Tech Trends Of 2020 & What Skills Devs Can Learn To Keep Up

So the new year is around the corner and I’ve been analysing (from a software developer’s perspective) what’s going on in the fast-changing technology world.

Indeed, we have seen a lot of great things happening in 2019 in terms of latest technologies that are making everyday lives of both people and businesses easier. Yes a business has got its everyday life too. I am talking about great technologies like Artificial Intelligent, Machine Learning, Big Data, Cloud Computing, Internet of Things, etc.

These technologies have been around for a while now but we are at the stage where it should be built into your business core in order to get your business on the competitive map. I will be focusing more on 2020 here.

Remember it’s a new year but more importantly, it’s the start of a new decade. Just like any other areas of specialty, tech professionals need to keep updated with the latest trends in technology as a survival tactic.

I will list and explain top 7 technologies that are likely to take industries by storm in 2020 and what skills should software developers be equipped with to use those technologies at the most benefit of Africa. Let’s get started:

1. 5G Technology. Although this technology is still under development, it is expected to hit the market in 2020. Yes, we may probably get it in Africa probably later than 2022 but it’s worth studying and understanding how your business is going to create value for consumers once the technology is around. 5G is going to be 10X faster than 4G in terms of downloading and uploading speeds, connectivity and so on.
2. AR and VR. Augmented Reality is a technology that superimposes computer-generated images on users real world view thereby providing a composite view. AR can be used to create an everlasting impact for learners as concepts are understood better visually than traditional lecturing. For example if we can use AR to show the concept of river formation to O’ Level student can immediately create everlasting memory that can’t be easily forgotten once exams come around.
3. Machine Learning. More data is being generated everyday. Machine Learning models can use that data to perform predictive analytics. I am talking of using ML models for predictive health care and medicine, early disease detection, automating tasks in industries and so on.
4. Internet of Things. It is estimated that by the year 2020, 75 billion devices will be connected on the face of the globe. This will result in an increase in demand for connectivity options.
5. Big Data. There is a saying that data is the new gold. Large data sets are still seating there and being classified as Dark Data. With all these technologies like Data Analytics Automation, Augmented Analytics, Data-as-a-service, big data is here for the game across industries. The industries are in need of data scientists who can make use of available data for the good in ML models in healthcare, marketing, etc
6. Cognitive Cloud Computing. It’s an extended ecosystem where we distribute cognitive cloud apps and solutions to the masses using cloud computing. We can build apps for Natural Language Processing (NLP) and run it in the cloud as Cognitive cloud understands the complexities of big data.
7. AI-as-a-Service (AIaaS). Most companies out there are busy building their Artificial Intelligent to help run their businesses. The companies in the industries like Banking, Food, Mobile operators need AI but the challenge is how expensive it is to do so. That’s where AIaaS comes in with companies like Amazon, Google offering infrastructure and basic algorithms to build AI of your company on top of.

What to do as a developer?

Well, as tech professionals it’s essential to know the latest trends that can impact the business you work for or you own. Your skillset as a developer can determine whether you are aligned to the race for change for your business or you need to learn the right skills first.

One of our greatest tools as tech professionals are programming languages and l will list top 5 programming languages that you can learn in 2020, that are capable of implementing technologies that l listed above and also based on their learning curve, community size and statistics from Google and other tech platforms. Of course, they are great alternatives but here is my top 5:

1. Kotlin. In the Android development world, Java is still very popular but Kotlin is slowly taking the space for official android apps development.
2. Swift. It is the official programming language for developing iOS apps. It’s a steady language and shows not to go anywhere.
3. Dart. It’s a new language developed by Google. It’s on this list due to the mobile app development framework that it partners with to deliver iOS and Android apps from one codebase. The framework which is growing fast due to its efficiency is flutter and also developed by Google.
4. JavaScript. Yes, this one is controversial but it needs to be on the top 5 of my list. Every browser run JS and it can work as both front and backend. A lot of JS libraries come out every time, it’s a matter of choosing what gets the job done and do the job.
5. Python. Yes, this is the best language in the world according to Google statistics. The simplicity to learn and powerful to use on the web, data science, desktop, ML, AI, Cloud Computing makes it suitable to be the best language in the world.

What to do as a business?

Well, a business that doesn’t follow latest technology trends and analyse how that can give them competitive advantage will soon be off the map. As a business, having a department of research and development is crucial in this world of evolving technology. Disruptions are on their way and one day your business will simply fall behind. A business should have a team of good researchers, partner with the best companies in that field and outsource best talents in the tech sector in order to remain relevant in whatever products and services they offer.

About the author.

My name is Gift Marimo. I am an entrepreneur with 4 years experience as a software developer. My areas of interest are AI, ML, Blockchain Technology and Data Science. My business assists small, medium to large businesses with the planning, research development and implementation of some great technologies in order to solve tough challenges in organisations.

Mobile – 0774296433 Email – mgift9319@gmail.com Twitter – @giftmarimo1 Linked in – Gift Marimo