In Packt’s “Skill Up: Developer Talk” report , software engineers, web developers and other industry leaders shared their thoughts on the ever-evolving tech landscape and how developers can stay relevant in 2017.
The report itself covers topics ranging from security and mobile development, web development and programming, game development, and data management. Since technology and software are rapidly changing, Packt wanted to look at the talent behind today’s applications and algorithms to learn what real-world developers think about the industry, according to the report.
(Related: StackShare’s top developer tools from 2016 )
Here’s what some developers have to say about 2017, along with their suggestions on what skills and technology to learn along the way.
What should web developers focus on in 2017?
In 2016, web developers saw two new standards driving front-end success, according to the report: Angular 2 and React. Packt’s developer survey reported that 50% of developers said they migrated from AngularJS to Angular 2, or they were already in the process of migrating. Does this mean developers should stay inside their current frameworks, or is it worth it to migrate to Angular 2?
Matt Frisbie, a Google software engineer, said that it really depends on the developer and his or her needs. However, Angular 2 brings performance, mobile friendliness, and reactive patterns and architecture to the table, and someone looking to build a scalable platform would definitely want to consider Angular 2.
As for other tools, he recommended web developers learn ECMAScript 6 in 2017, and he mentioned TypeScript as another technology to consider. React also has a “great foothold,” and he has noticed an increase in demand for React developers.
“If you are looking at getting another notch on your tool belt, learning React may be a good choice,” said Frisbie.
