SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT TRENDS

Software Development is the procedure that programmers maneuver to create computer programs. The process includes planning, formulating, designing, programming, documenting, testing, and bug fixing. All these components work together in creating and maintaining applications or other software components.

A tech professional understands the need of staying up to date while developing software. Some experts focus to make software such advanced that it become Artificial Intelligence (AI). These experts work in a Lab kind of environment where they continuously research on latest technologies and some thing new. They tend to focus on the latest technologies, development protocols, and customer biases in order to develop software that match up with the latest trends in the tech industry.

Here’s a list of some of the software development trends that have the potential to command the tech industry:

1) Vulnerability Disclosure Program/Policy:

Vulnerability Disclosure Program/Policy or VDP is a safe way to alert a digital business or organization, whenever someone finds a vulnerability in their digital assets. Through VDP, hackers can securely locate and report security bugs or holes so that these bugs can be fixed before criminals try to take advantage of it. VDP lays out a unique and secure communication channel for anyone who wants to report a bug. The most integral asset of VDP is that any Vulnerability Disclosure Policy is publicly accessible. This not only secures your online business but also showcases your concern for your system security which is a way of building trust among your partners, users, and consumers. The belief that VDP is an upcoming trend is clearly depicted in the fact that recently in the October of 2020 the German Armed Forces (Bundeshwehr) launched its own Vulnerability Disclosure Program called VDPBw. Moreover, a couple of days ago they disclosed about the successful responses they have received in the past three months. They mentioned that almost 30 security researchers reported around 60 valid vulnerabilities. They mentioned how they are impressed with the amount of responses they have received despite of the fact that it was not a paid task.

2) Blockchain Technology:

Blockchain, also known as Distributed Ledger Technology (DLT), is such a technology that makes the record of any digital asset as un-editable and crystal clear with the help of decentralization and cryptographic values. It allows all transactions and assets to be saved and stored globally on large number of servers. This technology reduces the chance of risks, frauds, and hacks. Bitcoin is major example of blockchain technology. Blockchain technology constitutes of three sole components, which are explained in the diagram given below:

Blockchain technology has all the capabilities to be a future software development trend as it is being taken into mind by the governments of many countries. Recently, it has been in controversies that India might ban private cryptocurrencies such as bitcoins and introduce it’s own cryptocurrency. The minister of state for finance – Anurag Singh Thakur wrote, in a written reply to a query regarding India’s very own cryptocurrency, that “The government will explore the use of the blockchain technology proactively for ushering in the digital economy”.

3) Mixed Reality:
Mixed reality(MR) is the outcome that we receive after combing real and virtual worlds. Mixed reality creates new environments and visualization in which physical and digital mediums coincide and interact in real time. Mixed reality proves to be very useful in a vast variety of things, such as:

• Head-up Display – Head Up Display(HUD) is a type of display that is directly projected on the field of view. This way the driver of the vehicle can look at additional information or alerts without compromising with the visibility and without looking away.
• IPCM – Interactive Product Content Management(IPCM) has become more interactive with the use of MR. Earlier, Brochures and templates were used show what a product is and to specify its details but now with the help of MR, 3-dimensional virtual images of the product can be shown to the customer, this method is way more effective and interactive.
• Healthcare – MR has many potential applications in healthcare sector. It can be used for medical training and education. With MR experts can teach students to perform surgeries using simulated training. MR can be used to superimpose 3-dimensional views of MRIs and CT scans which will improve precision.

4) Serverless Computing:

Serverless computing is also known as Function as a Service (FaaS). It is a new form of cloud computing. It is a software design method in which users don’t have to dwell on the hassle of maintaining and monitoring servers. In serverless computing the cloud provider takes care of the allocation and delivery of servers. These servers are completely managed by the cloud provider.

5) API Economy:

API refers to Application Programming Interface. APIs allow applications to communicate and share data without any difficulty. It ensures that the data obtained from one application is formatted and passed onto the next application securely and precisely. API Economy, on the other hand, is a set of business models and practices formulated around the utilization of API’s in today’s digital economy.

6) Low Code and No-Code development platforms:

Low Code is a method that is of convenience to all developers with low skills or high skills. Low Code provides a platform that allows developers to quickly create applications with minimal hand-coding by dragging and dropping existing code. A close associate of Low Code development platforms is the No Code Development platforms (NCDPs). NCDP lets a programmer or non-programmer to develop application software through graphical user interface instead of diving into the complex process of writing programming codes.

7) Internet of Things (IoT):

The Internet of Things refers to a network of physical things that work together to connect and interchange data with other devices and gadgets over the internet. IoT consists of all the innumerable physical devices that are linked to the internet that share and gather data. An IoT is anything that is equipped with sensors, computer chips, wireless networks and other data sharing technologies. IoT allows any device to communicate data in real time without the involvement of human. Anything from smartphone operated LED lights to motion sensored doors are all examples of IoT.

8) Progressive Web Applications:

PWAs are a mixture of both mobile apps and regular websites. It narrows the gap between the usage experience in websites and native applications. It can run on any standard compliant browser and it works just like a mobile application, the only difference is that we are not required to download or install it from any app store. PWAs prove to be very practical because it can work on any device including mobile phones, PCs, laptops, tablets or any other devices that are yet to emerge. Moreover, PWAs can be used even in poor network connectivity. Some major examples of PWA are Pinterest, Twitter, Flipkart, AliExpress, BookMyShow and Trivago.

Conclusion

These were some of the possible software development trends that may command the tech industry but these are just some of them. There is no definite prediction that one can land on because like any other trend software developments trends are also very candid and therefore you never know when your software idea becomes a trend. So, keep exploring and creating!

Author: Anushri Singh