Software development is a dynamic field where programming languages, frameworks, and technologies can live and die within a few years, and the requirements of the job market are constantly changing. However, developers are still one of the most in-demand technology professionals, and learning the right programming languages and other skills can help you find a high-paying job in the field.
Pluralsight’s report identified the most popular software development skills over the past year, along with the skills that saw the most growth.
The most popular software development technologies in 2025
According to the report, the ten most popular software development skills by 2025 are:
- AI Agents and LangChain
- RAGs and Agentic RAGs
- python
- AWS and Azure
- Kubernetes and Docker
- Angular, React, and Blazor
- SQL
- linux
Note: Python is the most popular programming language today, according to the TIOBE Programming Community Index.
“We expect the biggest disruption across technology in 2025 to be the adoption of AI agents,” said Adam Ipsen, chief content strategist at Pluralsight. You can create and direct those agents using the LangChain software framework.
“Even if you don’t want to be an AI expert because you’re not in a technical role or you’re a cloud architect or programmer, we know that AI will be an essential skill in 2024 and beyond. For cloud professionals, this is especially important as these spaces quickly intersect with services like Amazon Q,” Ipsen wrote in a report last year.
This will still be true in 2025, despite a general shift in focus from large-scale language models to semi-autonomous AI agents.
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Meanwhile, Python remains the most popular programming language in the world. Pluralsight selected Python technology as the most popular software development skill last year.
“Python dominates data science and machine learning libraries, and over the past few years this fact alone has dramatically increased its popularity and industry relevance,” Ipsen wrote.
Key takeaways for technology leaders
Large-scale language models, agents, and RAGs are all interconnected to form a mix of the most in-demand AI technologies.
“By 2025, organizations will be looking for experts who can combine the two technologies (Agent AI and RAG) to create highly autonomous AI agents (Agent RAG) that are empowered by business data or other relevant information sources,” said Ipsen. “I expect it,” he said. .
Employees who know one or more of these skills are valuable, and team leaders should give them the time and encouragement to learn them.
Working in a multi-cloud environment, especially AWS and Microsoft Azure, is another skill that can benefit organizations and employees looking to upskill for higher-paying positions.
