In this article, let’s take a look into what major current trends in Software Development in 2021 are shaping up the industry.
First of all, quick digitalization became a question for many and we see more and more organizations worldwide getting used to running their online operations.
Though after a thorough analysis of the latest trends, we managed to collect 9 of the most popular Software Development in 2021.
Let’s review them one by one.
1. Artificial Intelligence
Deloitte Insights stated that the Artificial Intelligence market will reach $190.61B by 2025 from $21.46B in 2018. As more data users produce, as more money companies gotta invest in developing tools to automate that data analysis.
The types of AI applications are endless. It’s robots, chatbots, image recognition software, sales prediction tools, etc.
Artificial Intelligence has been in trends Software Development in 2021 for a good reason – this technology helps companies to improve their operations, increase productivity, automate customer support and boost overall productivity.
2. Blockchain
Blockchain technology is well-known because of its involvement in the cryptocurrency industry. It’s one of the most secure Software Development in 2021 methodologies due to its decentralized digital data record, safe information storage and secure transaction technology. Besides obviously being a great solution for a financial sector, it’s becoming popular in healthcare, logistics, real estate and even agriculture industries.
Smart contract technology built on Ethereum allows to securely sign contracts between two parties. The signing process is irreversible and is written directly into a code so the parties don’t need to rely on third parties or worry about the bona fide of their business partners or clients.
Businesses are adopting blockchain to protect from counterfeit, to improve supply chain traceability, and to safely store and exchange data, so it’s most likely will be one of the most important software development technologies in the years to come.
3. Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality
Organizations worldwide in the field of advertising, healthcare, retail and education are adopting both AR and VR to make their customers’ online experience as close to offline as possible.
Though according to Gartner, both Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality are still very new technologies in software development and the majority of AR or VR providers are still in search of the ultimate user experience. So far, we are lacking supporting technologies to fully enjoy these innovations. Specialists say the situation can drastically change when 5G takes over the market and can provide the speed needed to support all of the AR and VR perks.
4. Cognitive Computing
Cognitive computing somewhat overlaps with Artificial Intelligence. It’s not entirely the same, as cognitive computing is used to stimulate the human thought process with the help of computerized models. Cognitive computing, among such other software trends as neural networks, Virtual Reality and robotics, is involved in the custom software development of power cognitive applications. To achieve the right suggestions, cognitive computing uses self-learning technologies that include data gathering, pattern recognition and NLP to understand and mimic the way the human brain works.
5. DevOps Automation
Continuous integration and delivery are designed to automate the software testing and delivery process. And if you already are practicing continuous integration, you probably automated your DevOps as well. Though if you didn’t, we highly recommend to adopt it ASAP.
What is DevOps automation? DevOps automation unites multiple tools used by different stakeholders from various phases of the software delivery cycle. Also, this feature improves transparency, ensures quick releases and simplifies further deployment.
There is plenty of automation tools on the market. Among them Jenkins, Azure DevOps, Selenium and many more.
6. Intelligent Apps
Once the use of Artificial Intelligence became quite common, it stimulated the appearance of so-called intelligent apps. This term usually refers to applications that leverage data received from user interactions to deliver personalized and relevant user experiences. Intelligent apps use AI algorithms to evaluate information and sort out relevant and irrelevant data.
Thanks to this technology companies can adjust and improve their services in real-time.
7. Big Data
Software engineering has included this trend into its basics for the years to come since according to Data Never Sleeps 5.0 internet users generate nearly 2.5 quintillion bytes of data every day! Software development methodologies always have to keep it in mind.
The only effective way to do so will be by increasing big data employment. Data can be taken from almost everywhere: video/audio records, web and mobile apps, smart devices, social reviews, online archives and a lot more. By capturing, storing and analyzing data and transforming it into valuable information software development teams around the world mitigate development risks and significantly improve user experience.
8. Robotic Process Automation
Robotic process automation or RPA is also a subset of AI technology. It allows companies worldwide to configure software “robots” that capture data and perform mundane tasks. RPA is often referred to as “result-focused AI implementation”.
9. Progressive Web Apps
Progressive web app or PWA is a mix of a mobile application and a website acting as a native app solution. It’s installed directly from the site and saved on the smartphone’s home screen. It’s one of the new trends in software development and the biggest benefit of it is that it’s a quick app development solution. You don’t have to publish your app to the store, it offers fast loading time and it uses less data. Both developers and users love this technology for its simplicity.
All the trends above seem very natural, as the world is rapidly moving towards smart solutions and automation. Though, the main software trends to look at at the very beginning of every project are, of course, programming languages.
So what are the top programming languages in 2020?
- Python
Today Python is the most popular language in software engineering. Python support all things machine learning, which means it actually supports most of the trends mentioned above. So naturally, it’s very popular among data scientists and new generation developers due to its dynamics and great community support.
2. Java
Java has been a popular choice among large organizations for many years. The main appeal of this language is its stability. It’s also a language for Android development and it has a lot of open-source libraries. It’s highly secure, what is another reason to pick this language for large complex software solutions.
3. Javascript
JavaScript is used to build interactive front-end applications. Many startups are using Javascript since it allows you to use a single programming language both for server- and client-side scripts. JS is a very fast and rich language. Many praise it for its aesthetics, so no wonder most of the dynamic startups stick to Javascript.
4. C#
C# is perfect for all kinds of Windows development, since it’s developed by Microsoft. It’s commonly used for backend programming, Unity games and Window mobile apps. Its syntax is similar to the C coding language and it’s integrated with the .Net development .
Though programming on C# requires a significant level of expertise.
