The changing face of software development

by T Ashok @ash_thiru

Summary:
The way we develop software now has changed,  It is about integrating code now.  A framework based approach is preferred. The way we deliver has also changed, via the cloud. We have come into the industrial age of software.


The way we develop software now has changed. No more building code from scratch. It is about integrating code now. Leveraging code by using multiple frameworks, services, components. And integrating with external systems too. Today’s application seems to be a giant web of connected pieces, the glue code playing a major part.

The approach to building systems also has morphed. No more attempting to understanding the complete needs of end users, but start with something and continuously refine.  Incrementally build, collect feedback and refine continually. Just like nature does. Continuously. 

The way we deliver has also changed. No more a fat install, in fact no more installs. Deploy in the cloud, and use wherever, from anywhere. Oh and access points, very many – PCs, mobiles, headless access via APIs.On the language front, it is no more about coding in a language. It is a mix of languages and technologies that make up the today’s system. Mimicking nature ? Of communities with different language folks? 

Oh given that we seem to have enormous resources, we have relaxed our approach to being efficient. A framework based approach is preferred to getting it done rather than writing simple custom code. 

We have come into the industrial age of software. Of building software using assembly line of components, using frameworks and continuously delivering new features rapidly.

So what does this mean to testing ? How does this way the way we evaluate? And do we really need to test that much? Do we need to test differently? Well this is the subject of another article for later!


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