In the freelancing industry, excellent skills are always required in order to deliver projects exactly as desired. These skills are constantly changing, and it is imperative that freelancers all over the world evolve accordingly. Clients demand excellence and anything less is not acceptable. These expectations act as the propellant for the acquisition of the new skills in the market. An Overview of the Software and Web Development Industry The web and mobile app development industry is one that is experiencing a tremendous growth rate in recent years. Web and mobile app development freelancers are now tasked with delivering a first-class application with excellent user experience and little or no bugs. It is also interesting to note that this same industry is becoming increasingly competitive due to the rate at which new skills are emerging. It is also worthy to note that freelancers in this industry are among the highest paid on various freelancing platforms due to the amount of expertise required in the industry. Furthermore, the number of jobs available for this industry is on a daily increase due to the growing trend of technological and digital globalization. But to be able to aptly enjoy the benefits this industry has to offer, you have to stay ahead of the curve. You need to equip yourself with necessary, updated knowledge and also put these skills to practice constantly. It is understandable if you do not know what is expected of you, so it is only natural to examine those skills that can help freelancers perform better on web development projects in 2019. Skills Required to Land Web and Mobile App Projects In 2019 There are 5 essential skills required to be able to consistently land high-value projects in this industry in 2019; Cryptography for Blockchain Python for Artificial Intelligence Internet of Things (IoT) Technology Stack Building Progressive Web apps Big Data Analytics Tools These are the major skills that every developer in the web and mobile app development industry should learn. We now proceed to examine exactly why these skills will be the most sought-out for come 2019. Cryptography for Blockchain This year, we have seen the rise and fall of several cryptocurrencies. But more importantly, we have seen a host of blockchain-enabled projects emerging. It suffices to say that blockchain technology has changed the landscape of a number of industries and the web development sector is no exception. In 2019, we will see an exponential increase in the demand for programmers with an understanding of blockchain. What you need to learn to partake in this field is the knowledge of completing transactions on a cryptographic consensus algorithm, enabling peer-to-peer interaction of devices. It is believed that the cryptographic algorithms will enable distributed and decentralized databases that will cause security to be guaranteed. In fact, we can expect that before the end of the year, a good number of programmers will go on to learn how to work with blockchain just to take on projects. Python for Artificial Intelligence If you have not been paying attention to the field of AI, you need to start doing so now. Just look at the growth in the last five years. This is enough to tell you that machine learning is not just a fancy keyword, it is the real deal. The major issue with finding programmers in the field of AI is because the field is relatively young. The implication is that we almost never see professionals who have long-term experience. One core competency you should know about is the use of Python for AI. The syntax is incredibly simple to follow and several algorithms can be implemented on the platform. The functional libraries such as NumPy for scientific computations and Pybrain for machine learning also greatly simplify the learning process for developers. Internet of Things (IoT) Technology Stack The concept of the internet of things is one that promises to completely revolutionize the way apps are being developed. The aim is to equip virtually every object with network connectivity. Basically, think of it as enabling your toaster, refrigerator, car, and even your thermostat to send and receive data. As a web developer, you are privileged to be on the frontier of this wave and it is imperative that you learn more about the ways in which you can leverage the opportunity in 2019. There are three layers of IoT; the sensors embedded in the objects, the microcontrollers, and internet connectivity, and data and service platforms that service the customers. Ideally, you should have an idea of the general schematic and how this infuses with web development. Building Progressive Web Apps The concept of is new and was recently introduced. The aim is to introduce the best of both native websites and mobile apps and then combine it into one app while eliminating the drawbacks of each. This is another really important skill for freelancers to learn in 2019 as the users are clamoring for this app because of the lightweight nature. progressive web apps Big Data Analytics Tools Thanks to big data, businesses can now create a web design that is data-driven. Doing this will inevitably lead to an excellent user experience and this is not just in terms of functionality. In essence, a data-driven web design will help the organization monitor how they can gain more traffic, leads, and even conversion. In fact, research has shown that businesses that aptly make the switch to a data-driven web design enjoy more traffic and this leads to a better return on investment. There are tools such as Amazon S3, MongoDB, Hadoop HDFS, and a host of others that help with data storage. We also have PostgreSQL, Apache Spark, and Amazon Redshift to help with data processing and cloud-based analysis. These skills will come in handy as you plan to take on more projects in 2019. If you want to excel and bring increased profit to your business as a web developer, gaining mastery of this skill is an essential attribute. Conclusion Due to the technicality of this industry, developers might become overwhelmed by the number of sophisticated skills that they need to learn. However, the skills listed above represent a great starting point for every web and mobile app developer who wishes to consistently land projects in 2019. Written by Dmitry Budko

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