The Constantly Expanding and Developing World of Software Development

In this ever-changing and developing world, nothing seems to be growing and developing at a faster rate than the technologies we use. Software development is constantly expanding and evolving. SlashData recently ran its 23rd Developer Nation global survey, which reached over 26,000 developers across 163 countries. The aim of the survey was to assess the key trends within development for 2022 and beyond, looking at what tools and languages are being used and what they are being used for.

Interestingly, what was discovered is that, for the most part, developers are not focusing so much on experimenting with new tools and technologies but rather sticking to what they know instead.

It was found that many web developers are using a smaller number of frameworks than they previously had. This would suggest that they are focusing less on experimenting and exploring new options and more on using what they know will work. The survey also suggests that those developers using fewer frameworks were more likely to be higher performers when it comes to software delivery.

JavaScript is still the largest programming language

Unsurprisingly, JavaScript maintains its position as the largest programming language. It is estimated that around 19.6 million developers are currently using Java on a daily basis in everything from web development to app design, back-end coding and game design. And Java is continuing to grow – their community of users has more than doubled in the last two years, going from around 8.3 million to 16.5 million.

SlashData’s survey also found that Kotlin and Rust were among the fastest-growing language communities, with each of them also more than doubling in number over the last two years.

Python has also shown a steady rate of growth over this period, expanding its community by about 8 million developers. Approximately 63% of machine-learning developers and data scientists have opted to use Python, whereas only 15% were found to be using R – another language that is often associated with data science.

Blockchain Technologies

SlashData also aimed to look into blockchain applications and how developers are using them within projects currently and whether they are looking toward using them in the near future. Blockchain technologies are already used in applications in a wide variety of industries, including finance, logistics and government. The survey sought to understand where a developer’s interest in blockchain lies and why.

There were three blockchain technologies that were looked into within the report, with cryptocurrencies being the most prominent and best-known of them. Out of the survey respondents, 27% reported that they are either learning about or currently working on cryptocurrency projects.

Finally, SlashData were also aiming to look into what has driven young people toward a career in computer programming and software development. It would appear that the student developers involved in the survey were looking to move into a career that offered the opportunity to solve problems. They aspire to become technology experts, helping drive innovative services and take on a challenge.