There are so many technologies to learn these days, sometimes it can feel overwhelming. As soon as something becomes adopted as the standard, another alternative comes to rival it. This can leave many developers lost as to what they should be learning next.
I understand. There’s so much exciting technology emerging and I want to learn it all too. These are truly great times to be living.
But there’s a wiser approach. It involves taking note of which technologies are sticking around and which aren’t.
In 2020, there are a few that have not only gained a lot of ground over the past several years but have set the precedent for new ideas to revolve around. Becoming familiar with these will make you a more knowledgeable and marketable developer going into 2021.
Let’s take a look.
1. Cloud Computing
The cloud computing market is booming. Everyone is getting on board.
Even if your business isn’t quick to move all physical resources to the cloud, you’ve probably incorporated a hybrid approach. It’s hard to find an organization that doesn’t have one foot already in the door.
This should be a no-brainer for developers. If “80% of organizations are predicted to migrate toward the cloud by 2025,” then it should surely be a tool in your toolbelt.
And access to training material is more accessible and affordable than ever.
There are a number of Udemy courses that will take you from a complete beginner to preparing for your first cloud certification.
AWS, Azure or GCP
So, which platform should you choose? Well, unless you have a good reason to learn it I would suggest dropping GCP from the list as the other two are more popular. AWS is leading the pack with Azure following behind (and gaining ground fast).
Both AWS and Azure offer free trials up front where you can create accounts and play around in the environment free of charge. When that trial runs out you can still continue using it as a learning resource for less than $5/month (if you can remember to shut down or delete resources after your working sessions).
I personally prefer Azure, but AWS is leading the polls.
Learning Resources
AWS: Look for beginner courses on Udemy.com by Ryan Kroonenberg or Stephane Maarek.
Azure: Look for beginner courses on Udemy.com by Scott Duffy or Alan Rodrigues. A more thorough option (though not as exciting) is to follow the certification paths and teachings at Microsoft Learn. It’s free!
*Remember, never pay more than $15 for a Udemy course. Coupons are everywhere.
2. Docker
Docker isn’t really new, but there are still many developers with no knowledge of this ever-growing technology.
With all the languages, frameworks, architectures, and interfaces being used today, Docker helps to simplify workflow by allowing developers to package up these applications into containers that can be easily and accurately deployed or passed along to others.
In 2019, job postings that list Docker as a preferred skill on Indeed increased by nearly 50%.
Also in 2019, Docker was rated as the #1 most wanted platform, #2 most loved platform, and #3 most broadly used platform in the Stack Overflow yearly developer survey.
If you haven’t learned Docker, you’re already behind. Learning it will not only level up your workflow, but it has become a necessity to know in 2020.
Learning Resources
You can learn the concepts and have a base understanding of Docker in a day. In fact, here’s a video I published recently that will get you up to speed in one hour (including some practical, hands-on examples).
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