In the year 2020, we can observe that some of the most exciting technologies for software development are becoming commercially practicable, and few are finally going mainstream. It is predicted that new trends such as machine learning, edge computing, and artificial intelligence can go mainstream and reach broader adoption. Besides this, there are trends such as artificial intelligence (AI), IoT, and blockchain, that will have an impact beyond our understanding. The year 2020 will be an essential year for any custom software development company, and software developers will play a valuable role in this. Here in this article, we will be talking about such tremendous software development trends of the year 2020.

1. Blockchain

Blockchain technology is poised to have an even more significant effect on the future of development. The most beneficial thing about blockchain is its decentralized nature. Blockchain can store any record in a public-facing database that is impossible to hack. Software developers are finding new and exciting ways to implement the latest developments in blockchain. Blockchain-based apps are emerging as a popular option for developers looking to create decentralized and secure open-source solutions.

2. Microservice Architecture

In 2020, we can observe that the software industry is moving towards Cloud. This will make Micro services Architecture dominate the tech world.

The main reason behind the rise of Micro service Architecture is that it fits perfectly with Cloud Native and fastens the software development process. Since its existence, Micro services has been gaining grounds in software development.

3. IoT

IoT is emerging at a significant level. From Bluetooth trackers to smart microwaves, internet-connected devices no longer refer to cell phones and computers. As technologies like 5G are coming up, more and more devices can take advantage of better wireless bandwidth. This is because of the always-communicating and always-on IoT devices. They are making it easier for technology to track and monitor the world around us.

For all the IoT software developers in the world, the ability to write code for small energy-efficient devices that are connected with the internet will remain a powerful skill.

4. Cybersecurity

Cybersecurity is divided into two main categories, namely, internal and external. When we talk about internal cybersecurity, businesses will be focused on building security measures into their software. DevOps engineer teams of any organization should focus on automating security testing into their software development ecosystem. This can even help guarantee that there will not be any vulnerabilities during the software development process.

However, there is a lack of cybersecurity talent. According to a survey by Info Security magazine, 65% of the questioned organizations have indicated a shortage of cybersecurity employees. Besides this, the questionnaire also acknowledged that this lack of skilled cybersecurity professionals is their number one concern. This shortage has consequences beyond big business.

5. Edge Computing

The market of edge computing is predicted to rise by approximately 28 times between 2018 to 2025. This is because edge computing is being used to upgrade cloud computing, which is itself an embraced and growing technology.

Edge computing even has an advantage for remote areas where connectivity to a centralized location is reduced. Besides this, edge computing can also be used to process data that is time-sensitive. This is where cloud computing cannot be used.

6. Artificial Intelligence (AI)

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is a multi-disciplinary branch of computer science, which intends to make machines perform tasks that only human beings could do earlier. It‘s a vast field, and while parts of it have been commercialized, research & development continue on its other dimensions.

AI includes various capabilities like machine learning (ML), deep learning, vision, natural language processing, speech, etc.

This discipline of computer science “trains” computer systems from “experience”, i.e., a vast amount of data. As we feed it with more relevant data, the computer systems improve upon their capabilities of performing human-like tasks.

Gartner projects that AI augmentation will create $2.9 trillion worth of business value in 2021. The “Artificial Intelligence Market – 2025 | MarketsandMarkets” report estimates that the global market of AI will reach $190.61 billion by 2025, up from $16.06 billion in 2017. This report projects a CAGR of 36.62% during the 2018-2025 period.

Wondering how AI could benefit your business? Well, it has a wide range of use cases, e.g.:

• Image and video recognition capabilities of AI could help law enforcement and security agencies, as I have explained in “How to build facial recognition software”.
• Efficient and scalable processing of patient data could help healthcare delivery organizations.
• Chatbots could help businesses streamline their customer service operations.
• AI-powered predictive maintenance could improve operational efficiency in the manufacturing industry.
• AI and ML could help software developers and testers by intelligently automating low-end tasks.

7. Progressive web Apps

We have to add progressive web applications to Gartner’s software technologies. The growth of web-based solutions is a solid trend we could observe during the current year. It’s no reason to think it’s going to change in the coming decade.

On the contrary, in the long term, it’s more probable that web apps will take a significant slice of market cake from mobile apps, and not vice versa. We believe it, even more, when we hear Google reps talking about focusing on expanding the features of the current browsers to let web applications achieve the same UX level as mobile apps.

Moreover, progressive web apps are easier to develop and maintain than native applications. They combine the best features of the web and mobile apps. What’s more, they make use of the vast web ecosystem, plugins, and community.

8. Event-Driven Applications

Gartner predicts that through the 2020s a real-time, event-based approach will be a core required demand for 80% of all digital solutions. It’s crucial for business application development companies to apply “event thinking” to their solution strategy.

Event programming is not a type of technology or programming language. It represents an approach that should be implemented in a product development process. An event-driven application responds to actions generated by the user or the system, for example, mouse clicks or loading a program. From a programming point of view, it’s important to separate event-processing logic from the rest of the coding work.

Technologies like AI or IoT speed up event-driven coding as a useful product development strategy. In general, event-driven apps can improve responsiveness, flexibility and give a better understanding of user experience.

9. Multiexperience 

Improvements in wearables and advanced computer sensors are paving the way for the emergence of multiexperience, fully-immersive technology. Traditional ideas of the computer will expand to include new, varied touchpoints. This, of course, will greatly increase the demand for mobile development as firms rush to compete on better, more immersive apps.

Gartner cites Domino’s Pizza, who rolled out an ordering app that combines autonomous vehicles, smart speaker communications, and tracking sensors. The growing popularity of wearable technology is driving development in this field. Greater connectivity and improved user experience will attract more users.

Currently, multiexperience apps use augmented reality, virtual reality, and mixed reality to deliver ever more immersive experiences. As consumers demand more and more sophisticated applications, businesses will have to keep up and deliver more ambient experiences.

Conclusion

As the technologies are trending, the custom software development industry is also evolving. We can see a constant advancement in major technologies like blockchain, ML, and IoT.