5 Things That Defined Tech in 2015
…That will be essential in 2016
2015 has been the year that the future of tech has become more clearly defined. This means its exactly the right moment to take control of your professional life and get ahead of the trends before they get ahead of you.
At Packt, it’s been a year of reflection and analysis — but we know that now is not the time to be resting on our laurels. Our Skills and Salary Reports gave us a fresh perspective on the people we create content for, as well as a greater insight on the changing ways we use and understand software. But we certainly don’t want to stop learning about what makes you tick — and what keeps you up at night. That’s why we’ve ended the Year with our very first Year in Review. It’s a chance for us to join the dots between the year that’s been and gone and the one that’s just ahead.
So what was important? And what does it mean for you? Take a look at some of our key findings, and then read the full report yourself…
1. Python, Python, Python
What better place to begin than with Python. Our end of year survey found that not only was Python the fastest growing topic of 2015 — being the most adopted programming language on the planet — it is also going to be the fastest growing topic of 2016. Surely this alone underlines that it is now the language of software par excellence. That’s not to say it’s superior to other languages; there are, of course, plenty of reasons to not use Python. But its versatility and ease of use means it’s an accessible route into the software world, a solution to a vast range of contemporary problems, from building websites to analysing data.
What you should be doing: The answer’s obvious — Learn Python now! If you’re already a dedicated Pythonista, rediscover it through a new programming paradigm.
2. Specialized Programming Languages
If Python has reached into just about every corner of the programming world, a curious counterpoint is the emergence of more specialized programming languages. In many ways, these languages share a number of Python’s distinctive characteristics. Languages like Go (which was far and away the winner when it came to languages people wanted to learn), Julia and Clojure all offer a level of control, their clear and expressive syntax perfect for complex problem solving and high performance. As the programming world becomes obsessed with speed and performance, it’s clear that these languages will be sticking around for some time.
What you should be doing: Learn and then build something with any of these languages— even if you don’t think they’ll be useful to you, you can learn a lot from getting outside of your comfort zone.
3. Bigger, Better, Faster Data
The next generation of Big Data and Data Science is already here. You probably already knew that — but the topics that emerged from our survey results indicate the direction in which the world of data is heading. Deep Learning was the most notable trend that is on the agenda for 2016. Clearly, now Machine Learning has become embedded in our everyday lives (professional and personal), 2016 is going to be all about creating even more sophisticated algorithms that can produce detailed levels of insight that would have been unimaginable a few years ago. Alongside this — perhaps as a corollary to this next-level machine learning — is the movement towards rapid, or even real-time Big Data processing. Tools such as Apache Kafka, Spark and Mesos all point towards this trend, all likely to become key tools in our Big Data infrastructures not only over the next 12 months but also over the next few years.
What you should be doing: Build your own algorithms and dive into machine learning. You need buy-in from the boss to rework your Big Data infrastructure (if you’ve got it, then we encourage you to wholeheartedly go for it), but anyone can play around with training sets. Even if you’re not a data analyst, it’s worth experimenting!
4. Internet of Things might Finally Become a Reality…
Even 12 months ago the Internet of Things looked like little more than a twinkle in the eye of a futurologist. Today it has finally taken form. We’re not there yet, but now it really is starting to look like something that’s going to have a real impact not only on the way we work, but also the way we understand software’s relationship to the world around us. The growth of wearables, and the rise of applications connected to real-world objects (we love home automation), are the first step towards a world that is entirely connected. It’s important to remember this is going to have a huge impact on everyone working in tech, from the developers creating IoT applications to the analysts charged with harnessing this new explosion of data.
What you should be doing: Pick up an Arduino or Raspberry Pi (or put it on your Xmas list if there’s still time!) and get started with your own IoT projects…
5. The Future of JavaScript
Many web developers we spoke to listed AngularJS as one of the most useful things they learned in 2015 — many more also said they planned on learning it in 2016. The impact of the eagerly-awaited Angular 2.0 remains to be seen, but it’s likely that the best way to prepare for the next generation of Angular is by getting to grips with Angular now! It would be unwise to see Angular’s dominance in isolation; it’s the growth of full-stack development that’s been crucial in 2015, and something that is going to shape the next 12 months in web development. Node.js featured as a key topic for many of our customers, highlighting that innovation in web development appears to be driven by tools that provide new ways of working with JavaScript. Although Node and Angular have a real hold when it comes to JavaScript, we should also pay attention to newer frameworks like React.js and Meteor. These are frameworks that are tackling the complexity and heft of today’s websites and applications through radical simplicity. If you’re a web developer, you cannot afford to ignore them.
What you should be doing: Try out a new JavaScript framework — yes, AngularJS 2.0 is going to be huge, but why not try building something with ReactJS or Meteor?
Download our Year in Review and explore our key findings in more detail. Then start exploring the topics and tools that you need to learn by taking advantage of our huge $5 offer!
With more than 3000 eBooks and video courses available for just $5, it’s the perfect opportunity to invest in your skills and prepare yourself for a rapidly changing tech world.
Originally published at www.packtpub.com.
