Modern Software Development and Developer Trends

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Meet the Experts

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Adam Resnick

Research Manager, Modern Software Development and Developer Trends



IDC's Modern Software Development and Developer Trends service provides deep insights into developer attitudes and preferences for software development tools, languages, programming models, deployment infrastructures, and development methodologies, with a focus on products and technologies that enable digital transformation and a movement to cloud-native platforms. Coverage includes quantitative sizing of developer populations by attributes such as geography and developer type (e.g., full time, part time, low code, no code, application developer, infrastructure developer). The program also features qualitative insight on development trends such as the adoption of low-code and no-code development platforms; the use of languages, frameworks, and emerging technologies such as IoT, blockchain, and the integration of AI/ML into the development experience; enterprise investments in legacy application modernization; the importance of rich user experience; and trends related to the use of open source and code reusability. One of the central components of this program involves a quantitative and qualitative examination of how cloud-native development, edge-native development, and generative AI technologies are transforming developers and the developer experience.


Markets and Subjects Analyzed


  • Developer demographics, population, and personas
  • Programming languages and IDE choices; user experience
  • Developer toolchains and workflows; product preferences
  • Developer product positioning, marketing, business models, monetization, and pricing models
  • Developer preferences for cloud and noncloud environments
  • Developer consumption of AI/ML, IoT, and other emerging services

Core Research


  • Worldwide Developer Population Sizing and Forecasts by Geography
  • Market Analysis Perspective: Worldwide Developer Demographics
  • Census of Part-Time Developers and Non-Compensated Developers
  • Development Languages, Environments, and Tools Market Shares and Forecast
  • Software Construction Components Market Shares and Forecast
  • Worldwide Developer Surveys
  • Cloud-Native Development; Influence of IoT on Software Development
  • Influence of AI/ML on Software Development
  • The Use of Modern Languages, Frameworks, and Emerging Services
  • Development for Nontraditional Platforms Including GPUs and Quantum

In addition to the insight provided in this service, IDC may conduct research on specific topics or emerging market segments via research offerings that require additional IDC funding and client investment.


Key Questions Answered


  1. What are the main developer ecosystems, and how does ecosystem affiliation affect technology choices?
  2. How are developer ecosystems evolving? How does a company build or participate effectively in an ecosystem?
  3. What languages, tools, and methodologies are developers adopting to increase their productivity?
  4. What are the architectural shifts taking place in app platforms, and how will they affect software development practices?
  5. How will legacy applications be evolved or migrated to accommodate new developer trends?
  6. What will next-generation developer tools and application deployments look like based on current developer trends?

Companies Covered