How will JQuery impact Web development?
<p>JQuery is a hot topic these days.  Today, on Stack Overflow, there are currently <a href="http://stackoverflow.com/questions/tagged/jquery">8,470 questions with the JQuery tag</a> making it the 10th most popular topic - right up there with SQL.</p>

<p>In selecting a new skill to learn and master, I imagine most developers want something useful that lasts.  No developer wants to learn something that is all hype today and full of disappointment tomorrow.</p>

<p>My question to the Stack Overflow community is how will JQuery impact Web development over the next few years?  </p>

<ul>
<li>Will Web developers still be using JQuery?  </li>
<li>Will most Web developers understand what JQuery is?  </li>
<li>Will JQuery be a necessary skill for all Web developers?  </li>
</ul>

<p>I know there will be some temptation to be subjective in your responses but I'm really looking for evidence to suggest that JQuery is more than just hype.  As an example, the fact that <a href="http://weblogs.asp.net/scottgu/archive/2008/09/28/jquery-and-microsoft.aspx" rel="nofollow">Microsoft added support for JQuery in Visual Studio 2008</a> says alot.  </p>

<p>Other relevant information might include the number of large companies using JQuery, the number of job postings for JQuery, articles depicting reduced development time with JQuery, the stability of JQuery since its introduction, etc..</p>
