Software development is fundamentally based on continuous progress and innovation. It is continually developing and changing. People must stay updated on software development trends, news, and difficulties, influenced by changing technology, global and societal demands, and other factors. This article will discuss the finest software development trends to watch in 2024. Staying current with the latest trends enables industry players and developers to maintain a competitive advantage and consistently produce fresh, cutting-edge solutions.
The Evolving Landscape of Software Development
A remarkable shift occurred internationally following the pandemic in 2021 when the IT sector resumed growing after experiencing multiple project delays, cutbacks, and retrenchments. Following the epidemic, businesses of all sizes recognized the importance of adopting a digital culture. After being caught off guard when the world went into lockdown, businesses today know better than to stick to old habits to keep the lights on, come what may.
According to Gartner, 91% of firms have initiated digital transformation activities, with 87% of senior business leaders stating that digitization is their top priority. Furthermore, 89% of organizations have embraced a digital-first corporate strategy for the future. Statista estimates that the software development market will generate $738.96 billion in sales by 2025. Enterprise software is expected to dominate the market in 2025, with a projected value of $312.80 billion, followed by application development software ($193.30 billion), system infrastructure software ($151.20 billion), and productivity software ($81.66 billion).
Statista expects the worldwide software developer population to reach 28.7 million this year. Regarding working arrangements, 41% of developers have continued to work remotely despite the IT industry’s overall emphasis on a return to office culture.
What Are the Trends in the Software Development Industry in 2024?
Artificial intelligence, machine learning, and cloud computing are some of the top software industry trends for 2024. The current developments in software development include DevSecOps methods and microservices architecture. Overall, contemporary software development patterns are influenced by past changes in the IT industry. As previously said, the shift to digital has sparked significant change in the business, transforming how software is built, distributed, and maintained.
Furthermore, agile development approaches have gained popularity, allowing for faster development cycles while including hybrid and remote work. Much of this would not have been possible even a decade ago if contemporary technology had not enabled increasing collaboration among teams and departments. As a result, many of these software engineering trends are related to the desire to improve current workflows, facilitate the transition to digital, and continue to accept and develop innovative technologies in software development. Let’s look deeper at some of the latest software development trends.
1. Increased AI and ML integration
The recent increase in the acceptance and integration of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) across industries ranks first among the latest developments in software development. Both technologies are now widely employed by software development organizations worldwide to enable data-driven business decision-making and create predictive analytics algorithms. Regardless of business size, we’ve observed an increase in AI and ML integration ranging from tiny digital marketplaces to tech titans. This integration is expected to increase steadily in the future years. AI, in particular, is predicted to exceed half a trillion dollars this year. In addition to machine learning, some of the top AI development software technology developments include:
- Automated Machine Learning (AutoML) will effectively simplify tremendously complicated data sets across sectors.
- Generative AI: Business-generated data will soon be utilized to create original material, including films, photos, and sounds.
- Natural Language Processing (NLP): NLP aims to improve communication between algorithms and users by providing advanced natural language understanding.
- Ethical AI: Designed to bridge the trust gap between users and technology by reinforcing cybersecurity safeguards and increasing confidence in automated systems.
- AI as a Service (AIaaS): Companies will start using cloud-based platforms to deliver various AI services.
2. Applications of Blockchain Technology Beyond FinTech
Blockchain technology is not new; nonetheless, tech experts predict blockchain will disrupt the software development market in 2024, expanding beyond fintech. Businesses from various industries are beginning to realize the technology’s usability and worth and are eager to implement it – particularly because blockchain provides tremendous security due to decentralization.
The rise of decentralized systems in many software development areas, such as media, publishing, supply chain tracking, and healthcare, is projected to continue. This is due to blockchain’s decentralized nature, which makes it transparent, almost unshackable, and incorruptible. Developers are constantly discovering new ways to create custom software development using blockchain technology, propelling the blockchain market to a CAGR of 58.90% and a predicted value of $20 billion by the end of 2024.
3. Increased investment in progressive web applications.
Progressive Web Apps (PWAs), like blockchain technology, are not new—they were first introduced in 2015. However, it is receiving widespread usage and approval, with a 31.9% CAGR and an estimated market value of $10.44 billion by 2027. It also appears that the tech sector has caught up with PWA technology, particularly given the exponential expansion in mobile usage over the last decade. PWAs allow website owners to improve their user experience and aesthetics by giving them a more app-like appearance.
The development scene is seeing more site owners invest in PWAs. Previously, transitioning to PWAs was uncommon, so Pinterest made headlines for its conversion. Following a study of the regions that contributed to poor site performance and retention, Pinterest overhauled the website, rebuilding it with React and converting it into a PWA. As a result, the site saw a 40% increase in time spent on the platform and 44% more income. This occurred back in 2017.
4. More companies are adopting low-code/no-code development.
It’s no secret that developing software can be a time-consuming and laborious task. Low-code and no-code development give developers a significantly faster and easier approach to designing apps with less coding, allowing teams to ship quickly. Gartner predicted that enterprises of all sizes will begin to embrace low-code development, with adoption rates expected to surpass 50% by 2026. According to experts, the following main drivers will accelerate the adoption of low-code and no-code development:
- Increased the number of business technologists.
- Increased levels of enterprise-level hyperautomation
- Composable Business Initiatives
“Organizations are increasingly turning to low-code development technologies to meet growing demands for rapid application delivery and highly customized automation workflows,” says Varsha Mehta, Senior Market Research Specialist at Gartner. Essentially, these development styles enable teams to create apps on a tight budget and in considerably shorter periods. Low-code platforms work similarly to purpose-built Integrated Development Environments (IDEs) or platforms tailored to certain demands and issues. Mendix, Appian, and Visual LANSA are popular low-code systems. Here are some examples of low-code use cases:
- Leveraging an existing SaaS infrastructure with customized functionality based on an organization’s needs.
- Using a cloud-based relational database instead of traditional spreadsheets
- Converting outdated apps to modern versions
5. The Development of FinOps and GreenOps
The cloud computing landscape is currently ushering in the emergence of the FinOps and GreenOps movements, which are among the most recent software development trends. Given the recent changes in how things function, more businesses are realizing how crucial it is to streamline operations and processes across the board. No one wants to be caught off guard in the aftermath of the epidemic, unable to adjust and meet customers’ and markets’ shifting expectations. Businesses are also focusing more on sustainability while prioritizing savings and efficiency.
In a nutshell, FinOps aims to improve efficiency across multiple financial processes, whereas GreenOps focuses on implementing eco-friendly methods that promote long-term value development. Businesses integrating FinOps and GreenOps can enhance their bottom line, comply with regulations, support sustainability efforts, and boost their brand reputation.
6. Server-less Computing
Serverless computing, also known as Function as a Service (FaaS), enables developers to construct applications and services without managing infrastructure, resulting in increased efficiency and cost savings. Azure Functions, AWS Lambda, and Google Cloud Functions are among the most popular providers. For example, Netflix has begun to use AWS Lambda for specific platform functions. Lambda handles activities like user authentication, video encoding, and backend processing. This enables Netflix to scale its resources based on demand without maintaining servers, resulting in a more seamless user experience and lower costs. Spotify, on the other hand, uses Google Cloud Functions to perform duties such as user identification, processing user-generated material, and backend functions for music recommendation algorithms.
7. Increased reliance on distributed computing
Distributed computing is another software development technology that will become more prevalent in 2024. Distributed computing is a method of distributing data using multiple computer servers connected as a group. As a result, massive amounts of data that would be too much effort for a single server can be distributed across numerous computers and thus processed considerably faster. Distributed computing enables programs to scale appropriately by simply adding servers as required. Overall, distributed computing boosts performance while keeping prices low. Best of all, a system failure on one server has no effect on others, allowing operations to continue if necessary.
8. Increased focus on cybersecurity via DevSecOps
DevSecOps stands for development, security, and operations. In a nutshell, it combines automation, platform design, and culture. It also recognizes security as an important shared responsibility throughout the IT lifecycle. Many more firms are bolstering their cybersecurity programs with DevSecOps, prioritizing built-in security above security measures based on data and apps. DevSecOps prioritizes early detection of potential hazards and vulnerability remediation before they escalate into significant difficulties. DevSecOps breaks down divisions between teams and prioritizes security in all commit and pull requests. Compliance is also essential in the DevSecOps pipeline. Therefore, compliance and security checks are always incorporated.
9. Ushering in the AR/VR Era
AR and VR have expanded beyond video games and entertainment. To clarify, whereas AR combines real-life components with computer-generated information to provide an interactive and dynamic user experience, VR is fully a virtual, immersive simulation. In 2024, an increasing number of firms will recognize the potential of these technologies and use them to build real-world simulations for consumers and stakeholders and interactive employee training programs. For example, big technology or machinery that cannot be carried into a trade show fair can be simulated using VR or AR, allowing customers and stakeholders to “experience” what it’s like. The same is true for prototypes that may not yet be ready but have a specified plan. Furthermore, training programs can be enhanced with practical and hands-on instruction via VR and AR, allowing employees to improve muscle memory without operating real things (such as heavy machinery and other equipment) right away.
10. Microservices Architecture
Microservices architecture in software development refers to a distinct method to software development. On developing single-function modules with well-defined interfaces and actions. This aligns with Agile and DevOps and has grown significantly in recent years. Microservice architecture is small and self-contained, allowing smaller development teams to design and maintain services considerably faster and more efficiently. In this architecture, each service layer is isolated from the codebase, making it simple to manage. This enables developers to update and maintain an app or service without rebuilding or redeploying the entire system.
11. AI in healthcare
AI brings to the medical industry what a Deloitte study found among the top three aims of AI in healthcare: more efficiency, lower costs, and improved products and services. One practical way AI can help achieve these aims is to create AI software that can improve symptom analysis using patient data, automatically detect drug errors, and automate administrative activities in general. Venture capitalists have also allegedly invested over $8.5 billion in the top 50 healthcare AI businesses, demonstrating the present importance of AI in healthcare.
12. React Native continues to thrive
React Native has risen to the top of the hybrid development market because it enables developers to create high-quality cross-platform applications from a single codebase. This enables teams to work much faster and more efficiently, solidifying their position as a valuable tool for firms trying to broaden their reach and optimize productivity.
Conclusion
Current software development trends are being pushed by the tremendous move to digital, as well as the convergence of AI and new technologies that aim to better our methods of working and living. Significant progress is being made in groundbreaking technologies such as the Internet of Things, Internet of Behavior, Web 3.0, and quantum computing, all of which have the potential to catalyze even more advancements, particularly when applied to city traffic, healthcare, finance, and other sectors.
Digi Tech Resource Group, LLC takes pleasure in providing comprehensive consulting, engineering, and support services. As your software solution supplier, we can deliver customized AI, Blockchain, IoT, mobile, and other solutions based on your requirements. Our expert developers can handle projects of all sizes and difficulties. From simple online and mobile apps to cloud-based enterprise-level products, we’ll turn your ideas into reality. Contact us today to speak with an expert!