Software development is a dynamic field where programming languages, frameworks, and technologies may live and die within a few years, and job market needs constantly change. However, developers remain among the most in-demand tech professionals, and learning the right programming languages and other skills can help you find a high-paying job in the field.
A report from Pluralsight identified the most popular software development technologies of the past year, along with those with the most growth.
The most popular software development technologies in 2025
Here are the top 10 most popular software development technologies in 2025, according to the report:
- AI Agents and LangChain
- RAG and Agentic RAG
- Python
- AWS and Azure
- Kubernetes and Docker
- Angular, React, and Blazor
- SQL
- Linux
SEE: Python is today’s most popular programming language, according to the TIOBE Programming Community index.
“We predict in 2025 the biggest disrupter to tech in general will be the adoption of AI agents,” wrote Adam Ipsen, lead content strategist at Pluralsight. The LangChain software framework can be used to create and direct those agents.
“Even if you’re not in a technical role, or don’t want to become an AI specialist because you’re working as something like a Cloud Architect or a programmer, knowing AI is becoming an essential skill in 2024 and beyond (For cloud specialists, it’s especially important, as these spaces are quickly intersecting with services like Amazon Q),” Ipsen wrote in last year’s report.
That still holds true going into 2025, even though the focus has shifted from large language models in general to semi-autonomous AI agents.
SEE: NVIDIA added more AI processing power to its small Jetson Orin developer kit.
Meanwhile, Python is still the world’s most popular programming language. Pluralsight picked Python skills as the most popular software development skill last year.
“Python dominates data science and machine learning libraries, and over the last few years this fact alone has dramatically increased its popularity and industry relevance,” Ipsen wrote.
The big takeaways for tech leaders
Large language models, agents, and RAG all interconnect to form a melange of the most in-demand AI skills.
“In 2025, we predict organizations will be seeking specialists who can combine these two techniques [agentic AI and RAG] to create highly autonomous AI agents who are empowered by your business data or other relevant information sources, known as Agentic RAG,” Ipsen said.
Employees who know more than one of these skills will be valuable, and team leaders should give employees time and encouragement to learn them.
Working in multi-cloud environments, especially AWS and Microsoft Azure, is another skill set that will benefit organizations and employees looking to upskill into higher-paying positions.
