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The 8 most in-demand tech skills in 2025 (with skill tests)

Here is a list of the top tech skills to have on your resume, as well as a list of skill tests you can use to gauge your current proficiency.

Adam Ipsen

By Adam Ipsen

Nov 8, 2024 • 10 Minute Read

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Upskilling is part and parcel with being in tech, but it can be tough to know where to spend your efforts. That's why we've done research into the top tech talents you might want on your CV in 2025, how you can test your current aptitude in these areas, and what learning resources are available to help you increase your knowledge.

For a more detailed explanation for why these tech skills made our list, keep reading! Take our free Skill IQ tests after each section to gauge your current proficiency level, and see how you match up to other industry professionals.

1. AI Agents and LangChain

We predict in 2025 the biggest disrupter to tech in general will be the adoption of AI agents. Agents are AI entities that can perform specific complex tasks without human intervention. The benefits to this are fairly widespread, such as:

  • Searching and fetching data from the internet
  • Calling APIs
  • Aiding with software development and infrastructure construction
  • Creating reports from different sources
  • Monitoring systems
  • Following up with colleagues about certain tasks
  • Updating documentation

LangChain is a Python-based software framework you can use to develop applications powered by large language models (LLMs). LangChain allows you to create agents that use LLMs to perform specific tasks. On the Pluralsight platform, the number of tech learners interested in LangChain increased by 167% in 2024, and now ranks in our top 200 searched terms.

What skill tests can I take for AI Agents & LangChain?

Below are a list of Skill IQ tests you can use to test your proficiency with AI. Note that you will need to make a Pluralsight account to check these out (Hint: There is a free trial option.)

What's the best way to learn about AI Agents and LangChain?

For LangChain, there’s a LangChain Development course by Tom Taulli, which is a good place to start, as well as an OpenAI for Developers video learning path. Naturally, there’s also the official LangChain docs on making an agent. Outside of that, Pluralsight offers a wide range of AI/ML courses that can help.

2. Agentic RAG

In 2024, there were two significant advancements in AI people were talking about: Agentic AI and Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG). To simplify:

  • Agentic AI are AI systems that can act autonomously, performing tasks with their own decision-making capabilities (LangChain agents are an implementation of Agentic AI). 
  • RAG refers to AI that can search an external data source to enhance the accuracy and relevance of their answers—think of ChatGPT searching the internet before giving you an answer.

In 2025, we predict organizations will be seeking specialists who can combine these two techniques to create highly autonomous AI agents who are empowered by your business data or other relevant information sources, known as Agentic RAG. 

What skill tests can I take for Agentic RAG?

Pluralsight offers a Retrieval Augmented Generation (RAG) for Developers skill assessment (Beta). Right now there are no skill tests available on the market specifically for Agentic RAG, but we predict this will likely change as it rises in popularity.

What's the best way to learn about Agentic RAG?

Pluralsight offers a video learning path on Implementing RAG for Developers. It is also worth studying up on LangGraph, which is a library for building stateful, multi-actor applications with LLMs, used to create agent and multi-agent workflows. There’s also LangGraph Platform, a s infrastructure for deploying LangGraph agents. It is a commercial solution for deploying agentic applications to production, built on the open-source LangGraph framework. 

While LangGraph is used for making these kind of agents, it’s also worth learning as LangChain and LangGraph go hand-in-hand. There’s a LangChain Development course by Tom Taulli that can guide you through how to use this technology.

3. Python

Python has been in our Top Tech Skills list for a few years now because it’s enduringly popular as a programming language. Why? It’s easy for beginners to learn, and it retains its usefulness long after they become a seasoned professional. Also, 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.

What skill tests can I take for Python?

Pluralsight offers over 24 Python Skill IQ tests for everything from basic Python use, to field-specific tests for developers, cybersecurity practitioners, AI/ML and data specialists, and more. However, I’d start by taking the Python 3 Skill IQ, which is your best all round test.

Note that these tests require you to sign into Pluralsight to check your skills, but as mentioned earlier, it’s easy to set up a free trial account and then rate your skills against industry benchmarks as well as other professionals.

What's the best way to learn Python?

Check out Pluralsight’s Python 3 learning path for free, which provides 34 hours of on-demand Python learning across 16 courses, taking you from beginner to expert. If you’re already familiar with Python, you can easily jump ahead to your current level of knowledge.

4. AWS and Azure

If you’re worried cloud skills will become obsolete in the near future, don’t. Many organizations are still at the early stages of adopting cloud computing, and still haven’t built a workforce that’s literate enough in foundational cloud skills. Having skills in AWS and Azure, the top two cloud computing providers, will be more valuable than ever. 

On top of that, because organizations have often implemented cloud computing in a haphazard way, there is a demand for people who are proficient in multiple cloud services for multi-cloud environments, as well as professionals skilled in working with hybrid environments.

What skill tests can I take for cloud proficiency?

What's the best way to learn AWS and Azure?

Below are some courses you can take to start learning the fundamentals of cloud computing, as well as learning more about these popular services.

Each of the major cloud providers offer a foundational-level certification designed to teach you the fundamentals of each platform, and give you a solid foundation in cloud computing. We suggest taking the following cert courses by Pluralsight, which include hands-on labs that allow you to practically learn your skills in a risk-free, simulated cloud environment:

5. Kubernetes & Docker

Among tech learners, both Kubernetes (K8s) and Docker consistently remain in the top 10 searched topics. We predict Kubernetes will continue to be an in-demand skill, especially as organizations use K8s to assist with their AI/ML workloads. The need to encapsulate applications so they run in different environments with Docker will also not go anywhere.

What skill tests can I take for Kubernetes?

Pluralsight offers several Skill IQ tests you can use to gauge your Kubernetes and Docker knowledge. Sign up to the Pluralsight platform here to test it out, then check out the following assessments:

For Kubernetes:

For Docker:

What's the best way to learn Kubernetes and Docker?

Again, one of the best ways to learn Kubernetes is to take a foundational level certification course. I would recommend taking Pluralsight’s Certified Kubernetes Administrator (CKA) learning path. For Docker, I’d recommend taking the Docker Certified Associate (DCA). Pluralsight offers a DCA certification prep course which you can check out. There’s also a Docker Fundamentals for Developers path that can help you learn the basics.

6. Angular, React, & Blazor

“Wait,” you say, “Isn’t that three skills?” Yes, but what they have in common is that they’re all UI frameworks. These three were all in the list of top 20 topics searched for by tech learners in 2024. We predict this popularity will continue into 2025, particularly Blazor with the projected release of .NET 10 in November 2025. 

What skill tests can I take for these UI Frameworks?

For Angular:

For React:

For Blazor:

What's the best way to learn Angular, React, or Blazor?

Pluralsight offers learning pathways for each of these three technologies, listed below:

7. SQL

In 2024, SQL continued to be one of the most popular upskilling topics among aspiring and existing tech professionals. Among Pluralsight’s Skill IQ tests, SQL Essentials was our fourth most-taken test, with 58% ranking as SQL proficient and 12% as SQL experts. 

Since SQL is a key skill for any data professional and is supported by the major cloud providers, we believe it will continue to be relevant for professionals in the foreseeable future.

What skill tests can I take for SQL?

Pluralsight offers 14 different SQL Skill IQ tests ranging from everything from measuring your basic SQL proficiency to querying specific database types (MongoDB, PostgreSQL) and advanced data handling techniques. However, the easiest place to start is with the SQL Essentials Skill IQ. 

What's the best ways to learn SQL?

There are a LOT of SQL courses you can take, but the easiest ones to start with are the Introduction to SQL and SQL Server Fundamentals learning paths.

8. Linux

Are you surprised to see Linux on this list? It continues to be used by the vast majority of all websites, and is the core of many development environments. As such, it naturally makes the list of top skills to have in 2025 as a tech professional. 

What skill tests can I take for Linux?

Pluralsight offers three Skill IQ tests you can use to gauge your Linux knowledge. Sign up to the Pluralsight platform here to test it out, then check out the following assessments:

What's the best way to learn Linux?

There’s a lot of Linux training available, but the easiest place to leap in is with this Linux Fundamentals learning path. It’s a five hour video pathway broken into four courses to get you started with Linux and the Linux Command Line, Linux System Administration, as well as give you familiarity with UNIX and UNIX Systems.

Conclusion: Whatever you do, learn something new!

This may be a list of the top eight talents people are looking for, but the best and most effective learning journeys are continuous, and tailored to you. Don’t feel pressured to learn the skills above if they don’t align to your interests, simply because they’re the most popular ones to learn this year.

What you should do in 2025, however, is learn something—anything—so long as it’s new! Not only does it show your dedication to continuous learning, it helps you bring new solutions to the table, expands your job options, and stops you from getting into a rut. 

It can be difficult to find the time to learn when you feel busy, even when you've got paid learning time. Carve out the time, keep it sacred, and make learning a new skill every quarter (no matter what it is) one of your resolutions!

Adam Ipsen

Adam I.

Adam is a Senior Content Strategy Manager at Pluralsight, with over 13 years of experience writing about technology. An award-winning game developer and ISC2 Certified in Cybersecurity, Adam has contributed to mission-critical software design, including FAA-compliant airfield lighting controls. He’s passionate about making complex tech topics accessible, drawing on his knowledge in software development, AI, cloud computing, and app design. In his spare time, Adam writes science fiction exploring the future of technology.

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