The IT industry regularly changes due to the development of new technologies and the introduction of innovative coding techniques. Companies in this sector must adapt to the dynamic environment and follow the latest trends in software development to stay on top.
At the same time, it’s important to keep an eye on the popular tendencies in case you want to start your own project. Such an approach will help you design your software with the features necessary to capture the hearts of new clients and increase your income.
Don’t miss this chance to get acquainted with the future trends that will shape the industry in 2024.
Top Software Development Trends in 2024
This year, IT experts will face a variety of new challenges and opportunities. Software development will likely focus on blockchain technologies, multi-runtime microservices, and AI. At the same time, AR and VR products will also be among the most popular tendencies during this year of Dragon.
Keep reading to discover the 10 software engineering trends all tech startups should follow to stay one step ahead of their competitors.
Wider Adoption of AI
AI technology has become one of the leading IT trends in 2023 and will likely keep its popularity in 2024. Products like ChatGPT will play a significant role in the automation of software development. Programmers can use AI assistants to create powerful apps for accounting, data processing, banking, etc.
A variety of companies and startups should consider adopting this technology if they want to attract clients and stay competitive. Today, automation is one of the key parts of a successful IT project.
AI can also bring several other exciting benefits to the software development industry:
- Simplification of the coding process. Although AI assistants can’t construct apps independently, they may significantly simplify the development process. You can use artificial intelligence to discover non-obvious opportunities, enhance your code, and fix errors faster.
- Information generation. If your team gets stuck on a particular development stage, you can use AI to find the information necessary to move forward. Your virtual assistant will gather data from different sources and provide you with a detailed summary, saving plenty of time.
- Solution of complex equations. Such AI projects as ChatGPT can easily deal with extremely complicated calculations in a couple of seconds. However, make sure you’ve provided your virtual assistant with accurate comments and parameters to get the correct results. Before setting up your project, learn more about AI and ML trends.
Rise of Cloud Computing
In 2024, cloud computing will continue attracting more and more companies and startups. According to a report released by Research and Markets, the AI cloud market will grow by 20.3% by the end of 2026 due to the advantages it offers.
Thanks to this remarkable technology, companies will be able to implement AI and machine learning without the need to buy powerful hardware. The popularity of cloud computing is also directly related to the growth of specialists who opt for remote work. Due to this trend, more IT experts from different parts of the world will be able to work on developing software efficiently. To find out more about cloud computing and how to build one, read our new article.
Blockchain Implementation
Blockchain is an exciting technology that may significantly boost the whole IT industry. Since all modern users value top-notch security systems, blockchain-based applications will be among the latest software development trends. By the way, there are several powerful hacks that you can use to implement blockchain into your business smoothly. Reach out about them here.
Blockchain-based applications can boast the following characteristics:
- Reliable data storage. Due to the particularities of blockchain technology, all data in Blockchain-Oriented Software may be stored across thousands of devices. Thus, you can be sure you will never lose it.
- Enhanced security. All changes in blockchain-based apps are chronologically arranged through a consensus algorithm to ensure no one will manipulate the data.
- Smart apps. The development of smart contracts highly increases the popularity of dApps (decentralized applications) with the owners of play-to-earn projects, banking services, and online casinos.
Python Takes the Throne
According to the PYPL index, Python has become the most popular programming language. Its growth rate is 28%, and it’s likely to keep growing in 2024.
Python is among the easiest coding languages, so it regularly attracts newbies who want to start their path in the IT industry. A survey held by Stack Overflow discovered that it is already among the three most commonly used coding languages. Moreover, Python holds the first position in the latest TIOBE top list. Python performs a different function depending on the business direction adopted by these tech companies. You can read more about it in our article.
Year of Virtual Reality
VR and AR technologies have long been present on the market, but now, they are more accessible to ordinary users. Thanks to it, we should expect to see a significant boom in VR and AR software development. This trend will skyrocket across different industries, including:
- Medicine. Currently, there are apps such as AccuVein, which simplifies the work of healthcare specialists by locating veins for faster needle insertion. Besides, there is a variety of medical simulators that help explore the human body and learn different surgical techniques. Another example is Mighty Immersion, a cutting edge VR kit for hospitals developed by LITSLINK. It helps hospitals, medical staff, and patients all over the world give and receive the best healthcare experiences.
- Business. VR software offers the perfect possibility to train staff or develop presentations of different products. Plus, it may be used in the real estate industry to create virtual property tours.
- Education. Teachers may use AR and VR applications to simplify the learning of complex subjects such as history, physics, and chemistry.
Focus on Sustainability
Modern society emphasizes the importance of ecology and sustainability. Thus, the green computing concept has already become integral to the whole IT industry.
Software developers are looking for eco-friendly solutions. Many of them support energy-efficient coding methods described in the Sustainable Web Manifesto and articles of the Green Software Foundation. This approach encourages the development of software with significantly reduced server processing, data requests, and loading time.
Popularization of Microservices
Microservices architecture offers the development of software as a collection of small and independent services that work together to deal with certain tasks. As a rule, these services communicate with each other using HTTP-based APIs.
In 2024, it is expected to evolve into multi-runtime microservices known as MACH architecture. This exciting technology provides the possibility to construct apps using different coding languages, data storage technologies, and runtime environments. Due to this, programmers can choose the best solutions to deal with specific issues.
Cybersecurity Matters
Unfortunately, the number of cyber threats continues to grow every year. Thus, cybersecurity is still among the most important trends in the software development industry. In 2024, this field will be strengthened by robust security protocols and advanced AI that can detect possible dangers.
Plus, more developers will shift to the Zero Trust architecture instead of the usual perimeter-based protection model. They create software aimed at verifying not only users outside the organization’s network but also devices inside it.
More Cross-Platform Apps
Cross-platform software has already shown its strong points. In 2024, there will be more projects perfectly optimized for the owners of different devices. The development of cross-platform software provides terrific benefits, including:
- Applications that reach more users on various operating systems;
- Cross-platform apps require less time and resources to develop than several native apps, and you can use a smaller team to create and maintain such software;
- Cross-platform apps ensure a consistent user experience;
- These applications are easier to update on different devices simultaneously.
Expansions of the IoT
The Internet of Things has been ranked among the trends in software development for several years. This technology provides businesses with an excellent opportunity to ensure the best customer experience.
In the near future, experts will focus on this sector to provide users with impressive personalization, better security, and flawless data management. Moreover, in 2024, we’re likely to see projects combining IoT, AI, and blockchain technologies to deliver a new level of innovation.
Other New Software Trends in 2024
Although we’ve covered the major software technology trends for 2024, some additional trends deserve attention. The most important of them include:
- Progressive Web Applications (PWAs) have a strong chance of becoming the leading web development trend in 2024. These apps are built with the help of web platform tools, but, at the same time, they offer user experience like top-notch platform-specific applications. Some companies, such as AliExpress, have already adopted this wonderful technology, resulting in an impressive rise in their conversion rate.
- More businesses will opt for offshore software development companies. This type of cooperation has many advantages, including cost reduction and access to a vast talent pool. Anyone can start working with a software development company in the USA, even if their headquarters are located somewhere in Europe.
- Many modern companies use low-code technologies to boost their online influence. Thus, they can create websites or even apps without necessary coding knowledge. Research suggests that the low-code platform market can reach $87 billion in revenues by the end of this decade.
Conclusion
Advancements in technologies naturally lead to changes in the whole software development industry. Experts must improve their knowledge to withstand competition and provide their partners with high-tech solutions. It’s important to follow trends in software engineering that will undoubtedly solve the specific issues of your project.
