Claude Code and the Rise of AI Tools Among Developers in 2026

⚡

Key Takeaways

1In 2026, 85.7% of developers use code generation tools, with Claude Code being the most popular.

2Developers are integrating AI faster than other sectors, with 20.9% using APIs and agents.

3Claude Code also dominates as a conversational assistant, used by 73.6% of developers.

💡Why it matters — The massive adoption of AI by developers is transforming coding practices and expanding access to programming.

The Most Used Coding Tools by Developers

In 2026, the use of code generation tools became the norm among developers, with 85.7% of them adopting at least one of these tools. Among the most popular solutions, Claude Code stands out significantly, surpassing GitHub Copilot and ChatGPT's Codex. Integrated development environments, such as Cursor and Gemini Code Assist, are also well represented in the rankings, while no-code platforms like Lovable and Bolt are less popular among developers.

This hierarchy can be explained by the very nature of developers' work, which often requires a code editor, unlike no-code tools that primarily target those who do not master coding. Here are the details of developers' preferences:

Claude Code: 67%
GitHub Copilot: 26.4%
ChatGPT Codex: 17.6%
Cursor: 11%
Gemini Code Assist: 9.9%
Windsurf: 6.6%
Lovable: 6.6%
Bolt: 5.5%

Developers, Ahead of AI

More Mature Uses than Average

Developers do not just choose tools; they deeply integrate them into their processes. Thus, 20.9% of them have reached a level of AI industrialization, using APIs and agents, a figure almost double the overall average of 11%. In terms of budget, 14.3% of developers have more than €100 per month for their AI tools, nearly three times the average of 5%.

At the team level, AI is an official tool for 39.6% of developers, compared to only 24.9% on average in other sectors. The prohibition of AI is rare among developers, with only 2.2% of teams banning it, compared to 8.4% elsewhere. By combining integrated and imposed uses, AI is officially adopted by 50.5% of development teams, compared to 35.8% in other fields.

Claude, Developers' Favorite

Claude does not just dominate the code generation sector. As a conversational assistant, it is also the most used by developers, with 73.6% of them preferring it over ChatGPT, which is used by 51.6%. This phenomenon reverses in the general population, where ChatGPT remains on top. Anthropic, the company behind Claude, achieves a double win with 61.5% of developers using both Claude and Claude Code. Furthermore, Claude is also the preferred choice for text generation.

AI-Powered Code is No Longer Reserved for Developers

Although developers are the primary users of AI tools, they are not the only ones benefiting from them. Among all respondents, 44.7% use at least one code generation tool. No-code and prompt-to-app solutions, such as Lovable and Bolt, make application creation accessible to those who do not master coding, thus broadening the audience for AI-assisted coding. Among non-developer professionals using these tools, the majority work in marketing, project management, and communication.

Regarding the tools most appreciated by all users, Claude Code remains at the top, but preferences vary:

Claude Code: 66.2%
ChatGPT Codex: 34.1%
GitHub Copilot: 14.1%
Gemini Code Assist: 13.3%
Lovable: 11.1%
Cursor: 8%

Methodology

The survey was conducted online by BDM, between April 24 and May 29, 2026, among 807 digital professionals. Participants work in various fields such as communication, marketing, education, project management, development, general management, design, social media, writing, commerce, and SEO/SEA acquisition.