What computing niche should I dive into as a self-taught newbie?

From my job search experience, C# and Java are popular for backend/full-stack jobs, while React and Angular are common for frontend. Python is also widely used in data science, and knowledge of services like Azure and AWS can be helpful. If you're considering mobile, Kotlin and Java are frequently mentioned. It might help to explore APIs like REST and GraphQL too.

Getting into web development shouldn't be too difficult, especially if you can build a couple of basic websites to showcase your skills to potential employers.

The web development field is pretty saturated since so many people have done web dev capstones, making it tougher to stand out. QA roles might have an uncertain future, but if you like that kind of work, exploring SRE or DevOps could be beneficial. I'd suggest checking out entry-level job postings and internships to see what skills are being sought, then build projects that give you that experience.

If you can get into kernel development, you'll likely have an edge over most other developers. While QA and web dev tend to offer quicker job access, the environments can be quite challenging. It's important to both build competitively useful skills and follow your interests to keep from losing motivation.

Backend and full-stack development probably offers the most job opportunities right now.