Count of tools used — Work data 2026 | Stack Overflow Developer Survey

Question

In a typical month over the past year, about how many distinct software tools, platforms, or services did you personally use to do your primary work?

Count tools you intentionally opened, configured, or relied on to create, analyze, manage, build, deploy, support, or share work. These may be free, purchased, internal, or open-source tools.

Do not count general operating systems, web browsers, programming languages, libraries/packages, one-off scripts or commands, or multiple interchangeable utilities that serve the same narrow purpose.

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v2026.1

	Respondents	Percent
5	2,550	17.2%
10	2,389	16.1%
3	1,427	9.6%
4	1,263	8.5%
6	1,135	7.7%
8	910	6.1%
7	775	5.2%
20	708	4.8%
2	687	4.6%
15	646	4.4%
12	501	3.4%
1	275	1.9%
9	265	1.8%
30	191	1.3%
0	153	1.0%
25	135	0.9%
11	114	0.8%
50	89	0.6%
13	85	0.6%
14	77	0.5%
16	58	0.4%
40	42	0.3%
100	41	0.3%
17	35	0.2%
18	35	0.2%

Use this data

Citation

Response data is released under the ODbL 1.0, which asks that you attribute it.

Stack Exchange Inc. (2026). “Count of tools used”. Stack Overflow Developer Survey 2026. Licensed under ODbL 1.0. https://survey.stackoverflow.co/2026/work/data/tool-count

JSON

Structured for code, with the question, the year and the source url alongside the numbers.

{
  "question": "Count of tools used",
  "dataId": "ToolCount",
  "asked": "In a typical month over the past year, about how many distinct software tools, platforms, or services did you personally use to do your primary work?\n\nCount tools you intentionally opened, configured, or relied on to create, analyze, manage, build, deploy, support, or share work. These may be free, purchased, internal, or open-source tools.\n\nDo not count general operating systems, web browsers, programming languages, libraries/packages, one-off scripts or commands, or multiple interchangeable utilities that serve the same narrow purpose.",
  "year": "2026",
  "url": "https://survey.stackoverflow.co/2026/work/data/tool-count",
  "demographic": {
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      "key": "pct",
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  },
  "source": "Stack Overflow Developer Survey",
  "data": [
    {
      "response": "5",
      "count": 2550,
      "pct": 0.172
    },
    {
      "response": "10",
      "count": 2389,
      "pct": 0.161
    },
    {
      "response": "3",
      "count": 1427,
      "pct": 0.096
    },
    {
      "response": "4",
      "count": 1263,
      "pct": 0.085
    },
    {
      "response": "6",
      "count": 1135,
      "pct": 0.077
    },
    {
      "response": "8",
      "count": 910,
      "pct": 0.061
    },
    {
      "response": "7",
      "count": 775,
      "pct": 0.052
    },
    {
      "response": "20",
      "count": 708,
      "pct": 0.048
    },
    {
      "response": "2",
      "count": 687,
      "pct": 0.046
    },
    {
      "response": "15",
      "count": 646,
      "pct": 0.044
    },
    {
      "response": "12",
      "count": 501,
      "pct": 0.034
    },
    {
      "response": "1",
      "count": 275,
      "pct": 0.019
    },
    {
      "response": "9",
      "count": 265,
      "pct": 0.018
    },
    {
      "response": "30",
      "count": 191,
      "pct": 0.013
    },
    {
      "response": "0",
      "count": 153,
      "pct": 0.01
    },
    {
      "response": "25",
      "count": 135,
      "pct": 0.009
    },
    {
      "response": "11",
      "count": 114,
      "pct": 0.008
    },
    {
      "response": "50",
      "count": 89,
      "pct": 0.006
    },
    {
      "response": "13",
      "count": 85,
      "pct": 0.006
    },
    {
      "response": "14",
      "count": 77,
      "pct": 0.005
    },
    {
      "response": "16",
      "count": 58,
      "pct": 0.004
    },
    {
      "response": "40",
      "count": 42,
      "pct": 0.003
    },
    {
      "response": "100",
      "count": 41,
      "pct": 0.003
    },
    {
      "response": "17",
      "count": 35,
      "pct": 0.002
    },
    {
      "response": "18",
      "count": 35,
      "pct": 0.002
    }
  ]
}

Markdown

A formatted table, ready to paste into a document, an issue or a prompt.

|  | Respondents | Percent |
| --- | ---: | ---: |
| 5 | 2,550 | 17.2% |
| 10 | 2,389 | 16.1% |
| 3 | 1,427 | 9.6% |
| 4 | 1,263 | 8.5% |
| 6 | 1,135 | 7.7% |
| 8 | 910 | 6.1% |
| 7 | 775 | 5.2% |
| 20 | 708 | 4.8% |
| 2 | 687 | 4.6% |
| 15 | 646 | 4.4% |
| 12 | 501 | 3.4% |
| 1 | 275 | 1.9% |
| 9 | 265 | 1.8% |
| 30 | 191 | 1.3% |
| 0 | 153 | 1.0% |
| 25 | 135 | 0.9% |
| 11 | 114 | 0.8% |
| 50 | 89 | 0.6% |
| 13 | 85 | 0.6% |
| 14 | 77 | 0.5% |
| 16 | 58 | 0.4% |
| 40 | 42 | 0.3% |
| 100 | 41 | 0.3% |
| 17 | 35 | 0.2% |
| 18 | 35 | 0.2% |

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