The world of software development is in constant change and keeping up with the latest trends can turn out to be overwhelming even for the most experienced developers in the field. To help you get your head around the new technology that keeps popping up I have composed this list of hot new digital trends every software developer needs to know. 

Cybersecurity 

As the ways of information gathering multiply so are the possibilities of their misuse. These days we leave our personal information everywhere. On questionnaires, emails, social networks... It sometimes takes the scandal the size of Cambridge Analytica to remind ourselves that our information is very vulnerable on the Internet. These demands for further research in the area of cyber security which is another software development trend that's likely to increase its relevance in the days to come. 

The rise of the wearables

Studies have shown that the increasing number of people all around the world is purchasing wearable digital products. And no, I don't mean just the famous Apple Watch. Different kinds of fitness wear and virtual reality products like Google Cardboard or Oculus Rift all need specific software. This will ensure the growth or the wearable software market and an increasing need for experts capable of making all those complex algorithms. 

Augmented Reality

Speaking of VR, we must not forget that augmented reality is also a software development field that is expected to blossom in the days to come. Though many smartphone manufacturers are now offering sets of VR goggles that match their phones, augmented reality is in many ways at the very beginning of its development. Mostly used for gaming and watching films and clips, augmented reality can in the future serve for navigation, educational purposes, advertising and promotion. 

Blockchain

The bitcoin value has skyrocketed in the past few months which has propelled many companies to start investing in blockchain. New cryptocurrencies and new blockchain technologies are developing every day, so if you are looking for a way to earn big fast, you might wanna direct your skills to this rapidly growing area. Many companies like ItAdviser already integrate blockchain with legacy technology for interoperability, monitoring exception management and alerting of blockchain events.



Edge computing 

It's time to say goodbye to clouds and prepare for edge computing. Well, let's face it, clouds will be around for a long, long time but the expansion of edge computing will definitely impact their relevance. 

Instead of wasting time and money on transferring all the data to the centralized cloud, edge computing enables the collection of information at the source of the data thus making data collecting and analysis faster and cheaper than before. 

Artificial Intelligence 

Our automated service assistants Sid, Cortana and Google Now might be the first thing we think about when we hear the words artificial intelligence, but A.L.L. systems have a much wider application. Artificial intelligence can find its purpose in every part of the modern business starting from process automation and sales to analysis and marketing. And since recently Google went as far as to try to learn a bot to negotiate, it's fair to say that the future of At is both unpredictable and very lucrative.