Knowledge that will not become obsolete in 10-20 years?

Question

Programming

Recently I decided to focus on such knowledge that will definitely come in handy in programming.
I wanted to ask experienced developers what kind of knowledge will be relevant always and everywhere?
Regardless of the scope of development
Well, for example, it seems to me that:
1. Data structures (json xml, etc.)
2. the principle of https operation
Maybe I'm wrong, I don't know
Let's say the SQL language will always be relevant ??
That is, the essence of the question is what things will never become obsolete in programming, well, or in the next 20-30 years
. In particular, web programming is interesting,
and will the web always be relevant? And if not, what will be in its place?

Answer 1

There is a huge amount of such knowledge, you just have to dig deeper. A few random examples:
Structure and Interpretation of Computer Programs ( SICP ): First published: 1979
HTTP protocol - first published in 1991, version 1.1 from 1999 is now almost universally used, which differs little.
SQL has been around since the 80s, ANSI SQL-92 is considered canonical. Any PostrgeSQL, MySQL, MSSQL are essentially dialects tailored for a specific DBMS.
No one can guarantee that in 30 years this knowledge will be as relevant as it is now, but they will not disappear without a trace.

Answer 2

There is a set of basic knowledge at the root of any IT concept. This knowledge is rarely applied directly by programmers, as it is implemented directly in libraries. But they have a huge impact on the overall process of thinking and on the ability to assimilate new information. That is why such successful companies as Google, Apple, Amazon, Facebook, etc. first of all, they check basic knowledge, and not knowledge of languages ​​/ frameworks / libraries, because this is all secondary and is mastered in a couple of weeks. Yes, things like:
take a little more than a couple of weeks, but there is nothing fundamentally impossible in them.
Do not be deceived by the fact that we rarely meet specialists with deep basic knowledge. It's just that such people are, most often, not in our habitat, but somewhere in California, working in companies from the Fortune 500 list. Such cases.

Answer 3

On the web, it is generally difficult to predict anything even 5 years ahead, not to mention 20-30. What they will be these web 4.0, 5.0 ... n.0 - is hardly known even in Google and Microsoft.
The most likely development is that everything will be a browser. The operating system is like a browser, and everything is in the clouds - software in the form of web services (connected from the app store on the desktop), data in virtual storages, etc. Even games will be played on servers, and only the "client part" in the video stream will be transmitted to the user. In this case, everything will be cross-platform with minimal requirements for device configuration. It doesn’t matter if the user has a PC (regular or quantum), laptop, tablet, smartphone, VR helmet, TV, etc. - everyone will have the opportunity to pay for access to some GTA 10 and hack into it at maximum speed.
Accordingly, PHP sites familiar in the 2000s will also change their appearance and be converted into SPA applications that are loaded onto the user's desktop by clicking in the store.
The fact is that such a model completely kills piracy and is wildly profitable commercially for the entire IT industry, which is why it is considered the most likely. The first attempts like Chrome OS are already being made, the changes will begin when the browser-based Windows rolls out and the TOP-500 web services adapt to it, and then to the versions from Google and Apple. Actually, about the same thing happened to the mobile market with the advent of Android.
But when the whole world sinks from any iron and samovar in browsers and on servers, there will already be needed other approaches in data structures, protocols, databases, organization of data centers, security, etc. And what they will be like ... "Today, tomorrow, not everyone can watch. Or rather, not only everyone can watch, few people can do it" (c)
With the same programming languages, holivars are on fire. A huge number of specialists beat their heels in the chest on the topic "javascript will take over the world", no less number of people, on the contrary, are sure that "this terrible language is only a temporary and crutch measure of the transition period, which cannot replace .NET on the server or compiled Go, tearing all the tops ".
Continuation:

Answer 4

In the 30 years I've been writing computer programs, the if and for statements have not gone out of date. foreach appeared. That's all.
Basic principles.
They don't change.
Those basic principles that you will master - they will be relevant for a very, very long time.
There is nothing to be afraid of - what do you think, in 10 years and one day ALL your colleagues will switch to completely different technologies and you will be left out of work ???
;)

Answer 5

Not the most experienced in development, but not the first ten in IT, I will say that's why.
Technologies change and it is impossible to predict something for sure.
From this it is necessary to develop the ability to learn, the ability to delve into new technologies, the ability not to burn out. It is desirable to do what you like, and develop the ability to understand any topic until it begins to captivate.
In general, the question is not technology, the question is how to develop the necessary habits and flexibility of the mind. A philosophical question.

Answer 6

Knowledge that is independent of language and technology:
The next 20-30 years SQL should stay.
And the rest will be based on the basis of the above, and having mastered one language (and the principles of programming in it) with other languages, it will be much easier for you.