If you want more professional autonomy, learning to program is a strong starting point. The language or languages you choose should serve the work you want to do, rather than a prediction about which tool will conquer the world.
For web development, for example, you may need to understand both what happens in the browser and what happens on the server. Different combinations can be appropriate. The important question is whether you can build, maintain and explain the solution.
A proprietary ecosystem can help you move quickly, but may also make you dependent on a vendor’s decisions, pricing or continued support. Open-source software can offer more room to inspect and adapt a system, while still requiring people, time and expertise.
Programming creates autonomy because it lets you implement your own ideas. Independence comes from being able to evaluate the dependencies you choose and change direction when necessary. That is a practical skill, not simply a declaration of preference.