With a total of a whopping approx. 700 programming languages, computer programming would come third in the list of most diverse languages in case it became a spoken language. The facts like these reflect how programming is inevitable in the current era. It is the symbiotic relationship of software codes with the latest developments that ensure that this technology gets bigger and better.
Latest programming trends that are expected to reign
To get the most out of programming and its applications, it is crucial to stay abreast of the latest trends and developments. In the subsequent sections, we have discussed essential programming language trends that are going to dominate the programming world.
Embedded programming will become mainstream
The market for embedded systems is expected to touch 261.84 billion dollars by 2025, as per a report by Market Watch. Talking specifically about 2020, the focus will be on reducing complexities revolving around connecting these systems to the cloud. It is also expected that real-time visualization tools will be developed to help the software developers raw or processed sensor data, along with other metrics. All these developments are believed to make embedded programming mainstream. Deep learning is another area expected to increase interest in this form of programming.
More developers will choose Kotlin for app development
There are a reason companies like Google, Pinterest, Square, and Pivotal are showing so much interest in Kotlin. This statically-typed, open-source language comes with exceptional IDE and tooling support. Compared to Java, the code written in Kotlin is cleaner and more precise. Those who have already written code in Java can continue their project in Kotlin without the need to write the code from scratch. Numerous companies are opting for this language specifically due to interoperability with Java.
Cross-platform app development
Through cross-platform app development, it's possible to create a single app for different platforms including Windows, Android, and iOS. One can consider it a combination of the mobile app and the web page. Some popular examples include EverNote, Instagram, Gmail, Uber, and Twitter. The time as well as the money it takes to create an app cuts short by a great degree with this approach. A company can instantly launch and market their app by relying on cross-platform app development.
Top tools that developers will rely upon for cross-platform apps include Sencha Touch, Ionic, Angular JS, and PhoneGap. No doubt native apps won't become extinct, but they will definitely face tough competition from a hybrid version of applications.
Machine learning dominance
Several industries have been using data learning to examine and analyze data. Machine learning supplements data mining, as it involves making predictions using the available data. From better search results to the personalized online shopping experience, machine learning is applicable in multiple domains. With its dominance in the near future, we will also witness the dawn of quantum computing. The result will be faster processing, increased capabilities, and accelerated learning. This is what the CEO of Big Cloud, Matt Reaney, has predicted.
Talking about the programming language trends, Python is going to be the dominant language for this technology. The availability of open-source frameworks and libraries and versatility make it an ideal choice.
IoT security concerns will escalate
The tech giants like Google and Amazon have turned the IoT app development into a mainstream technology. Very soon, a myriad of countries will develop smart cities with features like better transportation systems and improved security measures for citizens. The massive growth of technology will escalate security concerns. The companies involved in electronic payments need to be cautious of financial crimes and synthetic identity frauds. To destroy or steal data, the hackers launch an attack on the network host. The commonly witnessed attacks include the DNS server attack and IP address attack.
For security purposes, the organizations might take the support of Blockchain technology rather than existing centralized and monolithic computing models. Talking specifically about IoT apps, the developers need to include device authentication and secure access control.
Cloud-native is the new default
When an app is developed, hosted, and managed using cloud-based technologies, it is called cloud-native application. The developers are moving to this approach of mobile app development because managing and scaling up the application is done without much hassle. The outages are handled easily if the app is cloud-native. Simply put, there are no worries related to downtime or poor customer experience. The time it takes to develop an app also gets shorter, which means the firms and independent developers need not wait for long before launching their app. 2020 is expected to be the year of cloud-native apps.
React will maintain its position
By breaking down the user interface into components and sub-components, you can minimize the complexities revolving around the development of the user interface. The presence of a feature known as Virtual DOM makes React faster and more efficient. No wonder it is going to retain its popularity next year, too.
Progressive web apps (PWA) will continue to expand
A Progressive Web App (PWA) is a regular website that can behave as a mobile application. The users can use such apps even in offline mode. The app developers need not worry about submitting and optimizing their apps in an App Store. Instead, they can enjoy the benefits of conventional search engine optimization (SEO), thereby performing better than competitors. The elements like stylesheets, text, and images of the website make it a faster option than a conventional app.
Forbes, Twitter Lite, Pinterest, and Ali Express are some of the prominent examples of progressive web app development. In spite of so many benefits, the technology still hasn't been adopted by numerous business houses. We expect the number will expand in 2020.