Looking to Return to Freelance Coding After a 9-Year Break – What Should I Learn?

Check job listings in your area or on freelance platforms to see what tech stacks are hot right now. PHP with Laravel seems to be a safe bet, and there are still a lot of opportunities out there for skilled coders. You could also consider adding some JavaScript frameworks like React or Next.js to your skill set, as they complement PHP well.

Jump back into PHP and try Laravel, definitely—it’s still highly regarded. For front-end work, Vue.js has a gentle learning curve and is quite powerful. Don't forget to brush up on your HTML, CSS, and MySQL skills! Modern tools like Tailwind for CSS are good to know too.

Honestly, if you want to stand the test of time, focus on 'vanilla' coding with PHP, JS, and CSS. Forget jQuery—modern JavaScript and CSS can do a lot of what it used to. Get comfortable with CSS Grid and Flexbox for layouts; they really simplify responsive design. It's also smart to familiarize yourself with PHP 8 since it introduces several useful features!

Welcome back! Given your history with PHP, Laravel would be an excellent choice to start with. As for the front end, jQuery is becoming less relevant, so looking into newer frameworks like Vue might be beneficial. There's still a decent demand for PHP developers, especially for freelance projects.

The web landscape hasn't changed dramatically; a lot of the basics are still the same. If you have experience with PHP, I’d suggest picking up Laravel—it's in demand and offers modern features. As for front-end, React is popular, but if you're looking for something easier to learn, consider Vue or Svelte. Also, try out TailwindCSS; it’s a fantastic tool for styling without the fuss of traditional CSS.