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Software development takes place in an increasingly competitive environment. To continue to evolve in 2019, companies will continue the rapid adoption of DevOps strategies. (For the uninitiated, the term DevOps refers to a set of practices for fostering collaboration between software development and IT teams.)
Automated testing and continuous delivery will become standard practices. Also, security will be part of every phase of development. More companies will use containers and micro-services. Additionally, customer satisfaction will play an increasingly important role in evaluating success.
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1. The DevOps Culture Expands
DevOps implementation offers improved time to market, better collaboration, and faster fixes. Therefore, it paves the way for continuous release and deployment. In 2018, the adoption of DevOps teams grew to nearly 44% for software developers. However, in 2019, expect that number to explode. For example, more than 50% of developers responding to a Harvard Business Review study say they are in the process of moving to DevOps teams.
2. Continuous Delivery
Developers can no longer afford to wait for delivery updates. Moreover, customers can no longer afford the downtime it takes to download patches and updates and install them.
In addition, today’s environment consists of a mix of business systems, operating systems, and personal devices. Therefore, it can be a nearly impossible task for IT professionals to keep every device up-to-date with the latest versions.
That’s why products like JFrog Artifact Repository have become so popular. It provides continuous and automatic updates that happen with zero downtime for DevOps teams and end users. Therefore, it allows for continuous development cycles.
A More Holistic Approach
In 2019, we will see a more holistic approach to software development. The DevOps process will be a continuous integration (CI) cycle coupled with continuous delivery (CD). Tools that handle multiple parts of the process will become the norm. In short, these tools will span the build, deployment, and release stages of the delivery life cycle.
3. Automated Testing in DevOps
The testing process is crucial to deploying any software solution. In the traditional development cycle, each new environment must be developed from scratch. It’s a tedious process. Each environment has to be tested in part and in whole when it’s added to the code.
Unfortunately, manual testing simply takes too long. However, in a world where users now expect—and demand—continuous development and delivery, automated testing during CI reduces the deployment cycle dramatically.
This is not a new concept in DevOps. However, even developers that have been slow to adapt are now realizing the necessity to speed up the cycle with automated testing.
4. Containers and Micro-Services
Containers allow for collaboration with co-workers. Dependencies run in containers rather than on individual machines. This eliminates the “it works on my machine only” problems. Moreover, it automates the otherwise repetitive task of setting up and configuring environments.
Self-Contained Micro-Services
Micro-services function independently. Their self-contained functions operate separately from the rest of the system. When there’s a tech issue, the effect on the rest of the code is more limited and contained.
Therefore, specific teams can be responsible for working on a specific function. Like building blocks, micro services are stacked together to create code bases. Instead of writing one large application, it’s like writing lots of little applications that each perform a task. In the end, however, all can be combined into the final product.
Both tactics are gaining momentum.
5. Security as a Core Function of DevOps
Cyber security is a front-burner issue for every organization. Therefore, DevOps teams have been forced to bring security into the development process right from the start. Shifting to a DevSecOps mentality will integrate security into every phase of code development.
6. A Return to CX Metrics
For the past few years, the focus has been on speed in the deployment cycle. Moving forward, companies are placing a greater emphasis on customer experience (CX) and customer satisfaction. After all, speed can’t make up for a poor user experience. A satisfying customer experience breeds loyalty.
However, this doesn’t mean delivery will slow down. It means that DevOps teams will be measured on both speed and customer satisfaction.
