There is almost no sector as fast-paced as software development. Recent years have shown how fast trends can migrate from the niche to the mainstream. A development that will most likely also be seen in 2022. We're focussing on the 10 trends in software development in 2022.
The trend towards cloud-based platforms has been around for years and will accelerate once again in 2022. In the pandemic, flexibly scalable – and thus cost-effective – solutions were able to show the full range of their benefits. This has resulted in cloud solutions now also being placed high on the agenda in industrial companies, where they have been treated with a degree of neglect for a long time.
No trend without a counter-reaction? Rather than being carried out in data centres, edge computing involves data processing being conducted at the place of origin directly. This allows the exponentially increasing amounts of data arising from IoT (Internet of things) solutions to be processed in a resource-saving manner and in real time. However, rather than standing in opposition to cloud computing, edge computing is a supplement to it. The data is pre-filtered to some extent before it is collected and processed in the cloud data centre.
Mobile devices are increasingly coming to shape our digital day-to-day lives In 2022, mobile development will thus also be a focus for software development. In the competition for users' favour, maximum performance and the greatest possible flexibility of the applications will be indispensable. Native apps optimally tailored to suit the operating system of the respective end device should thus be developed wherever possible.
Cyberattacks from various actors have been steadily increasing in recent years – and are likely to witness a new peak in 2022. Proactively identifying vulnerabilities in the security structure is thus also a top priority for software development in 2022. The trend is clearly leaning towards zero-trust architecture, where each access requires individual authentication.
The software developer shortage continues, fuelling the trend towards low- and no-code platforms. These allow software to be created via a graphical user interface, thus lowering the hurdles of software development. In this way, even non-technical employees can carry out simple programming work.
There is no question that programming languages such as JavaScript and Python will also play a major role in software development in 2022. However, 2022 could see modern programming languages achieve their broad breakthrough for the first time – especially Rust. The reason: In recent years, more and more developers have come into contact with Rust, which offers considerable performance advantages over classic programming languages, especially in the important fields of machine learning and big data.
In 2022, modular architecture will increasingly move into the space occupied by holistic software solutions. After all, software modules that can be combined into a wide variety of applications using modular design promise the highest degree of scalability.
The sooner security and performance problems are identified during software development, the better it is for users, data security and image. The shift-left concept moves testing and verification to the early stages of software development – and proactively counteracts potential issues. Trending topics such as cybersecurity and data security, as well as UX, are also boosting the shift-left approach.
Sustainability and green IT are among the most important IT trends in 2022. Green coding solutions conserve resources and thus make a significant contributing to improving ecological footprint.
In 2022, UX will undoubtedly continue to be one of the IT trends. Software developers work closely with UX/UI designers to provide users with not just functionality, but with a positive, intuitive user experience as well. This means even complex solutions are becoming easier to use.
The push for innovation in software development of recent years is set to continue in 2022. Flexibility, functionality with intuitive usability, security and sustainability are the four major topics extending into all development trends. It remains to be seen whether the supply chain problems with chips and microchips will also affect software development through decreased demand and hamper the sector's power to innovate.
