I wanted to specify the title as “Software engineering state of play 2025” but that would be a bit too lengthy. Also, why 2025, since it’s still 2024? Well, 2025 just sounds better—halfway between 2020 and 2030, and it’s almost 2025, anyway.

Compared to a decade ago, when all a software engineer needed on their CV to snag a decent job was either Java or C#, plus a bit of JavaScript, the two most necessary keywords nowadays are “microservices” and “cloud”, and not necessarily in that order. Add “React” or “Angular” for extra points.

To expand on the “cloud” aspect, it’s impossible to work on a new software project without involving either AWS or Azure. Interestingly, the AWS/Azure (admittedly false) dichotomy is pretty much like the Java/C# dichotomy: the path one takes depends on which one you happen to start in. So, if by pure happenstance your first cloud experience involves AWS, then you’re stuck looking for jobs involving AWS forever.

Another interesting thing is that there are now two spinoffs from the vocation of software engineer, namely data engineer and cloud engineer. To be a bit more precise, a cloud engineer is what a DevOps engineer used to be.

There’s also TypeScript, which personally I like a lot, but only because I’m older now, and I forget what “type” the parameter of a function is supposed to be as soon as I finish writing it.

In summary: unlike 2015, Java or C# ain’t enough for 2025. You also need either AWS or Azure, plus either React or Angular.