2021 software development technology spotlight series explained

The past year has been quite challenging for every sector owing to the worldwide pandemic. Currently, people are in the process of getting inoculated and the economy is improving steadily in the global sense. One of the many industries that is experiencing balanced growth is software development. There has been much advancement in this sector and businesses need to be aware of the trends in order to offer dynamic solutions to their customers in this year and beyond. Technology spotlight will help in this endeavor.

Understanding technology spotlight series

The technology spotlight series is an explanation of the latest software dev trends and the benefits, risks, and possible risk-mitigation strategies that come with them. This overview is a sort of repository for companies that offer such solutions which are looking to create the best products/services. Let us understand the same in the following lines with a reference to the trends in question:

1.Artificial Intelligence

Artificial Intelligence is the phenomenon in which computer programs and applications can learn and think on their own, without any human intervention. Based on this, they develop the ability to take actions that are ideal for the circumstances. Over time, computers/systems improve in their functionality and make any process easier.

The advantages of Artificial Intelligence are as follows:

There is no risk of any human error as the intervention is minimal. This reduces any rework and saves time.
A computer program works at all times. It does not need any time off as humans do.
As far as software development is concerned, AI programs can automate the code generation process. They can even test better and hasten the deployment of solutions, thus helping companies in adhering to their timelines.

As with any software development trends, AI comes with a set of disadvantages as well. Here is a list of the prominent ones:

It can lead to unemployment.
It can make humans lazy since most of the work is done by AI programs.
If there is something radically different that needs to be done and requires special skills, the same cannot be done solely with the help of Artificial Intelligence backed technologies. A separate set of algorithms are needed for the purpose, and this could mean more time and money.

Companies need to be aware of the disadvantages and ensure that they use AI in software technology only up to a point. They have to make a conscious effort to make the most of it and at the same time, understand the limitations and make contingency plans to take care of any unforeseen problems.

2.Blockchain Technology

Blockchain technology first came to light with cryptocurrency made popular by bitcoins. Blockchains are decentralized data centers that are organized in chronological order and linked to each other with cryptographic proofs. It is a digital ledger of transactions that is distributed across computer systems on the blockchain.

Benefits of this software technology trend:

It is known for its security. Once a transaction is stored, it cannot be modified and thus, is quite safe.
Blockchain Technology processes transactions faster and therefore saves time.
It creates a stable record of transactions with a foolproof audit trail, making it easier to spot any particular data without hassles.

Here are the disadvantages of this trend:

If data is entered incorrectly for some reason, the same cannot be modified or edited.
With so much data available and stored, there is a need for a lot of storage space.
It comes with a higher cost.

There is a lot of work that is left to be accomplished in this particular trend and its implementation in the software will take some time. However, the benefits outweigh the challenges and therefore, many companies are eager to see such implementations in their upcoming projects.

Low-code development

Low-code development is a development platform that relies more on creating software from a graphical user interface rather than manual codes in computer programming.

Let us check the advantages of the same in the following lines:

The user interface is enhanced using this development platform that gives rise to satisfied end-users.
It integrates people and technology in a single platform to create the best results.
Low-code development helps in creating enterprise-ready applications in a shorter time.

Following are the disadvantages of this platform:

In case of any customization requirement, this platform fails to perform.
Since there is low control over the application, security might become an issue.

Low-code development is yet to prove its mettle when it comes to bigger applications. The cost factor is still debatable and people are unable to understand whether it saves money when compared to the conventional software development process.

Conclusion

It is a fact that software technology is a field that has seen much advancement over the years and continues to make our lives easier in a number of ways. Using the latest trends can create futuristic solutions and help stay ahead of the competition on any given day. So, understanding the pros and cons before making a decision is the best way forward.