What programming technologies should you learn in 2020?

As we kick off a new year, it’s the perfect time to reflect on what technologies are worth investing our time in. As a developer who’s passionate about staying current with the latest trends, here are the technologies I’m most excited to dive deeper into this year.

React & Modern JavaScript

React continues to dominate the frontend landscape, and for good reason:

• Hooks have revolutionized how we write React components
• Context API provides better state management solutions
• Concurrent Mode promises to make apps more responsive
• Server-side rendering with Next.js is becoming mainstream

JavaScript itself keeps evolving:

• ES2020 features like optional chaining and nullish coalescing
• TypeScript adoption is growing rapidly
• Modern bundlers like Vite and Snowpack are changing the game

Cloud Technologies

The cloud isn’t just trendy—it’s essential:

AWS

• Lambda functions for serverless computing
• S3 for scalable storage solutions
• EC2 for traditional server hosting
• RDS for managed databases

Docker & Kubernetes

• Containerization is becoming standard practice
• Orchestration with Kubernetes for scaling applications
• DevOps integration for smoother deployments

Machine Learning & AI

AI is no longer just for specialists:

• TensorFlow.js brings ML to the browser
• Python remains the go-to language for data science
• Computer Vision applications are everywhere
• Natural Language Processing for chatbots and content analysis

Mobile Development

Mobile-first isn’t just a design principle:

React Native

• Cross-platform development efficiency
• Native performance with JavaScript
• Hot reloading for faster development cycles

Flutter

• Dart language is surprisingly pleasant to work with
• Single codebase for iOS and Android
• Growing ecosystem of packages and tools

Backend Technologies

The backend landscape is diversifying:

Node.js Ecosystem

• Express.js for rapid API development
• GraphQL for flexible data fetching
• Microservices architecture patterns

Python & Django

• Django REST Framework for API development
• Data processing capabilities
• Scientific computing libraries

Go

• Performance benefits for high-traffic applications
• Concurrency handling is excellent
• Simple deployment with single binaries

Why These Technologies Matter

As someone who creates educational content, I’m always looking for technologies that:

1. Solve real problems - Not just trendy for the sake of it
2. Have strong communities - Good documentation and support
3. Career prospects - Skills that employers value
4. Learning curve - Accessible to developers at different levels

My Learning Strategy

Here’s how I plan to tackle these technologies:

Hands-on Projects

• Build real applications, not just follow tutorials
• Document the process for my YouTube channel
• Share code examples and lessons learned

Community Engagement

• Participate in forums and discussions
• Attend virtual conferences and meetups
• Contribute to open-source projects where possible

Teaching Others

• Create tutorial content for my audience
• Explain concepts in simple, story-driven ways
• Share both successes and failures

const learningPlan2020 = {
  focus: ['React', 'AWS', 'Docker', 'React Native'],
  method: 'project-based-learning',
  goal: 'create-educational-content',
  
  execute: function() {
    return this.focus.map(tech => ({
      technology: tech,
      approach: 'build-real-projects',
      share: 'document-everything'
    }));
  }
};

console.log(learningPlan2020.execute());

What’s On Your List?

The best technology to learn is the one that aligns with your goals and interests. Whether you’re looking to:

• Switch careers into tech
• Level up your current skills
• Build your own projects
• Stay relevant in a fast-changing field

The key is to start building, start learning, and start sharing your journey with others.

What technologies are you excited to learn this year? Let me know in the comments!

Thanks for stopping by :)