Software development trends in 2021

2021 marks the start of a new decade, and new technologies will emerge, and others will continue to rise. The latest software development trends in 2020 will undoubtedly continue this year, but there is still much innovation to come.

Top software development trends for 2021

Software development in 2021 will continue in the direction set in 2020. However, familiar markets and technologies may surprise us with new advances, especially if they become mainstream. Artificial Intelligence, the Internet of Things, and AR/VR/MR companies have already announced several promising releases for the year. As the year progresses, we are likely to see the birth of new trends.

In this analysis, we wanted to track global trends in the IT industry and see their impact in the real world. Technology, Tech Stack, Industry Leaders All of these aspects into account in our in-depth analysis. We look at each of these trends and consider their future implementation.

Trend #1 - Cloud computing

In 2020, it will adopt cloud computing by startups and enterprises, and government agencies and organizations. Hospitals, security services, law enforcement agencies, and even the US Department of Defense have recognized this technology's value. By the end of 2021, we could see a significant migration of businesses and institutions to the cloud, not just in the US but globally.

The cloud is such a hot trend in the software industry because the transition to this form of computing has never been easier. Today, all global companies invest in this technology (Google, Amazon, and Microsoft are leading the way) to offer cloud computing to businesses and individuals. You can even use the cloud infrastructure for free for the first month to see if it meets your needs.

Trend #2: AWS's monopoly status is being challenged

Amazon Web Services was the world's first public cloud infrastructure, enabling businesses to move their computing to remote servers. But while AWS is the first, it is not necessarily the most popular: according to Canalys, AWS has a market share of 32.6%, with Azure and GCP accounting for the remaining 22.4%.

Microsoft is challenging Amazon with its Azure infrastructure and its JEDI cloud project in partnership with the US Department of Defense.

Trend #3 - Changes in container development

Docker has been one of the most popular container solutions for some time, competing with Mesos, Swarm, and Kubernetes. Kubernetes has now taken the lead; Kubernetes has cultivated a loyal community and has risen to become a global authority on container development; 12,000 people attended Kubecon + CloudNativeCon, double the number from last year.

Kubernetes will be used as the industry standard for container development, and more and more developers are moving away from Docker.

Trend #4 - Worldwide recognition of microservices

Recent developments in the cloud are leading more developers to consider microservices as a leading architectural firm. Monolithic architectures (where a large service is a build and new features add the project grows) have long proven difficult to scale. But it is only now that microservices can reach their peak because of so many advances in cloud computing.

Instead of creating one excellent service, developers are breaking down functionality into manageable pieces. The software will be made up of microservices, each performing a single function but doing so flawlessly. When you need to update a position, you make the change in a microservice.

Trend #5 - The rise of Python

Python is a language that meets all modern development needs. Whether it is web development, mobile development, or an enterprise project, this language can handle it all. What sets Python apart from other general-purpose languages is its ability to enable complex mathematical operations, data analysis, machine learning, and neural network building.

As you can see, it is already third in popularity behind Java and C. The growth rate is astonishing: demand for the language has doubled. Moreover, Python is not challenging to learn, but it can adapt to complex projects requiring advanced skills.

Trend #6 - The rise of new languages

While developers still prefer to learn general-purpose languages like C, Python, or Java, new languages have their niche. The last decade has surprised us with many elegant languages, including Go, Swift, Rust, TypeScript. These tools are easier to learn and master, the syntax is more precise, and the projects are easy to maintain.

Unlike PHP, the new languages, which emerged in 1994, are adapted to the latest hardware and meet high usability standards. They focus on providing fast performance, multi-threading, cross-device optimization, and smooth deployment. Importantly, these new languages support large companies (Google Go, Apple Swift, Microsoft Rust) that have invested heavily in these projects' growth in recent years.

Trend #7 - JavaScript is still the primary language for web development

The year 2021 is unlikely to bring any surprises in this software development trend. The momentum of JS growth is quite evident. Since the introduction of AngularJS in 2014, the language has become increasingly capable of supporting many backend operations at once. It has always been a strong contender for front-end development, and the ability to use JS on both the client and server-side appeals to developers.

JavaScript frameworks are likely to be the next big thing in web development. They may already be - but the trend will become more pronounced this year.

Trend #8 - Enterprises focus on native development

In recent years, there has been a lot of discussion about the choice between native and hybrid development. Initially, mixed development appealed to developers because of its simplicity and cost-effectiveness. Applications should be cross-OS anyway, and it is cheaper to hire one team instead of several.

However, companies have realized that ignoring native development standards is not always the best option for developing an intuitive and complex solution. While startups and small businesses will likely continue to work with the cheaper hybrid development, enterprises will likely return to the more reliable native practices.

Trend #9 - React Native will continue to dominate hybrid development

While enterprises are moving away from the mass adoption of hybrid solutions, startups and small businesses will favor universal, cross-platform products. React Native, powered by Facebook, has been one of the trends in software development for years, which is unlikely to change.

Trend #10 - Outsourcing development

Outsourcing software development gives companies more flexibility and cost-effectiveness. Suppose in-house teams lack skills in specific technology packages. In that case, managers don't need to hire new in-house developers and pay them a regular salary - they can choose to partner with a remote vendor and pay the team on an hourly or project basis.

The growth of software development markets in Eastern Europe, especially Ukraine, creates intense competition for Western counterparts. Developers face the same level of competition, if not more, but at much lower prices due to the difference between local and US prices. As they work with a range of industries and stacks, they have a much greater insight into the potential solution.

To sum up: implement technology trends in 2021

Many companies will find it challenging to adapt to security trends in 2021. To deal with technological change, a capable team must deliver capabilities that go beyond specialized internal tools.

Top software development companies in India are ready to assess your business needs and the current state of your digital transformation, identify critical issues and solve them with disruptive solutions. We'll ensure that our technology meets your needs with tangible business results in mind.