Software defects cost companies $2.08 trillion in 2020. This monetary loss is only the start, though, as top talent searches elsewhere, competitors enter the market and take a bigger piece, and customers lose faith in companies when vital systems malfunction.
Not surprisingly, given how quickly software development is developing these days, businesses who continue to use antiquated practices are lagging behind, while those that embrace change are gaining a competitive advantage.
In this article, we dissect 11 major themes that progressive companies are using to shape custom software development services going ahead, not just to address current issues but also to promote resilience and long-term growth.
What is in store for software development in the future?
75% of big businesses will use low-code platforms by 2026. It’s therefore not surprising that over a quarter of Google’s new product code is now generated by AI, with human engineers monitoring and assessing these contributions. This does not imply the replacement of developers. Instead, it implies that they will be able to develop clean, efficient code more quickly than ever before, thanks to significant enhancements to their jobs as software engineers.
A similar tale is told by the emergence of microservices architecture. According to a 2021 poll, 37% of businesses were only partially utilizing microservices. Furthermore, a 2020 survey found that 29% of businesses were adopting microservices to migrate or implement most of their systems because they needed more flexible, scalable platforms.
The change is also evident in terms of security. There are 30% fewer serious vulnerabilities reported by teams who incorporate security from the start.
How quickly will you adjust to the impending change? Will you drive the transformation or will you have to catch up to more nimble rivals?
Future-Dominating Trends in Software Development
1. Software Engineering Driven by AI
AI is a coding companion that manages tedious duties while humans concentrate on creative problem-solving, not a replacement for coders. By 2030, the artificial intelligence market is expected to reach $150.2 billion, expanding at a rate of 36.8% per year. This expansion can only result in a change in the way code is written.
Businesses that use AI coding assistance indicate that standard features take 30–40% less time to design. According to this trend, software developers that use AI support will do better than those who don’t in the near future.
2. Blockchain Technology’s Wider Potential
Blockchain technology was centered on cryptocurrencies, but as it becomes more widely used, things will change. Traditional databases are unable to address trust issues due to its decentralized nature. The growing need for decentralized applications propelled the blockchain industry’s 67.3% compound annual growth rate (CAGR) between 2020 and 2025.
To cut out intermediaries and lessen fraud, developers are creating voting platforms, smart contracts, and identity verification methods. Instead of seeing blockchain as a novel technology, the upcoming generation of corporate software will regard it as conventional infrastructure.
3. PWAs, or progressive web apps
PWAs, which blend online accessibility with an app-like experience, are replacing native app development. Without using up smartphone storage, these little apps operate offline and load quickly.
Businesses that deploy PWAs claim roughly 43% reduced bounce rates and 137% increased user engagement. PWAs employ a single codebase to target desktop and mobile customers at a lower development cost.
PWAs provide a way for companies with limited resources and strict deadlines to avoid the resource-intensive cycle of developing distinct native apps for every platform.
4. Using AR and VR to Create Immersive Experiences
As AR/VR development progresses beyond fun to useful commercial applications, software barriers are merging with physical reality. Virtual showrooms, collaborative creative environments, and remote training are becoming commonplace in business software. The AR/VR industry is expanding at a rate of around 11% each year, reaching $58.1 billion by 2028.
Innovative development teams are already creating augmented reality interfaces for applications in customer service, medical imaging, and industrial maintenance. Businesses who adopt these technologies early on will gain years of competitive edge over those that wait for the technology to develop.
5. Updating the Architecture of Big Data
Data architecture is no longer an afterthought; it now forms the foundation of software design. Across many industries, applications based on large data processing are becoming commonplace. By 2027, the market for big data analytics is expected to reach $103 billion, demonstrating how essential data processing has become to contemporary software. Development teams are using real-time analytics engines and distributed processing frameworks instead of traditional databases.
Building apps that can handle terabytes of data without experiencing performance deterioration and convert raw data into actionable insight at previously unheard-of rates is the way of the future for software development.
6. Software Development Driven by Security
Cybersecurity is becoming the cornerstone of contemporary development rather than a last resort. Protection cannot be added later since cyberattacks targeting software flaws increased 400% during COVID-19. By 2028, the worldwide cybersecurity industry is expected to grow to $298.5 billion as businesses work to safeguard their digital assets. These days, forward-thinking development teams use “shift-left” security, in which threat modeling is done before code is written.
When compared to patching vulnerabilities after deployment, this reduces remediation costs by as much as 60%. From the very beginning of design to every update, the most successful applications of the future will put user protection first.
7. Incorporating Applications with Natural Language Processing
Instead of making consumers understand your product, your software will understand them. Conversational interfaces and sentiment analysis are becoming more widely used thanks to developments in natural language processing. By 2028, the NLP industry is expected to grow to $68.1 billion, led by language-processing tools and voice assistants. Natural language capabilities are already being incorporated by forward-thinking businesses into productivity apps, analytics dashboards, and customer support platforms.
The distance between computer interaction and human communication is closing. Instead than making users learn strict command formats, successful development teams build products based on how people naturally write and communicate.
8. Agile Methods in the Age of Post-Scrum
Rigid frameworks are giving way to hybrid, context-appropriate software techniques. When compared to traditional development, organizations that use agile approaches have 60% revenue growth and 64% project success rates. The agile of the future resembles customized ways that combine several approaches rather than Scrum as it is taught in textbooks.
Instead of using artificial sprint boundaries, top teams increasingly use continuous deployment with automated quality checks. This change signifies a mature development culture as it moves away from rigidly adhering to rules and toward judiciously implementing agile concepts in accordance with team dynamics and business requirements.
9. Development in the Cloud
From “build, then deploy to cloud” to “build within cloud ecosystems from day one,” the development paradigm has completely changed. It is increasingly common to see applications built as networked microservices operating in containerized environments. Cloud computing’s managed services, which do away with infrastructure administration, increase development efficiency by 38%.
Instead of using monolithic codebases, top teams today create apps made up of distinct, independently deployable services. Rapid growth and resilience are supported by this architectural approach, which enables companies to swiftly adjust to shifting market conditions.
10. Extension of No-Code/Low-Code
Because visual programming platforms make it possible for non-technical teams to create useful applications, development is becoming more accessible. Business professionals no longer need to write traditional code to build data visualization and process automation applications. In 2023, the value of cloud-based business process automation software was $41.8 billion.
These platforms help forward-thinking companies reduce developer backlogs so that business divisions may tackle simple automation and technical teams can concentrate on more complicated issues. By eliminating repetitive chores from their workflow, this approach increases the influence of expert developers rather than endangering them.
Final Words
A mobile app development company is already posing difficult queries, such as whether our development methods are producing technical debt or competitive benefits. Can the team we have now adjust to these changes? What if these trends are adopted by our rivals before us?
Organizations that view software development as a strategic driver rather than a cost center will be successful in the future. Those who make prudent investments today will not only create better apps, but also companies that can advance at the same rate as the technology.
