years. Things were popular in 2002 are considered worn out by 2020. But things from 1995, sometimes come back and make a huge impact in 2021, like JavaScript.
So in terms of popularity, C# is not at the very top, but it is the backbone of the enterprise world.
StackOverflow's 2025 developer survey puts C# at roughly #8 on the list, remaining a top-tier language alongside TypeScript and Java.
There are some important things to point out on this graph however. For one, HTML and CSS are not programming languages. HTML is a markup language and CSS is a style sheet language used for describing the layout of an HTML document.
SQL is also not a programming language. It is a querying language used in relational databases. But more importantly, JavaScript and C# are not mutually exclusive. Both languages can (and are) used on the same projects. And the same goes for TypeScript.
Taking that into consideration, the actual list of programming languages would look like this: JavaScript, Python, Java, C#.
And that make sense to me, as professionally, those are the same languages that I have run into for almost 2 decades now in roughly that same order.
Let's take a closer look at just how C# is used in this modern age.
Used in Desktop and Web Development
C# was initially used to develop both web applications and Windows applications side-by-side using much of the same code.
This saved developers a huge amount of time as they could reuse much of the same logic and libraries across multiple platforms, as the code compiled down to the same intermediate language (IL).
Initially, web development was done through the ASP.NET framework using the Web Forms technology. The drag and drop frontend development was a big timer saver for developers as well at the time, as most web pages had very basic designs and CSS was not yet as mature in features.
Essentially, prebuilt web components could be dragged onto the canvas through a toolbar and events could be added to each element through it's properties window.
I personally started my web development career using ASP.NET Web Forms, and later on moved to .NET MVC. Though I personally still run active projects written using Web Forms because I still find alot of value in rapid development.
While Window Form development might not be as popular today as it once was, it is still very much used in professional software engineering fields. We still rely on desktop applications on a daily basis, even if we don't notice it.
Browsers, IDE's, database management tools, VPN tools and text editors are still much needed (and used) desktop applications for both developers and non developers alike.
Microsoft has since added more and more project templates to handle everything from API development to cross platform mobile development and even game development using the Unity Engine.
Mobile App Development
While no longer supported, at one time Microsoft also supported the development of Windows Mobile devices. I used to own a Windows mobile phone back in the day, and at that time, it was pretty awesome to see that tiny Windows button in the corner.
Microsoft has not given up on the mobile app development market, though the names have changed. Microsoft officially ended support for Xamarin in 2024, replacing it with .NET MAUI (Multi-platform App UI).
MAUI is the evolution of Xamarin.Forms. It allows developers to build native Android, iOS, macOS, and Windows applications from a single C# codebase.
And that right there is huge. In 2026, the ability to share code between your web app (via Blazor Hybrid) and your mobile app is a superpower. While React Native is popular, .NET MAUI offers a unified experience for developers already in the Microsoft ecosystem.
Unity Game Development
And if the language wasn't robust enough, C# is the primary scripting language used when developing applications running under the Unity engine.
Unity is still the dominant engine for mobile and indie game development in 2026. While the engine core is C++, virtually all gameplay scripting is done in C#.
With the recent rise of VR/XR (Extended Reality) devices, C# has become a primary language for building immersive experiences, not just traditional games.
Around 50% of all video games currently published are built using Unity.
So, Is C# Dying?
Now that you have a bit more context on what C# is and what it's used for, I can give a better answer to the question proposed earlier.
The short answer is: absolutely not.
Microsoft continuously pushes new updates to the language, which is currently on version 14.0 (released Nov 2025).
You don't just build web applications with .NET. You build the foundation of your company. You build cloud-native microservices, cross-platform mobile apps, and increasingly, AI-powered applications.
With Microsoft's heavy investment in OpenAI and the integration of Semantic Kernel into .NET, C# is positioning itself as the best language for building enterprise AI agents.
C# might not be the 'hype' language of the week on Twitter, but as we move through 2026, it is more robust, faster, and more versatile than it has ever been.