The market for Web development technologies appears ripe for consolidation. And yet, the barriers to entry are so low -- many of the tools are free -- that the market forces that might ordinarily eliminate competitors don't seem to apply here.
In one sense, that's great for the underdogs. In such a market, really impressive technologies have a chance to grow and thrive, with or without the backing of a name-brand vendor. Even the most obscure tools will eventually find an audience if they do the job better than what came before them.
On the other hand, this fragmentation of the market creates a kind of skills crisis. No one Web developer can excel at all of these technologies; the development methodologies behind some of them are virtual opposites. The pressure on developers, therefore, is to specialize. But how do you choose one tool to be your bread and butter from a field this broad? And by the same token, how do you recruit talent for your Web project when your technology requirements might eliminate most of the applicants?
Of course, software development as a profession has always required a certain amount of agility. Experienced systems programmers will tell you that computer languages really are all the same, and that learning Python is trivial if you already know Java.
The most agile developers, however, are those who approach programming with a firm grounding in computer science. Likewise, I suspect that the current abundance of Web tools is a sign that the Wild, Wild West of Web development is coming to an end. Increasingly, ad hoc projects and cobbled-together tools will give way to those that emphasize the values and methods of traditional software development, such as design patterns, code reuse, and refactorability.
But you tell me. If you're in charge of a Web-based software project, how do you go about recruiting development talent? Is familiarity with the specific technologies in use at your organization a priority, or are you more likely to value past success at other projects, even if they were built with different tools? And if you're an independent developer, are you confident enough in your skill set that you feel comfortable moving from project to project, or does keeping up with the latest trends in Web development feel like treading water?
I look forward to hearing your feedback.
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