Scalable Vector Graphics (SVG) aren't new but there uptake has been less then amazing. Joel our Front-End Developer predicts this is the year SVG adoption skyrockets. In the last year we've seen some amazing things built with using SVG and it's time for everyone to get on board.
ECMAScript 6 (ES6) is the upcoming version of the JavaScript standard. It boasts some massive improvements over the current standard, leaving developers itching for support. Although the new standard is scheduled for release mid 2015, we want to use it now! Enter polyfills and compilers. Polyfills add the features developers want without having to wait for browser updates, and all that's needed is an extra line or two of HTML. A compiler can take code written for ES6, and rewrite it to today's standards.
ES6 now has some solid polyfills and compilers, like System.js, Traceur, and 6to5. Both Traceur and 6to5 will let you write ES6 code, and then compiles it back to current standards which work in all major browsers. Magic!
PHP has long suffered a slow adoption rate of newer versions mainly because of hosting providers' reluctance to update server software. With both Symphony and Laravel adopting a 5.5+ minimum requirement for their next major releases and the PHP developer community flexing their SysAdmin muscles a bit more we'll see PHP finally start to move forward.