GitHub’s UK user base has surpassed 4 million in 2024 as new AI tools drive growth.
- The UK ranks as the fifth-largest developer community globally and leads the EMEA region.
- A significant 19% increase in UK developers illustrates the platform’s expanding influence.
- GitHub’s AI integration, like the low-code tool Spark, is revolutionising app development.
- As AI tools gain traction, GitHub envisions a future with a billion global developers.
In 2024, GitHub’s user base in the United Kingdom surged past 4 million, a testament to the platform’s rapid growth primarily driven by the use of new AI tools. This development reaffirms the UK’s position as the fifth-largest community of developers worldwide and the leader in the EMEA region. The UK’s substantial contribution to open source projects further underscores its pivotal role in the global developer ecosystem.
The UK has experienced a 19% growth in its developer population on GitHub, increasing from 3.4 million last year. This boost highlights the platform’s appeal and the growing reliance on its services by developers. Martin Woodward, GitHub’s VP of developer relations, emphasises the UK’s strong history in open source contributions and its global connections facilitated by GitHub, particularly in areas like Canary Wharf where international entities thrive.
At its annual Universe conference, GitHub unveiled the AI-powered Spark tool, which assists users in creating web applications swiftly. This low-code tool epitomises the platform’s innovative efforts to streamline development processes. The integration of AI tools, including GitHub Copilot, has seen extensive adoption, with 73% of open source users utilising these technologies for coding and documentation.
Jonathan Carter from GitHub Next highlighted the broadening definition of what it means to be a developer. The intention is to make developing accessible to more people, akin to how enjoying cooking or car maintenance isn’t limited to professionals in those fields. This approach, coupled with AI tools, could potentially increase the global developer population to a billion, a significant leap from current figures.
Martin Woodward reflects on the transformative impact of AI on learning and development, stating that AI accelerates the learning process and the speed at which developers can complete projects. The advent of AI tools marks a new era in software development, offering unprecedented opportunities for both new and seasoned developers alike.
GitHub’s strategic integration of AI tools underscores its role in shaping the future of software development.
