Software development trends for 2021
What is December for? Yes, they take stock of the past few years and set priorities for the coming year.
In this article, we look at what the software development world will look like in the year ahead and what you should include in your New Year’s resolutions and plans.
Despite how quickly the industry evolves and changes, we were able to identify eight software development market patterns that will be hot and successful in 2021 the most popular development technologies and the most attractive niches for software developers. Let’s jump right in!
Software development trends for the coming year
Most popular development technologies
HackerRank, a virtual meeting place for developers around the world, has launched the largest developer skills survey. More than 100,000 programmers from 162 countries participated in the survey, and this is the opinion of the international community:
JavaScript is one of the most sought-after languages in software development. Some 53% of hiring managers consider it one of the most important languages. HR managers are also looking for fluency in Python (49.5%) and Java (44.1%).
There is an interesting trend: hiring managers do not necessarily require a specific language, but rather look for the right person. Globally, it is less prominent (14.3%), but one in five managers in America is likely to be language deficient.
The situation is more dynamic for top-level frameworks than for languages. Angular JS, React and Spring remains in the top 3. However, ExpressJS and ASP have lost ground, while Django has risen. In fact, with the rise of AI (which we will discuss later) and Python, Django is increasingly being used.
Another important indicator that will affect software development next year is which languages developers want to learn. This will give us an idea of which technologies are needed for projects or which technologies can offer higher salaries. According to HackerRank’s report, the most popular languages that developers want to learn are Go, Python, and Kotlin, and frameworks React, AngularJS and Django.
| Markets where software development is booming
COVID-19 has influenced the distribution of software development into niche markets. Healthcare, education technology, e-commerce, fintech, cybersecurity, and other niches have all been thrust into the spotlight as a result of the pandemic. We have seen an increase in demand in these niches and, as a result, their rapid evolution in software development.
As it seems that the pandemic will not be over as soon as 2020 ends, there is still a strong need for new software in these niches. Moreover, many of us are so used to the benefits of edTech and e-commerce that the trend may continue forever.
| Cloud technologies
Cloud technology is another niche that has grown significantly during the pandemic. 59% of companies plan to grow their cloud computing plans.
Firstly, as many businesses are collapsing under constraints, they are looking to save as much money as possible and reduce their costs. Cloud computing offers the perfect opportunity to do just that.
Second, it’s easier to work with cloud computing from a home office, where you can’t discuss changes in the room or use company laptops.
So it looks like the cloud is here to stay and will continue to evolve in 2021.
| Human augmentation, AR, and mixed reality
With AR and mixed reality being actively used for distance learning, healthcare, gaming, human augmentation, and enhancing human capabilities through the combination of medicine and technology, it is clear that these technologies are evolving, given all the circumstances of the past year.
The global mixed reality market is expected to grow at an annual rate of 73.2% in the coming years. And as always, more investments and more new projects in the niche mean faster technological progress and faster adoption of innovations.
| IoT trend from 2021 onwards
The Internet of Things may no longer be seen as a fad but as part of our reality. The rapid growth of IoT has become so commonplace. So in 2021, it will continue to flourish and we can expect even more life-changing projects.
As humanity is likely to stay at home well beyond 2020, tech companies will develop new ways to make leaving home more enjoyable. Software developers will have to implement many of these projects.
| Artificial intelligence will follow the IoT
The IoT is based on artificial intelligence. Therefore, the niche will grow as fast as the previous one.
But there may be an even bigger push. AI is often used in offices to prevent crowds, detect asymptomatic COVID-19 infected people and automate processes that require large groups of people. AI can also help retailers understand how customers are adapting to staying home and can predict and prevent other pandemics.
The rise of native apps
Today, companies operating in highly competitive niches need to provide their users with the best possible user experience to remain commercially viable. Therefore, native apps, which are designed specifically for each platform, have become a trend. They help achieve a high user experience and application functionality.
However, iOS and Android developers will still be needed in 2021.
| PWAs as a solution
Native apps are great, but they come with a pretty high price in terms of being bug-free. . Companies that cannot afford a native app are turning to PWAs, which offer an almost equally good experience at an affordable price.
PWAs (Progressive Mobile Applications) are web apps, which distinguishes them from native iOS and Android apps.. However, they offer almost the same features as native apps in terms of speed, usability, security, and so on.
| Outsourcing software development is a trend
It is now official: remote working is no worse than working in an office. Companies are becoming more aware of the possibilities of remote working and team management and are less reluctant to hire offshore developers and freelancers.
In general, they can choose from a larger pool of talent and even save money by hiring staff from abroad.
| Low-code and no-code development
It is clear that in a down year, companies will try to cut costs as much as possible and as a result, reduce staff. Therefore, they may not have the money for a full development team and are happy to take the opportunity to develop the application they want without any programming knowledge.
This is why low-code or no-code solutions that allow non-technical people to create websites or mobile apps are becoming so popular. They are expected to grow by more than 28% annually over the next four years.
Paradoxically, the growth of no-code solutions will increase the need for software engineers to develop these projects, especially as these tools are expected to become more complex.
| Native Apps will dominate the market
Native App development is already unrivaled, in the future software developers can expect this trend to dominate software development services. Native apps are software programs designed to run only on specific devices, such as smartphones. Because native applications are designed specifically for specific platforms, they generally offer a better user experience and more powerful performance than hybrid applications. As a result, more and more companies are investing in several native iOS and Android apps to provide a better user experience.
As the popularity of smartphones in the market grows alongside the increasing dominance of iOS and Android operating systems in the market, there does not appear to be any sign of a slowdown in investment in native apps in the near term, in fact not in 2021 or the foreseeable future.
| Cloud technology is here to stay
Did you know that the cloud industry generated nearly $40 billion in revenue in 2020, increasing its total market value to $266.4 billion compared to $227.8 billion in 2019, a 17% increase in just one year? Based on these numbers, one fact is established: for software development services, cloud technology is where the big money is. Cloud service providers like Google, Microsoft, and Amazon are expected to continue to make big money in 2021 thanks to cloud technology.
The reason for this trend is simple: there are many companies in the cloud and more are expected to move to the cloud. Businesses of all kinds, whether small start-ups or multinational corporations and companies in industries ranging from healthcare to intelligence agencies and even governments are turning to cloud providers to store their data.
Cloud technology offers a high level of security, scalability, and flexibility when it comes to storing data, and given the ever-present threat of hackers that can lead to security breaches, organizations want to make sure they are taking measurable steps to protect their sensitive data and prevent data breaches and other activities that could compromise privacy.
| Conclusion
IT industry trends for 2021 predict that technologies such as AR, IoT, AI, and others will continue to evolve. To reduce costs, enterprises will shift to decode-free platforms, cloud computing, and PWAs. COVID winners will dictate trends in native app development and the distribution of software development to niches.
Pandemics dominate just about all trends in software development, but also provide an opportunity for growth in much-needed niches such as AI and human augmentation.
