Over the past decade, coding has significantly evolved to adapt to our modern needs. As our planet continues to embrace technology, coding has also become the language of our world. Demand for coders is increasing, with experts predicting that it could be one of the most in-demand jobs in the near future.
Coding as a process has become agile, customizable, and convenient. The rise of pre-written code, standardization, APIs, etc., has brought new and exciting technological innovations in software development. In this post, we’ll learn about this year’s coding trends, what drives these innovations, and what possibilities we can expect in the future.
Metaverse
What was once science fiction is now slowly becoming a reality, thanks to Metaverse. One of the most disruptive, exciting, and controversial trends in tech, Metaverse, is allowing us to live our virtual dreams. There are so many discussions on how this trend opens so many possibilities in all industries and how it creates so many opportunities for creative programmers.
But how does Metaverse exactly change the coding landscape? Since the Metaverse is about creating 3D virtual worlds and experiences, it’s considered a threshold to new types of applications. It involves the coding process of fully simulated environments in AR and VR. It also requires knowledge in coding 3D design, 3D modeling, and blockchain technology.
Soon enough, roles such as ’Metaverse developer’ will emerge, and coders must develop and learn new skills to be employable by Metaverse companies. Aside from basic programming and software development skills, a Metaverse developer must also have other essential skills such as XR technology, creativity, animation, and graphic backgrounds.
IoB and Personalization
Known as an extension of the Internet of Things, Internet of Behaviors (IoB) tracks and analyzes people’s behavioral patterns when interacting with devices and apps. Experts believe this is a critical technology for creating better and more personalized user experiences.
As we all know, personalization is the key to excellent customer service. A business that can adapt its services to its consumer’s needs and desires is often chosen over its competitors. There’s no better way to stand out than to go above and beyond to serve your customers. In 2022, this will be every software developer’s focus.
IoB will be the major and most important software development trend programmers have to keep in mind in the coming years. In fact, a study found that, when combined with AI, IoB can impact IoT, thereby influencing consumer behavior. This breakthrough can pave the way for numerous applications, including cutting-edge marketing strategies like ultimate customer satisfaction, precise suggestions, and maximal personalization.
AI That Codes
You’ve probably heard of AI that can teach, create digital art, and play games—and if you’re a programmer, you might already know about AI systems that can code faster and better than you. But don’t worry, it’s not going to take your job. AI tools cut down repetitive coding by suggesting the following code elements or programmers. It doesn’t necessarily create code by itself.
AI programs with amazing coding capabilities are now assisting programmers in completing their coding projects. It also helps non-programmers to learn to code and build cool stuff without learning how to code.
A good example here is GitHub’s AI coding assistant: Github Copilot. Copilot is, according to Github, an “AI pair programmer.” It’s a collaborative tool trained to write millions of lines of code. It can’t necessarily produce correct code all the time. But still, it’s a great tool to help you test your code, match patterns with regular expressions, prepare for technical interviews, and navigate new codebases.
Low-code development
Low-code in software development is a technique in which programmers use little to no code to create applications. With low-code, you can build programs quickly and efficiently without starting from scratch. Instead of a purely technical approach in coding, low-code uses model-driven or drag-and-drop tools to create and program things. This increases productivity in creating or building all types of apps.
Low-code is also teaching people how to code optimally. Aside from minimizing hand-coding, it’s allowing people to learn how to code in a simpler and more digestible way, even if they don’t have a degree in computer science. No more writing codes line by line. You can instruct the program to create the code for you in the process you want. This technique eliminates repetitive and tedious coding tasks such as code validation and dependency management.
Progressive Web Apps
Progressive Web Apps (PWA) is a software development process where a web application is created similarly to a mobile or desktop app. Like native mobile or PC apps, they also send push notifications and have icons on the home screen.
However, unlike native apps, PWAs can work offline, access device hardware, and even be accessible without using app stores. There are no downloading or updating hassles, and there’s no issue even when using the app in poor connectivity areas.
The coding process of PWA is more focused on perfecting the cross-platform ability, the looks, and the device support. Examples of big companies already using PWAs are Uber, Starbucks, Twitter, and Pinterest. As a software with amazing connectivity resilient design, we’ll see more PWAs in 2022 and beyond.
Cross-Platform Development
The rise of cross-platform development has enabled more and more people to connect online without device limitations. For coding, it has allowed the use of software that can run on different kinds of platforms.
Multi-platform compatibility makes it possible for developers to build software for different platforms. Instead of creating two separate apps for each platform, you can now spend less time developing by using one type of code to work with. This method enhances productivity, reduces cost, and increases the reach of your app or program. Inventory management software, including the top procurement solution companies, are often cross-platform to better reach procurement goals, improve accessibility, and reduce costs for growing businesses.
Clean Technology and Ethical AI
We all know that tech is reusable. This is good because other people can reproduce and create similar solutions for their businesses or customers. With AI becoming one of the most used technologies, we must make an effort to ensure it remains ethical.
However, the ones who can reuse it don’t usually have great intentions (ex., hackers and cybercriminals). To strengthen corporate defenses, businesses must prioritize cloud security. For coders, it’s a whole new practice. To combat this, programmers have to guard their AI with watermarks that can’t be removed. They also have to improve security for software, especially for finance applications and asset management software (ex. ManagerPlus, Atera, Ivanti, etc.) that deal with the private and sensitive data of businesses.
What Do These Trends Mean To the Future of Coding?
The trends listed above are the most notable technologies that will significantly impact coding in the coming years. There’s still a lot that isn’t mentioned in the article, such as Web 3.0, crypto, and blockchain, but that’s for another discussion. Which of these trends do you think will be the biggest in 2022? Which trend are you already familiar with?