What Are The Latest Trends Shaping The Software Development World?

How Software Will Adapt To The Needs of Businesses

From bespoke software solutions to the need for lightweight web apps, there are some exciting trends to look out for in 2021.

Software development is progressing at a breakneck speed, with almost 9 million apps available for download in the world. The latest trends in the industry are heavily influenced by user experience and their personal or business requirements. Let’s take a look at what the latest trends in software development are predicted to be in 2021.

Custom Software Development

Custom software allows companies to adopt an agile working strategy, working with various data sets and programs to rapidly produce desired solutions such as updating customer records. API development is an essential part of the process and can be integrated with both web-based systems and operating systems. As a means of accessing a software application via programming instructions or standards, APIs can either be created as a bespoke solution or else adapted to the customer needs. Agile APIs are the future of software development, which prioritise functionality and innovation, whilst making it easy for users to connect to your platform or database.

Proactive Software

Artificial intelligence has been used in software development for some time, but it has now evolved to anticipate the needs of the user. The machine learning aspect of the software will predict what the user’s preferences and behaviour are to deliver the desired results. This is expected to be utilised by companies who need to make accurate assumptions about customer or user activities. The AI global software market is forecast to pull in revenues of $118.6 billion by 2025, up from $9.5 billion in 2018 according to market research company Tractica. This proves that AI has long progressed from being a trend, and is now a fully-fledged staple in the world of technology. Already reaching industries such as healthcare, retail, finance, education and transportation, we can expect proactive software to be critical to company operations in the coming years.

Progressive Web Apps

Heavy-loading apps are on their way out in favour of lightweight progressive web apps which can launch quickly even with low internet speeds. These Progressive Web Apps (PWAs) are accessible across browser types and use a Service Worker as a browser script which runs in the background of web pages. Industry giants such as Microsoft and Google have already heavily committed to this type of technology, due to the benefits such as enhanced engagement, reading completion and increased sessions per user.

Programming Languages

Rust has been a popular choice of programming for software developers in 2020, and has been supported by the likes of Intel and Facebook, with word that Microsoft is also considering adopting Rust in the near future. What’s so special about it? Essentially the community behind the language aim to make programming simple, secure and fun at the same time.

As we’re in an age where technology is fully integrated in every type of industry, it’s fascinating to watch the way in which software trends reflect the landscape of the business world. With the pandemic far from over, it will be interesting to see which developments will become even more critical, and those which will fade into obscurity throughout 2021.