Application Development Market Trends

Introduction

The application development market will be undergoing a major transformation by 2022, driven by a confluence of macroeconomic factors, including rapid technological development, changing regulatory environments and changing consumer behavior. The emergence of cloud computing, artificial intelligence and low-code platforms has changed the way in which applications are built and deployed, giving organizations a new level of agility and responsiveness. In the meantime, the regulatory environment is forcing organizations to adopt more rigorous development practices. Meanwhile, consumers’ growing expectations for a seamless and personal digital experience are driving companies to constantly push the boundaries of innovation. These trends are strategically significant for the market’s key players, who are having to navigate a complex environment that demands a thorough understanding of the emerging trends in technology and the market.

Top Trends

1. Low-Code/No-Code Development
   IT is changing, thanks to the advent of low-code and no-code platforms. These platforms allow non-technical users to create their own applications. A trend which has been driven by companies such as Salesforce and Microsoft, which have reported an increase in the use of their low-code tools of 30 per cent in the past year. This democratisation of development is reducing the backlog in IT departments and speeding up the time to market for new applications. Eventually, it will also lead to a skills shift as more employees get involved in developing applications.
2. AI and Machine Learning Integration
   Artificial intelligence and machine learning are increasingly being incorporated into the development of applications, thereby enhancing their functionality and the end-user experience. For example, Oracle has incorporated AI into its cloud applications, resulting in a 25% improvement in the users’ productivity. It is expected that such developments will lead to more intelligent applications that can be adapted to the users’ behaviour, thus stimulating further innovation in the market. In the future, it may be possible to use development tools that are AI-based and that automate the coding of applications.
3. Microservices Architecture
   The microservices architecture is gaining in popularity in organizations that are looking to build scalable and flexible applications. HCL has been able to adopt this approach that enables independent deployment of services, which in turn improves the resilience of the system. In fact, as per industry reports, organizations that have adopted microservices have reported a 40 per cent reduction in time taken to deploy applications. This trend will only grow as organizations look to move away from monolithic architectures to enhance agility.
4. Cloud-Native Development
   Cloud-native development is a new way of developing and deploying applications, which focuses on cloud environments. Red Hat and other major players are promoting cloud-native development, which can reduce the cost of cloud-based IT infrastructure by up to 30%. This new approach to development and deployment allows faster scaling and more efficient resource use, and is essential for any company undergoing digital transformation. The future is cloud-native, with the development of ever-more powerful frameworks and tools.
5. DevOps Practices
   IT departments are adopting DevOps practices that speed up application development and operations and foster collaboration between development and operations teams. As a result, the frequency of deployments increases by 50%. This trend translates into faster and more reliable software releases, and in turn faster innovation cycles. As companies continue to embrace DevOps, we can expect to see more integrated toolchains.
6. API-First Development
   The development of applications by means of an API-first approach is becoming a standard, enabling the integration of services and applications. This approach has increased the productivity of the developer by up to 20 percent. It is a trend that facilitates the creation of a modular application that can easily be connected to third-party services. The future may bring an increase in the number of API marketplaces, which in turn will drive innovation in application eco-systems.
7. Enhanced Security Measures
   With the increase in cyber attacks, the need for more security in application development is becoming paramount. The big companies like Microsoft have been investing heavily in security features, and have been spending an extra 40 per cent on security. This trend is changing the development practices. Security is now an integral part of the development life cycle. The future trend is towards more automated security testing tools to address the security issues proactively.
8. Progressive Web Applications (PWAs)
   PWAs have become popular because they offer a native app experience on the web. Google has come out strongly in favor of PWAs. They increase engagement by as much as 50%. PWAs are especially useful for businesses looking to improve their mobile presence without the cost and effort of building a native app. PWAs are likely to become more widespread in the future.
9. Cross-Platform Development
   Using a single code base, cross-platform development frameworks allow the creation of applications that run on different platforms. Compuware has used such frameworks to reduce development time by up to 30 percent. This trend is crucial for companies that want to reach many different customers without a high development cost. Even more sophisticated cross-platform tools may be developed in the future, resulting in even greater performance improvements.
10. Focus on User Experience (UX)
    Applications are being developed with a greater focus on the experience of the end-user in mind. Companies are concentrating on intuitive design and usability. As a result, companies like Cognizant are seeing a 35% increase in customer satisfaction scores. This trend demonstrates the importance of the end-user experience to the success of an application. Testing tools may be refined to include more advanced metrics.

Conclusion: Navigating the Application Development Landscape

The Application Development market will be highly competitive and highly fragmented by 2022. The application development market is highly localized. Solution vendors are adapting to the local market and regulatory environment. The established vendors are able to enhance their offerings by using their reputation and their large financial resources. The emerging vendors are focusing on the development of new features such as artificial intelligence, automation, and sustainability. Solution vendors will need to deliver flexible and scalable solutions to compete. This is not only to meet current needs, but also to meet future requirements.