Not gonna lie, sometimes it feels a bit scary to be a software developer in a world where AI is everywhere. Every now and then, I have this thought: "Oh man, am I going to be out of a job in a couple of years?"
The developer’s role will certainly look very different in the future, but I don’t think it will cease to exist. The best plan for any developer is simply to be ready for change and to stay ahead of the curve.
Today, teams are leaner and faster. With AI handling the bulk of boilerplate and routine syntax, the "bottleneck" has shifted. We no longer need a massive army of specialized coders; instead, companies are looking for multi-skilled professionals who can own a feature from the first brainstorm to the final deployment.
I’m a senior fullstack developer with experience in Python and React. That’s a good start, but the last couple of years have been a bit rough, and I’ve started to feel like I’m not living up to my potential. So, I’m making this post my New Year’s resolution to make 2026 the turning point for my career.
I asked Gemini and ChatGPT to help me prepare a learning plan. I listed the different stages of software development I want to master, and the AI provided a list of resources to get me there. Below is a combined version of that plan, featuring the best recommendations from both models.
Learning Plan
1. Management & Product Orchestration
It is increasingly common to see self-organized teams with little to no presence of a traditional manager or Scrum Master. It’s often up to the team to decide how to organize their work. Having a deeper understanding of team dynamics is essential if I want to grow into a Lead Developer or Team Lead role.
AI Recommendation:
Google Project Management Professional Certificate
2. UI/UX Design
I’m not planning to become a full-time designer, but understanding the basic principles of good design and user experience is a superpower for a fullstack dev. If I can create a page that is aesthetically pleasing, accessible, and intuitive, I’ll count that as a win.
AI Recommendation:
Google UX Design Professional Certificate
Refactoring UI by Adam Wathan & Steve Schoger
3. Backend Development (Python Focus)
I have a solid grasp of Python from my time as a backend engineer, but there is always something new to learn.
AI recommendation:
Fluent Python: Clear, Concise, and Effective Programming
Python notes for professionals
4. Frontend Development (React & TypeScript)
I transitioned to fullstack only two years ago. While I can write decent code, I’m not quite at the "Senior" level for frontend yet. My goal is to master the nuances of TypeScript and React.
AI recommendation:
React documentation
5. Databases & Data Strategy
Similar to the backend, my goal is to move from "functional" knowledge to an "advanced" level.
AI recommendation:
Use The Index, Luke!
6. System Design & Architecture
This is a critical area for growth. I want to refresh what I already know and dive into modern architectural patterns for scale.
AI recommendation:
Designing Data-Intensive Applications
7. Quality Assurance & Testing
I don’t remember seeing a dedicated QA engineer on a project in the last five years. Like it or not, developers are now responsible for the final quality of their applications.
Testing requires a different mindset; I’ve often struggled with it because, subconsciously, I find myself trying not to break what I just built!
I want to learn the QA mindset to improve my unit and integration testing.
AI recommendation:
Test Driven Development: By Example
8. DevOps & Cloud Infrastructure
I don’t intend to become a DevOps engineer, but having foundational cloud knowledge is no longer optional.
AI recommendation:
Ultimate AWS Certified Solutions Architect Associate 2026
Github actions
9. Security & Observability
This is an extremely important part of modern development. I want to systematize my existing knowledge and fill in the gaps.
AI recommendation:
Site Reliability Engineering – Google
10. AI tools
I use AI daily, but I’m sure there is more potential to be unlocked to improve my speed and code quality.
AI recommendation: I’m still looking for the "perfect" course here. I’ll update this section as I find better resources!
Closing Thoughts
I haven’t started all of these materials yet, but as I progress through this plan, I’ll update this post with my thoughts on what actually worked and what I recommend to read or watch.
If you have any suggestions for books or courses that helped you grow, please share them in the comments! I’d love to hear your recommendations.
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