2023 has a lot in store, and I can't wait to get started! In 2022 I worked full time in Java while exploring several other programming languages on my free time, resulting in the busiest GitHub activity I've ever had! I have finally determined which secondary language to focus into becoming a marketable skill this year: Swift.
Why Swift?
A lot of mobile developers have specialized in cross-platform app development using React Native and Flutter. I'm impressed with Flutter and expect to revisit it once I have gained work experience as a Swift developer, but I believe that the industry emphasis on cross-platform development has created a greater shortage in native Apple iPhone, iPad, and macOS developers. I really enjoy (most of) the user experiences that Apple devices have to offer and intend to take advantage of this skill shortage.
I know I'm very late to the party, and I expect that understanding Apple's frameworks like UIKit, SwiftUI, ARKit, etc. does not happen quickly, but it does mean that there are enough possibilities to explore to keep the journey from ever becoming a boring one!
This doesn't mean I won't be active in the Java community anymore. On the contrary, I accepted a new job offer to work in Java full-time and expect some exciting developments in the Java ecosystem this year.
What is in store for Java in 2023?
Java seems to have gained a second wind in recent years, and the innovation in this ecosystem is speeding up. Java 20 and LTS release 21 are expected to happen this year. RIFE2, an actively-developed pure-Java web framework, has recently caught my attention. Like Javalin, it appears to be built on top of the successful Jetty server. I also started exploring FXGL for building games with Java. Lastly, as concerns over COVID-19 variants wane I expect an increase in Java developers participating in community events. For example, Chicago finally had its first in-person JConf event and the Chicago Java User Group (CJUG) is easing back into in-person events.
What new developer technologies are you the most excited about? Are you looking forward to going back to in-person events this year?
Top comments (0)