It’s hard to think of an industry that changes faster than IT, and it looks like 2017 will be no exception to this rule. Developers will be asked to wrap their heads around new technologies, new platforms, and new methodologies. Here are the five forces experts think will shape the dev landscape in the coming year.
Move Over Native Apps
If you’ve never considered web apps, now’s the time. Gartner says that mobile apps aren’t delivering the ROI that brands had hoped for, with many of them struggling just to acquire downloads. “By 2019, 20% of brands will abandon their mobile apps,” the firm says.
Goodbye Bimodal
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“In early 2016, many CIOs fell for the false promise of a bimodal strategy,” says Forrester Research, and it expects this will reverse itself in 2017. The idea that IT could be split in half and run at two different speeds, with two fundamentally different approaches, has proven unmanageable for most organizations.
Older Skills Remain Crucial
Despite the massive trends of IoT, AI, VR, and cloud, Robert Half Technology says that the skills most likely to earn devs a boost in salary are the ones that have been in demand for years. Specifically: ASP, C#, Java, and .NET, which could deliver a seven percent salary increase this year.
Can’t Stop The Blockchain
The buzz around blockchain, the technology that underpins cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin, started to grow in 2016 and will become louder still in 2017. With applications in the financial sector being the obvious starting point, the technology will also find a home in the IoT as it provides a secure and trusted way to share transactional data between devices and companies. “By 2022 a blockchain based business will exist with a value of $10 billion,” according to Gartner.
The Future Is Open
Open source’s allure will strengthen this year, thanks to OpenStack. With its open tools, technologies and broad, vibrant developer communities, Forrester predicts that “In 2017, we will see the vast majority of development organizations embrace open source/OpenStack.”
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did Gartner suggest developers consider web apps over native mobile apps?
Gartner said mobile apps were not delivering the return on investment brands had hoped for, with many struggling just to get downloads. Heading into 2017, it predicted that by 2019, 20% of brands would abandon their mobile apps.
What is a bimodal IT strategy, and why was it expected to fade in 2017?
A bimodal strategy splits IT in half to run at two speeds with two fundamentally different approaches. Forrester said many CIOs fell for its false promise in early 2016, and it expected that to reverse in 2017 because the approach proved unmanageable for most organizations.
Which developer skills were expected to bring salary increases in 2017?
Despite trends like IoT, AI, VR and cloud, Robert Half Technology said long-demanded skills were most likely to raise developer pay. It named ASP, C#, Java and .NET, which could deliver a seven per cent salary increase in 2017.
Where was blockchain expected to be used beyond finance?
The article said blockchain, which underpins cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin, would start in financial applications but also find a home in the IoT as a secure, trusted way to share transactional data between devices and companies. Gartner predicted a $10-billion blockchain-based business by 2022.
What role was open source expected to play in development in 2017?
The article said open source would become more attractive in 2017 thanks to OpenStack, with its open tools and vibrant developer communities. Forrester predicted that the vast majority of development organizations would embrace open source and OpenStack that year.