It’s really tough time and the future seems no good. Companies startup, get into loss and shut off in matters of months.
There’s no gaurantee when your company may have to start the lay offs. Barrier of entry ain’t that high either ( I have 3 yoe so mid level) so we are easily replaceable as well.
Starting your own startup seems a good option but finding a good problem first is no easy task.
What would be a smart and wise man’s decision be who has web development skills in this age and time?
Depends on your goals:
If you’re looking for steady income (as evidenced by your desire to avoid layoffs), I would not sink time and money into something that may not pay off.
If you’re looking to maximize your wealth/earnings, maybe. But they’re aren’t any low hanging fruit. Solving problems at scale and making money is going to be hard… the idea is the easiest part -> problems are everywhere!