2020 has been a year like no other, that much is obvious. Beyond the economic implications of the ongoing health crisis, with digital becoming the main (and, in some cases, only) channel of engagement with customers, the pandemic has also forced many organizations to review their digital strategies while simultaneously managing new technical challenges. Software development services have never been more important to businesses as they are now, especially with more organizations relying on the expertise of developers to help in enterprise innovation by delivering custom software development services and solutions that will improve operational performance and customer experiences.
That said, as 2020 gradually comes to an end, 2021 promises a myriad of new trends in the software development landscape that will help organizations become more competitive in this new era. This article will walk you through some of those anticipated trends set to influence software development service in the coming year.
Cloud technology is here to stay
Did you know that in 2020, the cloud services industry generated almost $40 billion in revenue, taking its market value to a total of $266.4 billion from the $227.8 billion in 2019, an 17% growth in just one year? With these figures, one fact has surely been established; in software development services, cloud technology is where the big bucks are at. In 2021, it is expected that cloud vendors like Google, Microsoft and Amazon will continue to rake in lots of cash thanks to cloud technology.
The reason behind the trend is simple: there are several companies on the cloud and more are expected to move there. Businesses of all sizes, whether it’s a small entrepreneurial startup or a multinational corporation, and businesses across several industries, from health care to intelligence agencies and even government organizations are all turning to cloud providers for data storage.
Cloud technology offers great security, scalability and flexibility when it comes to data storage and considering the ever-present threat of hackers which could lead to a security breach, organizations will want to ensure they are taking measurable steps to safeguard their sensitive data and avoid a data breach and other activities that might compromise the privacy of data.
Big Data Computation — Apache Spark at the Heart of Data Analysis
Previously, Hadoop Map-Reduce was the framework utilized for the computation of large scale datasets. Today, Apache Spark has taken over the Distributed Batch Job and has bested Hadoop Distributed File System (HDFS) in performance and costs.
Apache Spark has specifically targeted the limitations of Hadoop Map-Reduce. It processes everything in memory instead of storing data after each operation. Spark is predicted to rule over the batch processing framework in 2021 and even afterward.
Angular 2+| React | NodeJS will be Starring in the 2020 Showdown
With NodeJS, Angular 2+ and React being the top three frameworks used in 2020, we can assure you that they’re staying for a sequel i.e. 2021. Here’s what we think about the three powerhouse frameworks of software development:
Angular 2+ is a fully-featured framework that allows simple routing and helps you build compelling user interfaces.
ReactJS is a library where you have to write less code and the implementation of virtual DOM allows for enhanced performance. Today, ReactJS is the common choice of JavaScript Framework Developers.
NodeJS is fast and lightweight. It is the go-to framework for fast and scalable networking applications.
Kotlin | Scala | Java are a good trio
Java programming will continue to dominate the market in 2021. Java’s runtime, Java Virtual Machine offers an excellent foundation for JAVA and many popularly used programming languages like Kotlin and Scala use JVM as their runtime.
However, Oracle has changed the license for JVM and a one-time license for Java SE 8 or later is no longer available. That means all the companies using Java, Kotlin and Scala (JVM languages) now have to pay large subscription fees.
Native Apps will dominate the market
Native App development is already unparalleled as it is, going forward, software developers can expect this trend to dominate software development services. Native apps are software programs designed to run only on specific devices like smartphones. Since they are uniquely designed for certain platforms, native apps generally provide a better user experience and more powerful performance when compared to hybrid apps. As a result of this, more and more businesses are investing in multiple native apps for iOS and Android to enable them to provide their users with a better experience.
With the increasing popularity of smartphones in the market coupled with the ever-increasing dominance of iOS and Android operating systems in the market, it doesn’t seem like an investment in native app development will dwindle anytime soon, not in 2021 or in the foreseeable future as a matter of fact.
Investment in Artificial Intelligence will increase
In 2021, integration of business processes with Artificial Intelligence will be a competitive differentiator. There is no denying the impact of AI in software development service, it can expedite an outcome, enable more informed decision-making, and deliver more relevant and meaningful customer experiences.
Tech giants like Google, Apple, and Facebook are already on the AI trend as seen in their integration of AI-based predictive analytics in the applications to improve user experience. With that said, in the coming year, the ability to add cutting-edge AI capabilities to projects and business processes will be critical for organizations, particularly if you are looking to make great strides in your industry.
IoT and edge computing
Now that the Internet of Things has well and truly arrived, what can we expect from the notion next year? As talks of 5G escalate, the implementation is expected to arrive and roll out in 2021. With improved wireless connectivity, IoT will thrive and continue to become integrated within our tech-focused lives.
In particular, IoT derived edge computing is also expected to develop with the introduction of 5G. Edge computing brings the data and the computer closer to the location it is needed, improving response times and saves bandwidth. Now that IT solutions are under scrutiny to produce the best results possible for business during the recovery from 2020, edge computing is expected to deliver these needs and result in an uptake of adoption.
Low-code / no-code development
Low-code development is using applications to create software with a minimal amount of code or a complete lack thereof. This enables non-programmers to develop applications and implement them. Drag-and-drop editors are the most popular form of such activity.
The capability of these applications will keep growing as we go into 2021. Right now, they can be used to create large projects by people who have minimal knowledge of programming. It’s estimated that the revenue of no-code and low-code platforms will be growing 28.1% each year and will reach 45.5 billion USD by 2025. Whereas now, the revenue generated by such media is at 13.2 billion USD.
No-code platforms can be operated by employees who virtually have no programming abilities. They can take the form of complete drag-and-drop editors. The terms “no-code” and “low-code” are sometimes used interchangeably, but there’s a fundamental difference. Indeed, low-code development requires at least some amount of programming knowledge.
Still, big enterprise projects that entire organizations are based upon are to be made by experienced programmers.
Complex websites emerge from using just low-code or no-code platforms. That’s one type of compound software that can be created using such applications. You can practically have no experience in programming whatsoever, but still, create websites that can compare to those created by real web developers. This trend was even more accelerated by the pandemic.
Low-code development can land great cost cuts for companies in need of not-too-complicated applications.
Low-code development doesn’t yet possess the capabilities to develop such applications. However, we may see much improvement in that aspect, and who knows, maybe programmers will become obsolete in a few years. Undoubtedly, right now the software developers are still at large because the more complicated projects require their work and understanding how things work code-wise.
Mixed Reality
Mixed reality brings together the best of Augmented and Virtual reality creating an immersive environment. The ever-growing demand for products based on this technology also brings mixed reality to the list of software trends. Moreover, the Mixed Reality market is forecast to grow rapidly from $1.054 billion in 2017 to $9.982 billion in 2024. Already today, the software industry is preparing solutions for future implementation. Mixed Reality is expected to have the biggest impact and broad application in the entertainment, simulation-based learning, arts, healthcare, retail, remote work, historical reenactment, and military training industries.
Overview
So, it’s no wonder that these trends will continue to dominate discussions and forums in 2021, while older, more mature technologies are trying to get along with the times.
Software development trends change each year and this will continue to happen in the years that follow. More programming languages will rise to the forefront of software development and older ones will lose business. A major software powerhouse will fall and we’ll see the rise of another. The software industry is one of the most competitive industries today, largely because technology can no longer be kept separate from business. The software industry is affecting every sector and that has given rise to fierce competition in the industry.
For now, we can only say that the pandemic will only speed up these trends, as companies look to leverage technology to manage through the crisis and better position themselves for the eventual recovery.
I hope you liked this article and if you have your own predictions, please write it in the comments below this article and we will together discuss whether your predictions could be placed in this list and why!
