22 software development trends for 2022

Believe it or not, the year 2022 is right around the corner! So what does next year have in store for the rapidly changing, ever-evolving software world? From code reviews to DevOps, software testing, and tech companies’ culture, here are our 22 software development trends for 2022 🔮

#1 – A rise of automated code reviews

Tech companies increasingly see a well-defined code review process as a fundamental part of the software development process. Code reviews are among the best ways to improve code quality. Automated code review tools are increasing in popularity as more companies start to include them in their code review process, allowing developers to spend more time building new features instead of on code reviews. We can expect solutions like Codacy to see an increase in adoption in 2022.

#2 – A greater focus on software quality standards

Software solutions are increasingly embedded in our day-to-day lives and in most of the devices we use. As a result, there is a growing need for software to follow quality standards like the ones proposed by ISO. Examples include the ISO/IEC 25010 on software product quality or the ISO/IEC 27001 on information technology. Companies are also starting to see the advantages of ISO certification, like improved quality, more efficient processes, increased reputation, and enhanced client satisfaction.

#3 – A pragmatic focus on coding standards

As companies and teams grow, they start to have a list of rules and guidelines for writing code. This list also incorporates language conventions and style consistency. Having a clear standard can help current developers, and it is also relevant for the onboarding of new developers. In 2022, we expect more companies to see the advantages of coding standards, not motivated by growing pains but by understanding its need from the early stages.

#4 – A steady replacement of legacy systems 

We all know that legacy systems increase a company’s risk of attacks or data breaches since security vulnerabilities are easier to exploit. As a result, companies are more focused on intentionally and periodically evaluating and modernizing their systems and technology stack, and we anticipate this tendency to increase in 2022.

#5 – A Kingdom for Kubernetes

Global tech companies are increasingly adopting Kubernetes – Codacy included – and it is becoming the obvious choice to automate software delivery. It’s the road to follow, but be aware of some bumps that can appear along the way. With Kubernetes continuing its conquest of the DevOps realm, we expect an excellent opportunity for its supporting tools as well.

#6 – An adoption of Infrastructure as Code (IaC)

Infrastructure as Code (IaC) is becoming more common since it allows the management of the complete IT infrastructure through machine-readable configuration files without the dreaded human error. The IaC benefits include easier cloud-native adoption, traceability, deployment of similar configurations, and higher efficiency. All this during the entire software development lifecycle, which makes us anticipate that IaC adoption will increase next year. 

#7 – A domination of cloud-native technology

The paradigm of cloud-hosted solutions is configurable and infrastructure-independent, unlike cloud-managed services. With cloud-native, we can have a container-based system, where services are deployed as a part of microservices and run in containers. This container approach can ultimately improve speed and efficiency, allowing companies to react to market changes quickly.

#8 – SRE and DevOps complementing each other

In the years to come, Site Reliability Engineering (SRE) techniques, such as service-level indicators, will enhance the objectives of the DevOps teams. As a result, teams can experience greater software delivery and operational performance. Great excuses to work together, don’t you think?

#9 – A bigger concern on security with DevSecOps

Security is a concern that has been increasing in the last few years, and in 2022 it will continue to be one of the main focuses for companies of all sizes. As such, there is no surprise that there will be an increase in DevSecOps adoption. DevSecOps can be an essential step to guarantee high-security standards, where security is considered in every commit and pull request. With that, any threats can be detected and mitigated rapidly, with companies incorporating security into the entire lifecycle of products and applications. 

#10 – A centralization by design with GitOps

Having DevOps best practices as a base, GitOps can aid in the automation of the infrastructure provisioning process, where teams store the declaration files in a Git repository. Having the state of a system in a central place allows for more control. GitOps can make deployment more efficient, reliable, and fast since developers do not need to spend time and energy searching through cloud provider consoles. We can anticipate a GitOps growth in 2022, with the already expressed support by leading players like AWS and MS Azure.

#11 – A cost management solution with FinOps

With FinOps, organizations can better manage their development costs and implement solutions that fit their needs and resources better. To make more intelligent and cost-efficient solutions, companies set up teams to closely look at where they are spending money. This analysis encourages the implementation of best practices to optimize costs and resource allocation. As a result,  companies are more effective, efficient, and agile at what they do.

#12 – An increased power to AI- and ML-driven approaches

Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning are not just fancy words. They are here to stay, and they can change how teams develop and deploy their products by raising their performances and productivity without much effort. New terminologies, like AIOps, MLOps, and DataOps, are becoming a reality. We expect their importance to grow in 2022 since they provide helpful automation to speed up processes and improve efficiency.

#13 – A closer look into ethical AI

While AI is growing and it provides a high number of benefits, it also faces challenges and risks when it comes to data security, data privacy, and ethical uses of data. So, the tech industry will continue developing ethical principles, guidelines, and regulations to ensure we can expect ethical behaviors from the AIs the developers are building.

#14 – An expanded usage of predictive analytics

In combination with Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning, predictive data analytics will be a big trend next year in almost every industry. Every company produces data, and exploiting patterns found in historical data can help identify risks and opportunities. So, this data exploration can shape product development and design directions.

#15 – A run for the win from Python

Python’s popularity has been increasing in the last few years, and we expect it to continue to grow in 2022. It is becoming the language of choice for developers building applications with AI and ML-based features, and with Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning becoming more common, so is Python.

#16 – An opportunity for low-code or no-code solutions 

With the availability of low-code or no-code solutions, the development of new products and applications is more democratized. These solutions also allow companies with lower resources to build new products. Plus, we can see the empowerment of people to implement and iterate new ways to solve challenges and develop domain-specific solutions for their unique use cases.

#17 – A growth of Progressive Web Applications (PWA)

Progressive Web Applications (PWA) are native solutions that combine the capabilities of a website with a mobile application. They remove the need to download an app while enjoying a native-like app experience on mobile devices. Plus, PWAs are more responsive and less expensive to develop and maintain, making them an interesting choice for startups or smaller teams that want to build new apps in 2022. 

#18 – A takeoff of Testing Centers of Excellence (TCoE) 

Testing Centers of Excellence (TCoE) is a model for a centralized testing platform for optimal usage of resources by integrating different methods for high-quality standard testing. It’s still in its early stages, but we can see a lot of potential. With this approach, testers need less time to go through a test cycle without impairing the quality of the code.

#19 – An advanced CI/CD pipeline

An advanced CI/CD pipeline will enable continuous building, testing, and deploying iterative code changes. This reduces the chances of deploying new code based on a buggy or failed previous version. The pipeline will also minimize human intervention and, at the same time, help teams simplify and scale the test automation process.

#20 – A growing need for outsourcing

It is increasingly challenging for companies in all industries to find talented IT professionals who can develop high-quality solutions within budget. So, several companies are outsourcing their development base, and we expect this tendency to increase in 2022. Some of the benefits of this approach include cost efficiency, faster turnaround, lower risk, and freeing up business resources.

#21 – A higher transparency about software

More clients and customers are demanding to know how companies make their software. This higher demand creates a need for more transparency regarding software development. Tech companies need to answer how they built the software and how long they will maintain it. Plus, product roadmaps will become more widely available for the public, with clients having a direct say on the developed features. At Codacy, we already have our product roadmap available for you to check out, and you can submit your ideas to our development team.

#22 – A new approach to remote and hybrid work

The COVID-19 pandemic changed the way we see office space. Time and space flexibility is the road to follow. More companies will implement remote or hybrid work policies, where employees can choose the workplace that best suits their needs.  And yes, we, at Codacy, now have a remote-first policy!

These are just a few of the predictions we foretell for 2022. Some have started in 2021, but we expect their adoption to grow and become stronger in 2022. And now it’s your turn! Let us know what you think will happen next year in the realm of software development.