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15 Skills Every Software Engineer Should Have in 2025 πŸš€

Hadil Ben Abdallah on April 09, 2025

The tech world is doing some radical change almost daily, and to stay in the lead has now become a necessity. Software engineering will, in 2025, r...
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xwero profile image
david duymelinck

I think not every developer should have all those skills. People should become experts in a few things, but have a generalist view.
I believe a full stack developer that is an expert in all the fields is a unicorn. That is why people branch off in frontend, backend and ops groups. And even in those groups there are subgroups.

The two skills I would not put on the list are blockchain/web3 and sustainability.

I never seen a blockchain/web3 application that can't be done another way, so for me that technology is dead in the water. The only noticeable uses of blockchain are memecoins, and that is not a good thing.

In the age where serverfarms are popping up like big chain stores can you really talk about sustainability with a straight face? They are a symptom of the greed for data to analyse and transform by people who think it is beneficial to them. And those people are most of the time not developers.

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hadil profile image
Hadil Ben Abdallah

Thank you for sharing your perspective, it's a valid point and an important one to consider. 🌱

You're absolutely right that no developer can (or should) master every single skill out there. The list I wrote wasn't meant to suggest that one person should excel in all 15 areas at once, rather, it’s a compass for growth depending on one's interest, role, and the direction tech is heading in 2025. It’s more about awareness and versatility than mastery in everything.

On blockchain/Web3, I get where you're coming from. There’s a lot of hype and noise in that space, especially with crypto-related speculation. But beyond memecoins, there are interesting use cases like decentralized identity, smart contracts in real estate, and transparent supply chain systems. While not mainstream yet, understanding these can still give developers a competitive edge in certain industries.

As for sustainability, you're also touching on a very real contradiction, tech’s massive data centers do raise environmental concerns. But I included it because I believe developers can play a part in reducing the carbon footprint through better coding practices, more efficient algorithms, and conscious architectural choices. It’s not a silver bullet, but it’s a conversation worth keeping alive.

And I totally agree with your take on specialization. We need T-shaped developers, those with deep expertise in a few areas, and general knowledge across others to collaborate effectively. That’s really the spirit behind the article: to help developers see what’s possible and pick the paths that resonate most.

Thanks again for engaging, it’s this kind of thoughtful dialogue that actually pushes the conversation forward.

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david duymelinck

I agree decentralisation is a good thing, but that is not tied to blockchain or web3.
The biggest problem with decentralisation is that it is not usable in a situation where the data needs to be correct at all times. There will be cases where decentralisation is the best solution, but i think it is a niche market.
Smart contracts and transparency are things that can, and are, solved in other ways.

I agree using efficient algorithms does help, on the other hand I would not say the main goal is sustainability. Most of the time it is for cost cutting.
Code practices and architecture are mainly focused to create the most understandable code possible for the problems that it solves or the features that it creates. The most understandable code is not always the most efficient code.
While I agree we can all help by doing little things, the bigger things should be addressed as well.

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Eric Walter

Great content, every skill mentioned is spot-on for what’s coming in 2025. One thing I’d add for Python developers specifically: mastering performance tools like functools.lru_cache can make a huge impact in real-world apps, especially when working with data-intensive or recursive tasks.
Also, if you’re scaling a team or building complex systems, it’s smart to hire remote programmers who are already fluent in these skills and best practices. Future-proofing starts with having the right people on board.

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Hadil Ben Abdallah

Thank you so much for the thoughtful insight! πŸ™Œ

You're absolutely right, performance optimization tools like functools.lru_cache are game-changers, especially for data-heavy and recursive operations in Python. It’s often these β€œbehind-the-scenes” tools that make a massive difference in real-world applications.

And yes, I couldn’t agree more about the importance of building teams that are not only skilled but forward-thinking. Hiring remote programmers who already embrace these best practices is a powerful way to scale efficiently and sustainably in 2025 and beyond.

Appreciate you adding such valuable depth to the conversation! πŸš€πŸ’‘

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Aayush Pokharel

I recently learned about lru_cache in python. Thank you for taking time to sharing this. πŸ™‚

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hadil profile image
Hadil Ben Abdallah

You're welcome πŸ™πŸ»πŸ™πŸ»

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Mahdi Jazini

WOW ....!
An incredible article that illustrates the future of software engineering!
Skills like continuous learning and a focus on sustainability are essential not only for career success but also for making a positive impact on the world. Thanks for this comprehensive and forward-thinking perspective...!

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hadil profile image
Hadil Ben Abdallah

Thank you so much for your kind words and energy! πŸ™πŸ»
I'm really glad the article resonated with you. You're absolutely right, continuous learning and sustainability go beyond career goals, they shape the kind of future we want to build, both in tech and beyond.

It’s amazing to see more people recognizing the importance of growth with purpose.

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hadil profile image
Hadil Ben Abdallah

Thank you so much for your kind words and for taking the time to share such a well-articulated perspective. I really appreciate it! πŸ™

You brought up some very valid points, and I completely agree that not every technology listed will apply equally across all industries or even stand the test of time in the same way.

Regarding blockchain and Web3, I hear you, the hype wave has definitely cooled, and in many sectors, it hasn’t lived up to the original promises. That said, I think while it may not be a universal "must-have" anymore, niche areas like decentralized finance (DeFi), supply chain, and digital identity still show pockets of real innovation. But I totally get your point, its relevance is definitely more specialized now.

As for AI, you're spot on, the hype around generative AI is massive, and like all hype cycles, it’s likely to cool off. But I think the underlying machine learning principles (even beyond GenAI) are going to continue integrating into backend systems, automation workflows, and analytics pipelines. Maybe not as loud and flashy, but still useful in a more grounded, problem-solving kind of way.

Ultimately, the list is more of a toolkit than a checklist, not everything will be equally useful to everyone, and tech trends shift fast. I really value your critical take because it helps create a more nuanced conversation, which is what the community really needs. πŸ™Œ

Thanks again for engaging so thoughtfully! Would love to hear more of your thoughts on what you see as truly future-proof skills.

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Md Sarfaraz

So basically you are asking software engineer to become one man army?

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hadil profile image
Hadil Ben Abdallah

Great question and a totally fair concern!

The article isn’t meant to suggest that every software engineer must master all 15 skills at once or become a one-person tech army. The real intent is to highlight the evolving landscape of software engineering and the kinds of skills that are increasingly valuable across different roles.

Think of this list more like a menu than a checklist. Depending on your specialization, backend, frontend, DevOps, AI, mobile, etc. Different skills will be more relevant to you. The goal is to encourage awareness and adaptability, not to overload anyone with unrealistic expectations.

In 2025, versatility and the ability to collaborate across domains are becoming real career boosters. You don’t have to be an expert in everything, but being curious, open to learning, and familiar with how different pieces of the tech puzzle fit together can make you a more effective teammate and engineer.

Thanks for reading and for sparking a great conversation!

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patrick_c4f6eac66fba3e483 profile image
Patrick

now I know nuttin

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hadil profile image
Hadil Ben Abdallah

Haha πŸ˜„ We’ve all been there! The more we learn, the more we realize how much more there is to explore, it's part of the magic of being in tech!
You know more than you think, and every step forward counts.

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patrick_c4f6eac66fba3e483 profile image
Patrick

Cheers man, needed to these wise words

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Hadil Ben Abdallah

πŸ™πŸ»πŸ™πŸ»πŸ™πŸ»

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Ben Abdallah Hanadi

Wow 😍
This is an amazing article πŸ‘
Thank you so much for sharing such a valuable content ❀

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Hadil Ben Abdallah

Thank you so much πŸ™πŸ»
I'm so glad you like it ❀❀

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Abhay Bundel

Great content, I love this kind of content <3, Keep up your work.

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Hadil Ben Abdallah

Thank you so much for your support πŸ™πŸ»