10 Key Software Development Trends In 2022

Startup founders and business owners who build new software or upgrade an existing product need to know which technologies are worth adopting. This article looks at the software development trends we expected to matter most in 2022 and at how custom software development can help your business use them. The GitOps and DevOps methodologies are also widely used; we compare them in a separate article.

Reasons Your Business Needs Custom Software Development

In many cases, custom software serves a business better than an off-the-shelf product.

Unique and custom functionality

Custom software includes the features your users actually need, so they can complete their tasks faster. It is built for your market and audience rather than for the average customer of a mass-market product.

Advanced technology

Off-the-shelf products have fixed functionality, and the technology behind them may be outdated or irrelevant to your business. A custom solution can use the technologies your case needs, including machine learning and deep learning.

High security

Security matters most when software stores confidential data such as passwords and payment details. Custom software can be protected with the security measures your case requires, whereas with ready-made software you depend on the vendor's choices.

Automation

Off-the-shelf software can automate common processes, but some of its functions may not match how your business works. Custom software automates your processes as they are, so you get more value from automation.

Scalability

When we build custom software at Go Wombat, we design it with scalability in mind, so you can add features and handle more users as your business grows.

Competitive edge

Custom software can reflect your brand and include features that your competitors' off-the-shelf tools do not have.

Cost-efficiency

Custom software needs a larger investment up front, but ready-made solutions can become more expensive in the long run, for example through per-user licence fees or workarounds for missing features.

Need custom software? Contact us.

Current Software Development Trends To Consider

These are the ten trends we expected to prevail in 2022.

Automation

The first trend is the automation of business processes. During the COVID-19 pandemic, many businesses automated routine tasks to reduce the need for in-person contact, and demand grew for software that reduces dependence on manual work.

According to the World Economic Forum's Future of Jobs Report 2020, more than 80% of business executives were accelerating plans to digitise work processes, and 50% of employers expected to accelerate the automation of some roles.

Artificial Intelligence (AI)

Companies of all sizes use AI to automate processes, analyse information, support decisions and recognise faces.

At Go Wombat, Python is our core language for complex web applications that use AI algorithms, and our engineers have extensive experience building software with AI and machine learning components.

Big Data

Big Data is a set of tools and techniques for storing and analysing datasets too large for conventional databases. Businesses use it, for example, to analyse customer behaviour and adjust their offer to what customers need.

The Internet Of Things (IoT)

The Internet of Things is a network of connected devices that exchange data and act without human input. It is used in consumer products, such as smart homes and connected cars, and in industry, for example in manufacturing. IoT is most useful in combination with AI and Big Data, which turn device data into decisions.

The Internet Of Behaviour (IoB)

The Internet of Behaviour extends the Internet of Things: IoT gathers data from devices, while IoB tracks and analyses how people behave as they use software and hardware. In October 2019, Gartner predicted that by 2023 individual activities would be tracked digitally to influence benefit and service eligibility for 40% of people worldwide.

Behavioural data helps companies understand and personalise the user experience. Streaming services, for example, recommend content based on what users watch and how they react to it.

Cloud-Based Software

Many businesses are moving from on-premise software, which runs only on their own infrastructure, to the cloud, and government organisations have made the same move. Cloud solutions are more flexible and easier to scale, and a well-configured cloud setup can be more secure than a typical on-premise one.

If you need cloud-based software, contact Go Wombat.

Mixed Reality (MR)

Mixed Reality blends the physical and digital worlds and covers a range that includes augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR). Users interact with physical and digital objects in real time. MR is used for staff training, quality control in manufacturing, remote communication and collaboration, and to help close skilled-labour gaps.

Cybersecurity

Attackers use increasingly sophisticated malware against websites and mobile apps, so installing anti-malware software or a firewall is not enough: security has to be built into the software itself. At Go Wombat, a certified Chief Security Officer oversees the security of the software we build.

Blockchain

Blockchain is a distributed ledger technology that first appeared with Bitcoin. Today it is used in finance, media, real estate and healthcare. Its benefits include transparency, tamper resistance, individual control of data, tokenisation and decentralisation.

For example, businesses that sign contracts with third parties can use smart contracts: programs on a blockchain that execute the agreed terms automatically when conditions are met, with every step recorded on a ledger that all parties can see.

Progressive Web Apps (PWAs)

A Progressive Web App (PWA) is a website that looks and behaves like a native mobile app. Users can add it to their phone's home screen, and it can send notifications, use device hardware and work offline.

Many well-known brands have launched PWAs. For example, after Forbes launched its PWA in 2017, sessions per user grew by 43%, ad viewability by 20% and engagement by 100%.

A PWA is usually cheaper to build and maintain than separate native apps, because one codebase serves all platforms. That is why some companies replace their native apps with PWAs.