Will developers become archaic? Analyst predictions for 2023
Organizations must continue innovating and optimizing to keep up -- but these advances could set developers up for extinction. Explore an industry analyst's predictions for 2023.
- Paul Nashawaty
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Enterprise Strategy Group
We provide market insights, research and advisory, and technical validations for tech buyers.
Business pressures are on: Global inflation, geopolitical crises and supply chain challenges are just a few of the factors driving organizational pressure to do more with less and become more agile.
In fact, research conducted by TechTarget's Enterprise Strategy Group showed that nine out of 10 IT organizations must move faster today than three years ago. As impossible as this sounds, organizations will need to pivot to achieve and maintain competitive advantage -- and this especially applies to operational efficiencies.
Despite spending pressures, investing in innovation is worth it
Enterprise Strategy Group's 2023 Technology Spending Intentions Report supports these statements. We found that organizations are focusing on not only costs and spending but also how innovation provides competitive advantage.
Investing in innovative technologies that add value to the business makes total sense. If there are pressures on spending, why not make every dollar count?
Overall, we anticipate that 2023 will be a year to innovate with tighter budgets. Organizations that fail to innovate or optimize for operational efficiency will certainly experience challenges from competitors who do.
As a side effect, increased scrutiny on spending could have a positive effect on the workforce. Let's face it -- most developers spend their time in maintenance mode. If not, then you are one of the lucky ones who are able to focus on innovation.
Predictions for app and software development in 2023
Keeping up with advances in technology on top of maintenance means developers have a lot on their plates. However, changes will need to occur for both individual developers and organizations.
Paul Nashawaty
We see application growth in terms of volume as well as an increase in mobile application developers, which will lead to new ways of expanding omnichannel delivery. As organizations look to maximize their outcomes, these new approaches will help drive results -- an important consideration given the cooling economy.
The following growth trends Enterprise Strategy Group has seen in our research affect both developers and organizations and are the foundation of my predictions about where the market is going.
1. Wasm and WASI
WebAssembly (Wasm) is poised to take off in 2023. With language support for Rust, C++, Python, JavaScript and AssemblyScript, developers will be able to bring their own code to Wasm to produce fast, scalable code across all machines and beyond the browser.
Wasm is positioned to be the common translation layer across many devices. WebAssembly System Interface (WASI) will support this growth and enable Wasm code to run in back-end applications.
2. GPT, not just ChatGPT
The exposure of ChatGPT introduced something very powerful to the market. ChatGPT is a chatbot application built on a variant of the Generative Pre-trained Transformer (GPT) model called GPT-3.
GPT, built by OpenAI, is powerful -- far more powerful than ChatGPT alone. This technology can be integrated into many applications to introduce advancements.
3. Cross-platform, distributed cloud app development
Delivering a rapid way to release code across multiple platforms and cloud environments is increasingly important across the distributed cloud ecosystem.
4. Focus on innovation
Using new tools to maximize business outcomes instead of focusing on maintenance is the goal for many organizations. Teams that figure out how to optimize and deliver rapidly while maximizing developers' ability to focus on innovative approaches will not only advance the organization but also make for a rewarding work environment.
5. Rise of the non-developer
Adoption of low-code and no-code platforms will expand into mainstream business-line functions. In other words, traditional developers will need to focus on the next wave of growth for the business. Let the lines of business run their operations -- but do so with guardrails.
6. AI-driven build, release and operational code cadences
Automation of the CI/CD infinity loop to include development, release, testing and monitoring will be taken to a new level. The code release cycle and cadence can be delivered with logic and automation, eliminating redundant tasks currently in the process.
7. Applications as a service
Looking at the consumption-based, on-demand models for cloud and hardware services, it is a logical progression for applications to adopt the same model: Use only what is needed and maximize its benefits. This differs from a SaaS approach; it is more like an application with "bedtime scripts" that shuts down and is not paid for when not in use.
8. Omnichannel engagement modeling for application adoption
Use of beacons, wearables and personalization will continue to increase in 2023. Voice-based results for AI and digital assistants, such as Alexa, Siri and Google Assistant, will also promote engagement, with the number of devices in use projected to reach 8 billion this year.
9. Extended reality, including app-specific metaverses
Extended reality will expand by applying Wasm in the metaverse. The metaverse will enhance the entertainment industry by going beyond video and audio to include virtual and mixed-reality experiences, leading to widespread adoption across existing and new platforms.
10. Cognitive business operations
Digital investments to drive integrated, intelligent and agile business functions will continue to grow in 2023. Day two operations and observability insights are only the beginning for this approach.
Integrated systems and actionable insights are future endpoints for organizations. Incorporating AI into these insights enables the advanced automation organizations are looking to achieve.
