The recently published Evans Data 2009 Global Developer Population and Demographics Study found that the population trend in 2009 will represent a break from previous projections, the company said. This is the first time in the more than four year that has been doing the report that it lowered projections.

"[For] 2009, we had estimated previously that there would be about 15.2 million developers [worldwide]," said Evans CEO John Andrews on Monday afternoon. "We revised that estimate down by about 600,000."

Still, the number of developers is growing, albeit at a lower rate. Evans earlier had expected growth to be 7.4 percent this year. "In our new forecast, we're expecting [growth to be] 4.3 percent," Andrews said.

Figures are based on a variety of sources accessed by Evans, such as developer census information and  IT and communications spending rates. Evans also surveys developers to gain a demographic profile.