12 Uses of Software Development

Software development is a lucrative career path, and the demand for software developers is always strong. Software development has already been ranked the best job in the U.S. based on salary expectations, career reviews, and job demand. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts a 24% employment rate growth among software developers by 2026. Although software development is a very competitive area, there is also a variety of jobs available.

Experienced programmers can grow professionally by expanding their skill set, being able to work on more tasks. The more diverse your skillset, the more likely you’ll find a job in a good company. For instance, companies like Vironit offer a whole set of development services that cover the whole development process, from planning to launch. This article will consider the 12 most popular uses of software development that correspond to the most popular types of jobs in this industry.

Application Development

According to Akveo.com statistics, application development is the most high-demand service for medium and big businesses. This is probably the oldest area of programming. The term “application development” can be used in a broad context, but usually, it refers to traditional applications that run on desktops. Generally, application development means creating computer programs that open their interfaces within an operating system (Windows, Mac, or Linux) and are executed on-demand by users. Application developers use various programming languages, including C/C++, Java, Python, C#, VB.NET (http://vb.net/), etc.

Software Development Use – Web Development

Web development is widespread, and its popularity isn’t going to decline anytime soon. This discipline includes coding for various web pages, and the complexity of web development may vary depending on the type of website and its functionality. For example, web developers may deal with simple HTML formatting, work with hundreds of interconnected files, or use any internal tool builder to build something like Redis GUI.

Besides, modern browsers serve as platforms for many web applications. Web development evolves rapidly thanks to the popularity of Application Programming Interfaces (APIs), which enable developers to add various useful features quickly. Web developers usually use HTML, Javascript, Python, Ruby, PHP, ASP.NET, Rails, Django, etc.

Back-end Development

While front-end developers work on the visible part of an application, back-end developers make sure that the underlying code works properly and that the program won’t return errors when running on computers. Whenever an application slows down or crashes, the chances are that it’s a back-end issue. Back-end development is also called a server-side of programming, and the back-end of a website consists of three major parts: an application, database, and server. Back-end developers should know server programming languages and architectures, as well as databases.

Given that the back-end websites contain all the stored data, back-end developers work with data a lot. In fact, database management is one of the key aspects of back-end development and is crucial for any system that relies on many data. Usually, back-end developers need to know Python, Java, (my)SQL, C/C++, Oracle, and dBase.

Mobile Development

Given that people spend a lot of time on their phones, there’s no surprise that mobile development is trendy. This area includes developing apps for Android and iOS, as well as other mobile platforms. Mainstream mobile operating systems are created with their own programming languages, but sometimes, developers may also use some traditional languages.

Mobile app development evolves rapidly, and this niche enables you to work on many different apps, from casual games to office tools and eCommerce projects. The most useful mobile developers’ skills are Android, Swift, HTML5, Objective C, Java, and C#.

Use of Software Development – API Development

Some custom software developers also create entire APIs. API development means creating programs that act as pieces of a puzzle, being used on different operating systems, desktop, web, and mobile. Programmers who create an API enable third-party developers to interact with different functions and tools related to this API. API development serves as the basis for many standard tools, types, procedures, access rules, and GUI interaction methods used by programmers who create other applications. All APIs are built for a specific platform or purpose.

Cloud Computing

Although many companies still use the traditional approach of storing data locally, cloud computing becomes common. Developers who work in the cloud computing niche develop the underlying software of cloud storage applications like Amazon Web Services (AWS), GitHub, or OneDrive. Skills useful for cloud developers include XML, Java, R, Google’s Go!, Clojure, Erlang, etc.

Software Development Application – Tools Development

Although this type of software development isn’t consumer-oriented, it plays an important role within the software development industry. Programmers create tools that help other developers test their code. Such solutions may help test software and make sure that the code is maintainable and meets the industry standards. Creating programs for testing is a challenging task, so professionals from this area are precious. Usually, they work in Python, Java, C++.

Embedded Systems Development

Desktops, smartphones, and laptops are not the only types of devices connected to the internet. The Internet of Things (IoT) is a quickly developing industry, and everything from a thermostat to a kitchen sink can run programs. As a result, embedded systems development skills are in great demand. Embedded systems developers work with such systems as Raspberry Pi, Beaglebones, Arduinos, etc. The most useful skills in this software development area include Assembler, Embedded C, Java, Arduino, and Python.

Security Software Development

Hackers improve their techniques all the time, and every organization should protect its systems and data from cyber threats. Cyber-security experts and penetration testers detect software vulnerabilities and create software that can protect end-users from malicious attacks, viruses, identity theft, and other security threats. Security software developers write code in different programming languages, depending on the system they test.

Use of Software Development – Data Science

Data can be a precious asset. The active development of artificial intelligence and machine learning also made data scientists especially valuable. Data scientists work with massive amounts of data, analyzing it, generating insights, and adapting data for AI applications. Data scientists may work on completely different tasks, and they often use such languages as Python, C/C++, and MATLAB.

Blockchain Development

Blockchain development became an up-and-coming tech world area after the success of Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies. Blockchain developers create protocols of blockchains and methods of consensus. Given that blockchain technology is used not only for cryptocurrencies but also for different types of smart contracts development, blockchain developers also create various programmatic agreements. The most common programming languages used in blockchain development are Solidity, C++, C#, Python, Java, Javascript, Go, and Ruby.

VR and AR Development

VR developers create immersive virtual experiences for games and other apps. AR developers add layers of virtual objects to the real world. Such apps are usually for mobile devices, so this software development area has a lot in common with mobile development. However, it also has its specific features. VR and AR development often rely on such programming languages as C#, Python, Java, Swift, C/C++, and Javascript.

Wrapping Up

Software development comes in all shapes and sizes, from relatively simple HTML coding to creating complex embedded systems and data science. Successful software developers constantly work on their skills to ensure professional growth and to be able to consider more job options in this competitive market. Some software development areas, such as blockchain or VR development, are relatively new and evolve rapidly. Hence, it’s important to stay updated about all the latest advancements in your niche and the most effective tools.

To sum up all the information, check this infographic from on-demand developers.