From Java and ActiveX to Flash, Houdini, and Direct3D, these 1996 releases shaped how we build apps, sites, and games today.

Say goodbye to source maps and compilation delays. By treating types as whitespace, modern runtimes are unlocking a “no-build” TypeScript that keeps stack traces accurate and workflows clean.

Java ranked third in the Tiobe Index for January 2026 at 8.71%, holding steady behind Python and C and just ahead of C++. Tiobe named C# its Programming Language of the Year for 2025 after the largest ...