By Chelsea Babin

Wouldn’t it be nice if we could get the weather forecast a year in advance? There would be no more ruined vacations, no more surprise downpours, no more caught in a sweater when it’s suddenly 85 degrees days. Unfortunately, that isn’t technologically possible yet. However, we can get a general forecast of the technology trends for the upcoming year!

2015 looks incredibly promising for the Information Technology industry at large. But, as always, there are trends and changing technological preferences that you should be aware of so you aren’t left behind in the cold, cruel tech world of years past. Here are a few exciting popular technologies and new technologies to stay on top of this year:

> JavaScript is here to stay: Whether it’s on the server side or in its multiple popular frameworks, JavaScript is seemingly taking over in 2015. It may be the technology that defines the year and is certainly a multifaceted technology you should keep your eye on over the next twelve months.

> Make way for Swift & Apple Watch: Swift was an unexpected new technology in 2014 so many iOS developers haven’t gotten around to utilizing it as their main programming language. 2015 will see Swift become a more popular choice for app development so, if you haven’t started learning it yet, you should as soon as possible. Apple’s WatchKit for its yet to be released Apple Watch is potentially a trendy development tool this year but the industry isn’t quite sure how popular the Apple Watch will be. Only time will tell!

>You need Node: Do you work with JavaScript on the server side? If so, you need to know Node, one of the most popular choices for new applications. Some key players in the IT industry think it’s so functional and popular it may soon replace prominent languages like PHP and Ruby.

> Cloud and Big Data continue to grow: Cloud technology was the “it” thing in 2013. Big Data arguably tied with Security as the main technology buzz word of 2014. Although those years have passed, these technologies aren’t becoming irrelevant any time soon. In fact, big data management and cloud storage have continued to perforate the tech scene so much that in 2015 they are going to pop up everywhere you look.

> I see frameworks everywhere: That’s right, whether you’re using JavaScript frameworks like AngularJs or CSS frameworks like Bootstrap, you’ll start noticing their popularity grow even more throughout 2015. JavaScript frameworks are incredibly popular right now but there isn’t one dominating the pack, which means, for now, the more you know the better off you’ll be. The same goes for CSS frameworks and, although there is no clear winner amongst them, their modular nature helps you get exactly what you need from each of them.

> Keep HTML5 in your back pocket: Mobile devices aren’t going away and neither is HTML5. 2014 saw an incredible amount of business developers migrating to an HTML5 development platform and 2015 will undoubtedly continue that trend. If you don’t have HTML5 in your arsenal, you should consider learning it this year. It’s not going away any time soon!

> Security trumps all: If you build or run back-end systems, the various tech breaches of 2014 might have you (or your bosses) shaking in your boots. Those concerns won’t disappear as 2015 continues so protecting sensitive data and keeping servers secure from hackers will likely be a main focus of your job in 2015. Make sure you stay up to date on the latest hacker tactics and preventative security measures so the data you’re responsible for protecting isn’t compromised.

You may not know the weather forecast for 2015 but, with the technology forecast, you’ll be able to observe expected trends, surprise technology twists, and better prepare yourself for the year ahead in IT. Happy Developing!