As layoffs reshape tech and AI dominates the conversation, new research from Oxylabs reveals that what developers think employers want doesn’t match what job postings actually show.
Oxylabs analyzed more than 800,000 U.S. job postings (January 2025–March 2026) requiring at least one programming language. Unlike survey-based rankings, this reflects real hiring behavior at scale.
Key findings:
- SQL is nearly as in-demand as Python (45% vs. 46% of postings), despite developers routinely dismissing it as “not a real language”. SQL beats Python as the No. 1 requirement in 38 states, Python leads in just 12.
- The Python and SQL duo is the most requested skill, appearing in 1 in 5 tech job postings, far ahead of any other pairing.
- Apple is hiring while others cut. Its Q1 2026 job postings jumped 9 times the 2025 quarterly average, with software engineering and AI/ML roles having the biggest spikes.
- Foundational skills still dominate. Despite the AI-driven shift, the top most-requested languages are established tools (Python, SQL, Java, JavaScript).
The full report breaks down demand by role (backend vs. frontend vs. DevOps vs. data science), industry, and U.S. state – useful context for developers assessing their career options in an uncertain market.
Please read the full report here
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This entry was posted on May 28, 2026 at 11:35 am and is filed under Commentary with tags Oxylabs. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.
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New data from 800k U.S. job postings challenges developer assumptions about what employers actually hire for
As layoffs reshape tech and AI dominates the conversation, new research from Oxylabs reveals that what developers think employers want doesn’t match what job postings actually show.
Oxylabs analyzed more than 800,000 U.S. job postings (January 2025–March 2026) requiring at least one programming language. Unlike survey-based rankings, this reflects real hiring behavior at scale.
Key findings:
The full report breaks down demand by role (backend vs. frontend vs. DevOps vs. data science), industry, and U.S. state – useful context for developers assessing their career options in an uncertain market.
Please read the full report here
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This entry was posted on May 28, 2026 at 11:35 am and is filed under Commentary with tags Oxylabs. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.