3.22 Use the Latest Stable Language Version

Languages evolve regularly, and it’s important for security and performance reasons to keep on top of the technology stack you are using. It’s also important to consider whether the language you are using is appropriate or optimized for the task you wish to use it for.

Criteria

Versioning: Use the latest build of your chosen syntax language and its coupled framework.
Language Choice: Use the most appropriate programming language for a task. Many tools and programming languages are optimized for performing particular tasks, and utilizing those most appropriate to the problem, especially if there is a reasonable visitor base involved justifies the time and effort, as long as it doesn’t impact PPP factors such as the well-being of those involved or become too cost prohibitive.

Impact

Medium

Effort

Medium

Benefits

Environmental:
Using the latest language version may improve efficiency and reduce data center energy consumption. Verify benefits are worthwhile before major build upgrades.
Security:
Often, older versions may have security issues that could expose your website or app (and thereby your visitors) to harm. Maintaining an upgrade schedule is good for security.
Performance:
Language version updates are usually coupled with performance improvements. Regarding language choice, an algorithm implemented in a compiled language such as C or Rust, for example, can have greatly reduced execution time and energy usage compared to the same algorithm written in an interpreted language like Python or JavaScript.
Economic:
Using the latest and more performant language version could help hosting companies reduce their costs. That could be beneficial for the company and the visitor.

GRI

materials: Medium
energy: Medium
water: Medium
emissions: Medium

Example

Use benchmarks to identify the efficiency of languages.

Resources

View the Guideline