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How to Build a Route Planner App from Scratch

In today’s digital era, route planner apps have become essential tools for navigating our busy lives with ease. Beyond offering simple directions, they optimize routes, consider real-time traffic, and offer alternative transportation options, changing how we plan and travel.

As we enter 2024, the demand for intuitive route planner apps keeps on rising, offering both challenges and opportunities for developers and entrepreneurs. In this blog, we’ll dive into the process of building such an application from scratch.

Whether you’re an experienced developer looking to expand your skills or an aspiring entrepreneur with an innovative vision, this guide is intended to offer valuable insights and practical advice. Let’s explore the essential steps and considerations needed to develop a standout route planner app perfectly suited to modern life.

Why Route Planner Apps Matters?

The Route planner for delivery drivers is more than just convenience; it’s a powerful tool for seamlessly navigating through complex routes and tight schedules. 

Here’s why route planner apps are essential:

  1. Time efficiency: Route planner apps optimize routes, saving time and guaranteeing timely deliveries, crucial for delivery drivers dealing with multiple stops. They assist drivers with staying away from gridlock and street terminations, guaranteeing they reach their destinations efficiently.
  2. Cost savings: These apps help cut operational costs by reducing fuel consumption and mileage, which is beneficial to both drivers and businesses. Real-world examples demonstrate how implementing a route planner app leads to significant savings in fuel expenses over time.
  3. Enhanced productivity: Route planner apps help to streamline planning, permitting drivers to focus on tasks other than navigation, thus boosting productivity. With intuitive interfaces and smart features, these apps simplify the planning process, empowering drivers to deal with more deliveries in less time.
  4. Customer satisfaction: Effective route planning helps in prompt deliveries making customers satisfied, which encourages customer loyalty and generates positive reviews. By giving precise delivery ETAs and minimizing delays, route planner apps contribute to overall customer satisfaction and retention.
  5. Competitive advantage: In a competitive market, having a reliable route planner app can set delivery drivers apart, drawing in more clients and opportunities. Faster and more reliable service can be provided by drivers with effective route planning tools, giving them an advantage over rivals and ensuring repeat business.

Overall, the significance of route planner apps cannot be overstated because they provide essential solutions for efficiently and precisely navigating modern complexities.

Essential Steps Involved in Creating a Route Planner Application

Building a route planner application from scratch requires careful planning, meticulous design, and proficient development skills. Below are the essential steps involved in creating a route planner application,  guaranteeing its functionality, effectiveness, and user satisfaction.

Step 1: Planning and designing your app

Define the needs of the intended audience and carry out market research to learn about rival apps and user preferences before beginning development. Follow the principles of user interface design that are unique to route planner apps, focusing on user-friendly navigation and interfaces that appeal to the eye. 

Sketch wireframes and prototype your app to visualize its layout and functionality, ensuring it meets user expectations and facilitates communication between designers and developers for a refined final product.

Step 2: Setting up the development environment

In 2024, effective app development will require the right development frameworks and tools. Making informed decisions and ensuring that your app remains relevant in the future can be accomplished by researching and evaluating the most recent technologies.

Choose tools that meet your project prerequisites and lay out the backend framework, including servers and databases, to support the application’s functionality. Configuring APIs and integrating third-party services like mapping and geolocation enhance features and provide real-time data to clients.

Step 3: Building the frontend

Your route planner app’s front end is essential for user interaction and experience. Apply UI design principles that emphasize clarity and simplicity, and think about including interactive elements like maps and sliders to increase user engagement. As we look ahead to the future of front-end development, staying updated on emerging technologies and design trends will be crucial for creating a seamless user experience.

For precise route visualization, use APIs like Google Maps or Mapbox to integrate mapping services and geolocation features. Allow users to input starting points, destinations, and stops and provide feedback on route suggestions by implementing user input functionality for customizing routes and preferences.

Step 4: Develop the backend

For effective route planning and management, it is essential to develop a robust data model for routes and locations. Utilize algorithms for route optimization to determine the most effective routes based on distance, traffic, and user preferences.

Furthermore, incorporate external APIs for real-time traffic and route data to enhance the accuracy and reliability of route recommendations.

Step 5: Testing and debugging

If you want to find and fix any problems with your route planner app, thorough testing is necessary. Conduct unit and integration testing to guarantee seamless functionality and scenario testing to validate performance under different circumstances.

Debug common issues like navigation errors and inconsistencies using appropriate tools and techniques, and gather feedback through user acceptance testing to make necessary improvements. This may entail recruiting beta testers or carrying out usability tests to evaluate the app’s performance and overall user experience.

ai tech

Step 6: Deployment and launch

Deploy your app to app stores or web hosting platforms once testing is finished. Optimize performance and scalability by improving server infrastructure and implementing caching mechanisms. Examples of marketing strategies to attract users include creating a compelling app store listing, communicating with influencers, and making use of social media channels. 

Continuously monitor performance post-launch, iterate based on user feedback,  and update the application consistently to keep clients engaged and satisfied.

By diligently following these steps and utilizing the latest technologies and methodologies, you can create a standout route planner app that meets the needs of users in 2024 and beyond.

Conclusion

To sum up, creating a route planner application from scratch is a rewarding endeavor that requires careful planning, design, and execution. From defining user requirements and setting up the development environment to testing, deployment, and beyond, we’ve gone over the essential steps in this process throughout this guide.

As we look to the future, the demand for route planner apps is expected to continue to rise, driven by advancements in technology and the increasing reliance on digital solutions for navigation and logistics. By following these steps diligently and utilizing the latest technologies, you can create a champion route planner app that meets the needs of users.

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Community Tips

12 Ways to Optimize SQL Queries in Database Management

When it comes to data, the more you can gather, the better insights you can have. But this can lead to slow searches, so how do we find a middle ground?

With so many companies using the cloud to store large amounts of data, SQL optimization has become more important than ever. SQL (structured language query) is a programming language used to query and communicate with a database to extrapolate information. 

Do you want to speed up internal intel gathering, or ensure your customers don’t get bored and bounce? Let’s take a look at why you should be optimizing your SQL queries for better database management.

Why Optimize SQL Queries?

Imagine a customer searching for a product online and the results take a few minutes to appear. Would the customer wait? Probably not. For this reason, database managers must ensure SQL queries are optimized regularly for maximum efficiency. If a customer can’t find what they’re looking for within a reasonable time, they will go elsewhere.

It’s also crucial that developers optimize databases for mobile phone use since more and more people are using smartphones to shop.

But it’s not only customers who benefit from optimized queries. Slow search results can be frustrating for employees too as it leaves them unable to do their job to the best of their ability. This can be incredibly demotivating and even cause resentment in the workplace.

Meanwhile, quicker response times improve resource consumption, meaning more queries can be handled at once, improving the experience for both customers and staff.

12 Ways to Optimize SQL Queries

To get the most out of your SQL queries, there are several things you can do. Here we’ll look at some ways you can improve efficiency and make the end-user experience a more positive one.

1. Use indexes effectively

Indexes are special look-up tables used by a database search engine, sort of like how a reader would use the index in the back of a book. They can help speed up SQL queries as data that fits specific criteria can be located quickly. 

Indexes store data in one or more columns of a table, which means values can be identified easily.

Let’s say you work in customer support and gather data through your inbound call center technology. You could make a customer_ticket index, which would prevent you from having to scan the entire table to refer back to a prevent point of communication. Instead, you can simply look for a ticket number match condition to locate it.

Indexing frequent search criteria can ensure the best return speed, helping call center operatives provide the best service possible. However, too many indexes can slow down the database, so it’s best to focus on frequently used queries to index as this will avoid any slowing of data modification operations.

2. Avoid SELECT queries

SELECT queries are inefficient. This is because they view all the fields in a dataset rather than just the relevant ones. Instead, focus on retrieving necessary columns only.  By only selecting the fields that you need to view, models and reports will be clean and easier to use.

SELECT queries are often used as supply chain optimization techniques to determine supply chain issues such as calculating stock levels (see below).

3. Reduce the use of wildcard characters

Wildcard characters (like %) are used with the LIKE clause to substitute either a single character or a string of characters. Imagine you handle deliveries for a UK company, and need to find everything being sent to a certain location. UK postcodes are strings of 5 or six characters, with the last three narrowing down to a specific street. You could therefore search for something like:

SELECT * FROM Customers

WHERE CustomerPostcode LIKE ‘SE1%’;

This would show you every order in the SE1 area.

Wildcard characters can slow down query results because again, the database has to scan the entire table (known as a table scan) to find results. This is a slow and inefficient type of scan. It’s particularly challenging if you use them at the start of a search statement, because you’re instructing the database to find data where anything can precede your search query.

4. Use appropriate data types and layouts

Making sure you use the correct data type for each column can improve the query return rate. For example, use the DATE data type to store order placement dates instead of a general character field. This will reduce space as characters will be limited and return a faster query.

Using the correct data type can also protect against data entry errors which can help to improve the quality of the data. For example, a time or monetary amount couldn’t be entered in a date field.

It’s also worth considering the layout of your table – are the columns and rows in the optimal layout, or could you use SQL pivot row to columns in order to rearrange it into a better one?

5. Avoid redundant or unnecessary data retrieval

Whilst reducing SELECT queries focuses on columns, it’s also important to limit the number of rows you are returning in a query. This is because as the number of rows increases, the search speeds slow down.  You can do this by using LIMIT and restricting the data return to say, 100 or 200. This feature prevents the query from returning thousands of rows of data when you only need to use a few.

6. Use EXIST() instead of COUNT() queries

When searching for a specific element in a table, it’s more efficient to use an EXIST() keyword instead of a COUNT() one. This is because a COUNT query counts every instance of the specific search element – which can be very inefficient, especially if the database is large!

EXIST queries only count the first occurrence of the particular search element, which reduces search times and provides a more optimized experience.

7. Avoid subqueries

When subqueries are used in WHERE or HAVING clauses, they can slow down the performance of the query. This is because they can return large numbers of rows, making them difficult to execute.

JOIN clauses are often a better choice. The image below shows an example of both a subquery and a JOIN clause.

As you can see, the subquery at the top collects all of the customers’ IDs in the USA, and the outer query collects all the orders for the selected customers’ IDs. 

The JOIN query beneath returns the same result in a more efficient way by joining the two tables (CUSTOMERS and ORDERS) and selecting the orders where the customers are from the USA.

Both queries will work, but the JOIN query will be much quicker.

8. Make use of cloud database-specific features

Many cloud-based databases come with built-in features to optimize SQL queries. The automation in cloud-native databases in particular can make optimization much simpler. Not only can queries be optimized, but built-in features can also improve data security, access, scalability, and resilience. 

9. Monitor query performance

Checking on the run-time of your queries is key to identifying your poor performance queries. This allows you to optimize them, improve efficiency, and reduce costs.

Query profiling is one way of monitoring the performance of your queries. This involves analyzing statistics such as run time and amount of rows returned, looking at server speeds, database logs, and external factors to identify problem areas.

10. Utilize AI

AI can automate query optimization using solutions like rules-based AI. What is rules based AI? It’s a model that uses prewritten rules to solve problems and make decisions based on expert human knowledge. Alternatively, you can use machine learning algorithms. This is where AI ‘learns’ over time, meaning it can analyze query patterns and detect areas for automatic optimization.

This can save time (and money) by reducing the need for manual analysis.

11. Utilize microservice design patterns

Microservice design patterns can ensure large databases are broken into smaller databases (microservices) that serve different purposes. This is particularly useful to large corporations handling a lot of data. These can help to avoid the following problems:

  • Duplicated data
  • Data inconsistency
  • Different services/parts of the business needing to store data in different ways
  • Querying data

By utilizing microservice architecture, companies can build optimized, ready-to-query databases from the ground up. However, it’s important to have strong data governance policies in place in order to prevent data silos forming.

12. Use software designed to process large workloads

Software such as Apache Spark 3 using NVIDIA RAPIDS can provide adaptive query execution suited to the specific data that needs searching. This can lead to massive improvements in query performance as well as being more user-friendly, and lead to a better use of resources.

Final thoughts

There’s no doubt that cloud databases are a powerful tool for managing data. But, to get the most out of your data, database managers must ensure consistent optimization to make sure top performance. Simple steps such as indexing and swapping functions can be a step in the right direction.

Understanding and monitoring performance plays a key role in optimizing SQL queries and combined with simple steps such as indexing and swapping functions you can quickly make a difference to search time.

With these steps in mind, can you improve the performance of your database?

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2024 Guide to Collecting Crowdsourced Testing Feedback for Software Development

Did you know that the hole in the ozone layer above Antarctica went undetected for a long period of time? This was because all of NASA’s data analysis software was designed to ignore extreme measurements.

Feedback for Software development

Bugs in software can be frustrating for users, but they can also be catastrophic. Think about industries such as healthcare, banking, or national defense where a small error could have a devastating impact. 

Testing software thoroughly before it’s released is, therefore an essential part of the development process. But it’s not cheap. Startups, in particular, have to balance their finances, and getting the most bang for your buck when testing software is a huge consideration.

Tracking bugs and errors is one of the main challenges for any business about to launch a product. Here we’ll look at testing options and how to collect feedback from crowdsourced testers.

Software testing options

There are four main types of software testing options. Selecting the right one for your business can depend on your resources, namely time and money, as well as on your expected outcomes and any industry regulations. 

The four main options businesses have for software testing are:

  1. Using an in-house software testing team
  2. Outsourcing software testing
  3. Automated testing
  4. Crowdsourced testing

In-house testing teams can be expensive. This is because you have to recruit the right people for the job. You’ll also need to set up a testing environment that can handle testing for all operating systems on various devices. Outsourcing can overcome some of these issues, but it can also be costly as you’ll usually be billed at an hourly rate, whether bugs are discovered or not. 

This leaves crowdsourced testing, where a diverse group of testers use the product and report issues. 

What is crowdsourced testing?

Crowdsourced testing involves using the expertise of a range of people across the world (the “crowd”) to use and assess products. Because of the diverse nature of the group, this type of testing can offer a broad range of perspectives.

Software development

Crowd testers are usually found online and are given tasks or asked to do research to spot bugs or UX problems in the software. The testers are usually carefully selected to match your demographic, giving a much-needed ‘human’ element to the feedback generated.

Say, for example, your business is building a new website for the Indian Ocean region, and you register io domain. Crowdsourced testers would be given access to this domain and undertake a series of functions and tests to make sure the website works as it should. Because the testers are based in different geographical regions and use different devices, the test will be extremely comprehensive as some users may experience problems when others don’t.

This can give much quicker results than traditional testing methods.

What are the benefits of crowd-testing?

Whilst thorough testing in any form is a non-negotiable, crowdtesting has many benefits when compared to other forms of testing. Some of the reasons to consider crowdsourced testing are: 

  • It reduces testing costs
  • It’s more flexible
  • It covers a wider range of testing environments
  • It simplifies updates and innovation
  • It helps ensure the product meets customers’ needs and expectations
  • It allows for quicker identification and correction of bugs
  • It allows for quicker product launch times
  • It’s more scalable.

What to consider when collecting crowdsourced testing feedback

Whilst crowdsourced testing has its advantages, there are many things to consider to avoid potential problems occurring in the feedback process. These include:

1. Quality control and consistency

When faced with an array of diverse testers with differing levels of expertise, maintaining consistency can be a challenge. This is why you’ll need to issue clear and strict guidelines to testers to ensure good results.

Profiling testers can also help. A great crowdsourced tester should have the following qualities:

  • A wealth of technical skills and a lot of motivation
  • Good technological knowledge
  • Good communication skills
  • The ability to work as part of a team
  • The willingness and ability to follow the guidance.

2. Security and data privacy

Since the software is exposed to external testers, data privacy and security must be considered. Putting measures in place to protect and safeguard sensitive information and ensuring legal compliance is a must.

Clean room solutions can offer secure cloud-based communication, which could be a great option for liaising with crowdsourced testers. Knowing the clean room data recovery cost can help you factor secure communications into your testing planning.

2024 Guide to Collecting Crowdsourced Testing Feedback for Software development

3. Communication challenges

Because the ‘crowd’ is from a range of backgrounds, speaks different languages, and comes from different cultures, collecting feedback will require effective tools and strategies to standardize communication. 

Consider how testers can reach out with questions too. Cloud PBX systems allow businesses to scale up or down their communications in a lower cost way. The omnichannel aspect means that bug reporting or feedback can be streamlined via a channel that works for both the testers and your business.

4. Test case relevance and completeness

Test cases must cover all critical aspects of the software in line with testing objectives. This means careful planning, and developers must oversee this process with due diligence and care. 

Using a bayesian neutral network can help spot missing data using probable inference to estimate the missing value. Understanding what is bayesian neural network is, is a great tool for developers to create a testing environment that provides the best feedback.

5. Bug triage

It’s realistic to expect a high volume of bugs to come through. This can be overwhelming if the correct triage systems aren’t in place. The best way to triage bugs is by having a system to categorize and rank them in order of severity, UX, or impact so fixing them can be prioritized.

6. Tester reliability and motivation

Testers are individual people based in remote locations. Their level of care and due diligence can vary, and this can be a concern when collecting feedback. To ensure testers don’t rush the testing process, developers must consider how tests and feedback can be standardized. This could be done with verification checks, clear questioning, and shorter tasks.

Machine learning algorithms can spot patterns and make decisions based on findings. This can help to spot incorrect answers, so knowing how to evaluate machine learning models can help reduce feedback problems like this.

2024 Guide to Collecting Crowdsourced Testing Feedback for Software development

7. Contextual understanding

Because the ‘crowd’ is generally from a wide range of places, language barriers can be a problem, leading to different levels of understanding of a given brief, the product, or the intended audience. 

Developers must provide clear messaging, perhaps with easy-to-follow videos or diagrams, to make sure people understand the brief fully and provide the best quality feedback. It may also be worth considering pre-screening the testers to farm out those who may be unable to understand any aspects of the brief.

8. Response time and bug-fix turnaround

As they say, time is money, so the importance of a quick, well-coordinated response is important. When the ‘crowd’ is a global group, this can be a challenge to orchestrate, so proper systems must be in place. Having a response team working through the triage list can help.

A quicker turnaround can lead to a quicker, cleaner product launch that provides a basis for strong lead enrichment from the get-go. This is because using real people to test software helps build a product that customers will want to use and will therefore help create a stronger bond with leads.

9. Tester bias

When you work with a large group of people, opinions and bias can be a problem if not pre-considered. Biased opinions can affect feedback, so measures will need to be taken to identify this in the feedback process. Factoring this into your feedback model and addressing this in any guidance material can also help.

10. Compliance and legislation

Compliance and legislation in your region (as well as in the regions where your testers are located) must be taken into account when planning crowdsourced testing. This is especially true if sensitive data is shared or stored at any part of the process, from granting software access to feedback collation.

This is where your business’s policies and quality assurance will be paramount to a smooth testing process. Virtual machines can replicate a computer system, so are great for software testing as separate environments can be created away from the main system, which can help to keep real data secure and compliant.

2024 Guide to Collecting Crowdsourced Testing Feedback for Software development

Final thoughts

Deciding whether or not to opt for crowdsourced testing can depend on several factors such as the size, scope, and nature of the project. As a business, you’ll need to have an understanding of the complexities of the testing required, your time frames, and your financial resources to make the best choice.

Whilst all types of testing have their place, crowdsourced testing is a great option for companies wanting to thoroughly test their product whilst keeping costs to a minimum. Effective planning of the testing process can help overcome the challenges this type of testing can pose and provide the best-quality feedback.

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Community

Building Effective Developer Communities: Five Networking Strategies for Growth

Technical expertise is just one aspect of what makes a successful developer.

To accelerate your growth and access new career or freelance opportunities, you must build a strong professional network.

In this article, we’ll explore five valuable networking strategies to enhance your professional journey.

Finding your community

Naturally, the first step in strategic networking is identifying the right circles! Research industry influencers, thought leaders, and successful professionals who have reached the pinnacle of their careers. These can be people who:

  1. Develop in the same niche as you, such as front-end development.
  2. Work in the same industry. For example, finance, health, or legal.
  3. Specialise in the same programming language as you.
  4. Have faced (and overcome) similar challenges to you.

Read and listen to their content, as it can provide valuable advice and guidance. Thanks to social media, many of these experts are accessible. Don’t be afraid to send them your questions or comments. Here’s a list of 10 influencers to get you started–but there are so many more a Google search away.

And don’t discount connecting with people on the same journey as you. If you’re just starting out, connect with others in the same position or have the same background as you.

For example, only 18% of programmers and software developers in the UK are women, making it hard for female coders to find each other. However, with targeted and effective networking, you can.

Female coders are a rare breed
Female coders are a rare breed.

Build your personal brand

What are the first thoughts that pop into your head when we say:

  • Steven Bartlett
  • Karen Brady

Whatever popped into your head is the sum of their personal brand.

Similarly, you have a personal brand. Just ask your friends and family members to describe your personality. Their answer is the sum of your personal brand.

Whether they like it or not, everybody has a personal brand. The trick isn’t to create a personal brand but to take control of its narrative.

In the context of your developer life, you need to build a personal brand of someone with the right technical and soft skills that make people want to work with or employ you.

Establishing a strong online presence

In 2024, LinkedIn will be the best place to build your personal brand and community.

A quick search suggests there are over 10 million software developers on LinkedIn. This doesn’t include people who might have given their profile a more niche title.

linkedin search
Over 10 million software developers use LinkedIn

This might sound overwhelming, but listen to this: only 1% of LinkedIn’s users create content on the platform. 

And that percentage is likely to be even lower among the developer clan–meaning there’s a sizeable opportunity for you to make an impact.

Now, you’re wondering, “But what do I even post about?” Here are some ideas and why they work:

  1. Your developer journey: Post content around the highs and lows of your professional journey. Talking about your challenges and how you overcame them can provide immense value to those who are new to the industry and can attract and inspire people in general.
  2. The problems you solve for people: For freelancers and job seekers, one of the best ways to find more work is to highlight the types of projects you’ve been involved in and the benefits your existing clients have realised. With this, you present yourself as a problem-solver for others facing similar issues.
  3. Tips and tricks: On the way to becoming known as an industry expert, attracting more work and better job opportunities, is to share your unique knowledge that makes you a competent developer.

Posting regular content is only half the work. The other half of the online networking process is community building. You can’t expect to post content and hope people see it, right? You need to:

  1. Send connection requests to relevant people, such as fellow developers and those who fit your ideal audience or employer profile.
  2. Have conversations in the direct messages (DMs). Don’t put too much pressure on yourself to make a sale or get a job. Just get to know them without any expectations, as those casual conversations often lead to business opportunities. 
  3. Engage with people in public. This means commenting on and starting conversations under other people’s content.

You can apply this online networking approach to any social media platform, whether X (formerly Twitter) or GitHub.

Social media is flexible and valuable

As an alternative, consider joining online communities made specifically for software developers. Developer Nation offers learning, career growth, and connecting opportunities for software creators of all areas of development and all levels of experience.

Attending in-person networking events

Attending events, such as conferences, workshops, and meetups with like-minded professionals, offers immense value for developers seeking to enhance their networking processes.

These gatherings are great for:

  1. Building professional relationships with people
  2. Gaining exposure to diverse perspectives
  3. Acquiring new knowledge
  4. Exchanging ideas

Most importantly, it increases your visibility. You can only get new work or access career progression if people know you exist!

Don’t know how to find events near you? Search on Eventbrite or through the online community you should be building simultaneously.

The big advantage of meeting in person over online is the ability to quickly build rapport and connect because people are exposed to things like the tone of your speech and body language, and we know the text is very tone-deaf.

Meeting new people can be daunting, especially for introverts. To make meaningful connections, your networking skills need to be sharp. You must be able to hold conversations and manage any anxiety and nerves. 

This is where podcasts such as The Art of Communication are helpful. In fact, this podcast has a specific episode dedicated to networking that’s well worth a listen. Among other things, it teaches you how to approach people, break the ice, and find a shared interest to build rapport.

Identifying networking goals

Networking requires participation

Without setting specific networking goals, all the networking tips in the world won’t make a difference because you’ll be shooting in the dark. Ask yourself these three questions:

  1. What can I offer people? The attitude to networking has to be “What can I give?” not “What can I gain?” if you want to build meaningful relationships.
  2. What do I want to achieve? Is it more work (read: more revenue), a new job, or simply hanging out with fellow developers?
  3. What specific area in the development world am I interested in the most?

Answering these questions determines who you connect with and the types of events you attend.

Then, you go deeper and identify specific weekly or monthly goals based on your resources and availability:

  1. How many conversations will I try to take part in per event?
  2. How many relevant people will I add on social media?
  3. How many posts of others will I engage with?
  4. How many times will I post on social media?
  5. How many networking events will I attend?

TL;DR 

Creating genuine connections and beneficial relationships is crucial for any developer who wants professional growth. This is done through networking. We explored:

  1. Finding your community
  2. Building a personal brand
  3. Building online networks
  4. Building offline networks
  5. Having networking goals

Good luck!

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Author bio

Arif Bharakda is a versatile writer passionate about marketing, technology, and B2B insights. With a keen interest in personal growth, Arif brings a relatable perspective to complex topics, making them accessible to all readers.

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Where to Practice Programming for Free: Links and Tips

Learning to code is a challenging task, especially if you’re a beginner. But if you are properly equipped, everything is possible. This article contains useful links and recommendations to achieve your coding goals faster and without spending any money.

The Reasons to Code

Actually, there are many reasons why a person may want to become a programmer. Some want a more fulfilling job, while others dream about social status and a big salary. Any motivation is reasonable: a developer’s job is indeed prestigious and well-compensated. Also, it’s highly in demand.

You may have heard about layoffs that happened last year. Many tech companies had to take this step because of the market situation. Nevertheless, it’s much easier for a developer to find a new job than other specialists. Here are some numbers: according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment of software developers, quality assurance analysts, and testers is projected to grow 25% from 2022 to 2032. This growth rate is much bigger than the average for all occupations. It means about 153,900 new openings each year over the decade.

This trend is worldwide. According to Statista, we can expect the number of software developers to reach 28.7 million in 2024. Compared to 2020, it means an increase of 3.2 million. The biggest growth is going to happen in China. In general, the Asia-Pacific region’s growth rate will reach 17%, North America’s – 15%, and Latin America’s – 14%.

Therefore, developers may feel more secure than other professionals, especially if they keep their skills and theoretical knowledge up to date and embrace a lifelong learning approach.

Where and How to Learn?

Coding is much like riding a bicycle. It’s a practical skill, and you need to start solving tasks as soon as possible to get better. Sure, you can watch videos and read books or articles, too, but the magic won’t happen until you begin writing code. 

There are many ways to learn, but according to recent research, online courses are the most popular. Almost 50% of developers prefer an online course.

top 5 ways developers learn to code

You should be aware that sometimes practice may seem boring. After all, you need to learn syntax, so you’ll solve many similar tasks. But don’t be discouraged: we’ve created a list of websites that can make studying exciting!

CodeGym

If you’re just starting in programming or already have some experience, CodeGym is your go-to place. This platform offers a bunch of tasks perfect for getting some coding practice for free. The topics cover everything from basic commands to conditions, loops, arrays, methods, strings, and much, much more. Plus, you can get instant feedback on your solutions (automatic verification). On the CodeGym’s platform, you will find links to theory connected to the tasks you’re solving. So, you’re acquiring both theoretical and practical knowledge simultaneously.

CodeChef

Cooking up some coding skills? CodeChef has four free topics for you to explore: input, output and arithmetic; conditionals; loops with conditionals; and debugging. The tasks are quite creative, for example, the website suggests you solve the Chef and Instant Noodles task. Imagine inventing 1-minute Instant Noodles. How many customers can you serve in Y minutes if the restaurant has X stoves and every customer orders just one portion of noodles? And fear not, solutions and discussions are right there for you to dive into.

Edabit

This platform provides coding challenges for various programming languages at different difficulty levels. From summing two numbers to converting minutes into seconds, there are tasks for everyone’s level of expertise. Each task comes with explanations, examples, and notes, making it beginner-friendly. This website aims to provide users with small, solvable challenges so they can incorporate coding practice into their usual schedule.

Codingame

Codingame brings coding challenges and a gaming experience together. It supports multiple programming languages, so you can pick your favorite. You can practice writing solo games or multiplayer ones. Each turn brings new inputs for your program to tackle – it’s coding meets gaming!

CodeHS

CodeHS offers a variety of tasks in different languages, and users get points for solving them. Want to calculate the area of a triangle? That’s worth two points! The platform has several levels of difficulty, and its big advantage is the opportunity to code directly in the browser. It makes learning convenient and interesting at the same time.

LeetCode

If you’re looking for a challenge, this platform offers it. It has tasks ranging from easy to hard, covering algorithms, databases, and much more. You can practice your coding skills in different programming languages and showcase your solutions. Hence, you work on your problem-solving skills while studying!

How to Make the Most of Learning?

Some of the hardest things in studying programming are keeping your motivation up and sticking to the schedule. Discipline doesn’t come easy to many people, and if you’re like that, you can benefit from these recommendations:

1. Set clear learning goals. “Study programming” isn’t specific enough to keep your engine running. “Find a job in 3 months” isn’t realistic enough, so if you go for it, you’ll be inevitably disappointed. The best approach is to set small and achievable goals. For example, you can have a goal for every learning session (say, “learn about strings and solve three tasks”), a goal for a week, and a goal for a month.

2. Try to understand, not just memorize. Sure, becoming a programmer requires some memorizing. You must remember the basic syntax, etc. But most often, you’ll need to think creatively and analytically to solve tasks. So, start training early. Analyze problems, build algorithms to solve them, and then write code.

3. Practice constantly and regularly. Yes, it’s hard, but this is the only way to transform your efforts into results. Try finding some time (at least half an hour!) every day, and it will bring you more value than weekly 3-hour sessions. If you have ever tried to build muscles, you know it’s true. Moreover, the more regularly you study, the easier it is to beat procrastination. Why? Because your brain will remember the feeling of achievement you had just yesterday and the day before.

4. Mix it up a little. Sometimes, it’s the routine that kills motivation. If all your study sessions are the same, you’ll get tired. So, try different forms of learning: from reading to watching, from coding challenges to practicing solving simple tasks, from writing games to giving feedback to fellow learners.

5. Find like-minded people. Luckily, the internet offers many options. There are online communities like Redditt where you can find people learning the same language as you. Participate there actively, ask for help when needed, and help others when they ask. You’ll get a boost in your motivation, and maybe you will even make some friends.

6. Reflect on your goals. We all need to analyze the steps we made and rethink our goals. Do it regularly, and you’ll see an increase in your learning productivity.

At the beginning of the article, we’ve said that coding is a challenging task. But at the same time, it’s achievable and very rewarding. So, it totally makes sense to go for it!

Dmytro Vezhnin, CEO and Co-founder at CodeGym.cc, an interactive educational platform where people can learn Java programming language from scratch to Java Junior level. LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dmytro-vezhnin-0823a56/

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Community

AI Tools in Development: A Comprehensive Guide

Artificial intelligence is one of the biggest buzzwords in recent times. AI this, and AI that. It’s everywhere! 

As a developer, you’re probably familiar with this novel technology that has the potential to change the way you work. In fact, the numbers say it all – 63% of developers engage with AI-assisted development.

In this guide, we’ll tackle the importance of AI tools in development. Plus, we’ll cover its benefits and why adding it to your digital arsenal can help you excel as a developer.

A Developer’s Perspective on Artificial Intelligence

Before anything else, let’s take a look at how this technology affects developers. For them, artificial intelligence serves as a challenge and an opportunity. 

It’s a challenge as it introduces the concepts of machines learning from data, when traditional programming concepts are based on explicit instructions. This shift challenges developers to adopt a new thought process – one where algorithms can continuously evolve.

At the same time, it represents a massive opportunity by allowing them to innovate and solve problems quickly. Suddenly, the issues that couldn’t be solved by traditional programming are now within reach, thanks to the advancement of artificial intelligence.

The Most Popular AI Tools in Development

As a developer, you must learn to roll with the punches in the AI sector, given its fast pace of development. Doing so will require you to work with cutting-edge AI tools that help streamline your workflow. Here are some of the most popular AI tools that you can use as a developer:

Code Generation – GPT 3

GPT-3 is arguably one of the most popular AI tools that you can use as a developer. It was developed by Open AI in the pursuit of creating smart and trustworthy artificial general intelligence systems.

This tool excels in generating code. With its ability to understand various contexts and programming languages, it can provide accurate and relevant code suggestions. 

If you’re looking for a language model that generates code snippets, predicts code, refactors it, and helps you with algorithmic writing, then this is one of the tools that can fit the bill.

Code Analysis – Deep Code

To improve the quality of your code, Deep Code can do the job. By employing machine learning algorithms, it learns from a vast source of data to recognize patterns and gain insights into the best coding practices – all while reducing errors.

Perhaps one of its biggest strengths is its ability to provide context-aware suggestions, as compared to solely relying on rule-based analysis. This helps Deep Code make more nuanced recommendations for developers.

Natural Language Analysis – DialogFlow

Chatbots have found their place in many industries. In finance, chatbots can be used in private equity fund administration. In healthcare, they can be used to assist in the diagnosis of diseases. 

Developers lead this effort by integrating natural language processing (NLP) capabilities into applications with tools like DialogFlow. With its user-friendly interface, developers can easily customize how websites and applications respond to different queries.

Project Management – Trello

Trello has always been one of the leading project management tools across all industries. This tool allows you to add what you call ‘Power-Ups’ – features that you can integrate into your boards on Trello. 

With the boom of artificial intelligence, there have been Power-Ups that make use of AI technology. Notes & Docs, for example, is an AI-powered tool that can help you take down notes in a much more efficient manner – whether it be through summarizing them, simplifying them, or proofreading them.

Testing and Quality Assurance  – Selenium

Before you release a web application, it must undergo adequate testing and quality assurance. Selenium is one of the AI-powered tools that can deliver in this aspect. 

There are a few products that support the integration of AI with Selenium: headspin, Healenium, and testRigor. All of these boast unique features that upgrade Selenium’s capabilities when it comes to test automation. For example, Healenium uses machine learning algorithms to manage and modify web components.

Benefits of AI Tools in Development

Now that we’re aware of the role of AI tools in development, let’s have a quick rundown of the benefits they provide:

  • Higher Productivity: By automating repetitive and routine tasks in web development, artificial intelligence tools can help developers focus on more complex aspects of their work.
  • Cost Efficiency: The cost benefits are endless – automated testing, code analysis, and bug detection all reduce the need for extensive testing, saving a huge amount of resources.
  • Advanced Data Analysis: AI excels at analyzing vast amounts of data at high speeds and precision. Through this, developers can make data-driven decisions throughout the development workflow.

Final Thoughts

That being said, the role of artificial intelligence in development is indeed significant. 

Whether it’s generating new code or testing it for quality, AI tools are capable of assisting developers in these tasks. Not to mention, several benefits come with using AI-powered tools – one being increased productivity.

One thing’s for sure. If developers want to use AI to its fullest potential, they have to stay up to date with the latest developments, as this is the key to pushing the boundaries of development even further.

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Community

CloudOps vs DevOps: A Comparison

CloudOps vs DevOps
CloudOps vs DevOps

Two methods are becoming quite popular as modern businesses use digital operations to support their growth and agility: CloudOps and DevOps. According to IDC’s most recent estimates, the market for intelligent CloudOps software might grow from $15.3 billion in 2022 to $31.4 billion in 2026 globally.  

Similarly, the worldwide DevOps market is rising steadily at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 19.7% throughout the forecast period. By 2028, it would have increased from an anticipated $10.4 billion in 2023 to $25.5 billion. These figures indicate that these two models are becoming popular among organizations.

Businesses need both DevOps and CloudOps to increase the agility of their software development and IT operations. Through cloud resource optimization, or clouds, scalability and cost savings are increased. 

On the other hand, DevOps promotes teamwork, automation, increased software dependability, and enhanced customer experiences.  

Even if these models are similar, knowing how they differ is necessary to select the best strategy for your company. This blog post will compare and contrast CloudOps with DevOps, highlighting their benefits and drawbacks.

What is CloudOps?

CloudOps, which stands for Cloud Operations, accelerates business processes by applying IT operations and DevOps concepts to a cloud-based architecture. The core of cloud operations is continuous operations. 

Optimizing workloads and the delivery of IT services in the public cloud is the primary objective here. Asset management and capacity planning are formed to adjust capacity as needed without additional hardware or storage purchases.

Benefits of CloudOps

Scalability: Without the need for extra hardware for storage, Cloud Operations assists in managing the capacity. Asset management and resource allocation are carried out effectively in cloud operations.

Automation: It offers automation across several SDLC phases, such as doing quality assurance and producing reports. It leads to uninterrupted application utilization and a quicker time to market.

Accessibility: Cloud Operations enables anybody, on any platform, to effortlessly administer, keep an eye on, and run servers from any location in the world.

Continuous Operation: The software is automatically updated, which assists in offering customers continuous operation and services, i.e., the cloud’s operations are constantly accessible.

Seamless Integration: Applications that share shared services can coexist in the cloud without requiring connectivity.

Limitation of CloudOps

Cost Overruns: If your cloud budget is idle or underutilized, you face the risk of going overboard. 35% of the cloud budget gets lost due to idle resources, wasted space, and inefficiencies.

Security Issues: Although cloud services safeguard underlying systems, they are nonetheless susceptible to attack and compromise. Therefore, appropriate security setups ought to be taken care of.

Absence of Governance: Cloud services might be executed rapidly and smoothly, but governance has grown difficult. Increased security risks, lack of management, and compliance might result from rapid implementation.

Skill Gap: One of the main obstacles is a need for more experience with cloud platforms.

What is DevOps?

CloudOps vs DevOps

The acronym DevOps, which stands for “Development and Operations,” refers to a group of methodologies that emphasize teamwork while expediting corporate procedures. 

It is essential to shorten the time needed to roll out updates and high-quality software. The primary goal of DevOps implementation is to assist businesses in enhancing their company procedures, instruments, and productivity to enhance employee satisfaction and consistently provide value for clients.

Benefits of DevOps

Pace: DevOps ensures that you move at the necessary pace to fulfill consumer requests, innovate more quickly, respond to changes in the market, and improve your efficiency in achieving business goals.

Security: The DevOps methodology aids in achieving security by using integrated and automated security testing technologies.

Reliability: DevOps techniques such as continuous integration and delivery (CI/CD) guarantee that the quality of the application can be preserved, and the infrastructure and application updates may happen quickly. It guarantees end users the best possible experience as well.

Faster speed to market: Increasing the frequency of releases and providing continuous delivery will help you improve your product more quickly and gain a competitive edge.

Enhanced Cooperation: The teams work closely together, assign tasks to one another, and integrate their workflows thanks to the DevOps methodology. 

Limitation of DevOps

Increased Risks: According to its high automation requirements, DevOps can cause several problems if not set up correctly. When these problems arise, DevOps may also make it challenging to identify their origin.

Integration Challenges: When implementing DevOps, a large organization with complex systems may find it challenging to accomplish the high levels of integration required between the IT Operations and IT Development teams. It could be challenging to adopt, but DevOps may also necessitate a significant culture shift for some firms.

Complexity: DevOps implementations may result in a complex production environment that is difficult to diagnose and manage. Businesses may also be compelled to spend more money on hardware and software, which would raise costs and confuse matters.

Comparison between DevOps and CloudOps methodologies

It is necessary to compare CloudOps with DevOps because they are two different but related approaches that are vital to contemporary software development and IT operations.  

Comprehending the differences between them in terms of duties, tools, technology, scope, and other elements can help organizations choose the most appropriate operational model. Among the main distinctions between the two are the following:

1. Range

Cloud environments are the primary domain in which CloudOps operates. It involves managing data storage, provisioning, monitoring, and optimizing cloud resources, addressing security and compliance issues unique to the cloud.

The software product development lifecycle, in contrast, is covered by DevOps, encompassing planning, coding, testing, deployment, and continuing operations in addition to monitoring, obtaining feedback, and incremental improvements.

2. Effective resource administration

Efficient management of cloud resources is the responsibility of CloudOps teams. They manage resource scaling to satisfy application demands, keep an eye on performance, and guarantee data security.

Teams in DevOps collaborate on tasks across the whole software development and operations lifecycle. Together, they automate procedures, guarantee the quality of the code, and uphold pipelines for continuous integration and delivery.

3. Instruments and technological advancements

For resource management, CloudOps uses technologies and tools that are specialized to cloud service providers. AWS CloudFormation, Azure Resource Manager, and Google Cloud Deployment Manager are a few examples.

Ansible, GitLab CI/CD, Jenkins, and other automation and integration tools are used by DevOps for deployment automation, testing, and configuration management.

4. Duration

Continuous monitoring and optimization of cloud resources are essential components of CloudOps, a constant process that adjusts to evolving business requirements over time.

To respond quickly to customer input and changes in the market, DevOps frequently uses shorter development cycles along with frequent releases and upgrades.

5.  Cultural change

It takes a culture shift toward cloud-centric thinking to adopt CloudOps. Prioritizing cloud-native processes and solutions is necessary for teams to run scalable and adaptable operations.

DevOps promotes a culture change in which development and operations teams work together, share responsibilities, and prioritize ongoing learning and development.

6. Cost-effectiveness

Setting up and maintaining cloud infrastructure can come with higher upfront expenditures, especially for companies that have large-scale cloud deployments.

DevOps usually has cheaper upfront costs because it places a strong emphasis on automation, which maximizes resource utilization and minimizes the need for significant infrastructure investments.

7. Information Exchange

Data sharing may be restricted in CloudOps environments because of security and privacy issues, particularly when handling sensitive data.

Better communication and information sharing are enabled by DevOps, which encourages a more adaptable and cooperative approach to data exchange between development and operations teams.

Future Trends

It is anticipated to see a growing confluence between DevOps and CloudOps in the future. As new trends like AIOps, GitOps, and NoOps gain traction and the emphasis on cloud-native development, microservices architectures, and containerization technologies intensifies, both models are probably going to change at the same time.

The emergence of hybrid and multi-cloud methods will probably make managing cloud operations much more challenging. 

For example, companies with large workloads that are cloud-native could find it advantageous to implement CloudOps. DevOps services may be more appropriate for those who want to improve internal collaboration and accelerate product delivery.

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Community

Developer Nation Donation Program: Defining our social footprint together

The very essence of community lies at the heart of our Developer Nation surveys and therefore, we’re committed to giving back to the communities in different ways. With the mission of helping developers be their best selves, we place great importance on giving back to our community not only by sharing valuable insights and data, and helping them set the right foundations for their careers -, but also by supporting causes that matter to them – through our Donation Programs.

The Donation Program has become an integral part of our Developer Nation surveys and has helped us support aspiring professionals from all over the world who are driven by their passion for technology and are determined to make a difference in the world. As part of our Donation Program, we donate $0.10 per response to the charities our Developer Nation community chooses to support. Our goal is to reach $2,000 in donations and with every respondent taking part in our surveys, we’re getting a step closer to our goal!

During the 25th Developer Nation survey, one of the charities we donated to was CoderDojo, part of the Raspberry Pi Foundation, and this is the impact we were able to create by joining forces:

  • Global Reach: Over 4,000 coding clubs ran in-person sessions in 103 countries, creating a widespread impact and fostering a global community of learners.
  • Diverse Participation: 2,508 young people from 46 countries submitted entries into the Coolest Projects showcase, with a remarkable 45% of the participants being girls, promoting inclusivity and diversity in the tech space.
  • Expanded Learning Opportunities: The Raspberry Pi Foundation launched three new digital making project pathways, providing learners with diverse coding experiences, from story books and virtual pets to musical instruments, Raspberry Pi Pico creations, data visualizations, websites, and more.
  • Language Accessibility: Efforts were made to translate digital making projects into over 30 different languages, with a specific focus on supporting learners in areas of educational disadvantage. This includes building new volunteer translation communities for an additional five languages spoken in Kenya, South Africa, and India.
  • Skill Development: 88% of CoderDojo champions reported that young people improved their computing and programming skills as a result of taking part in CoderDojo. Additionally, 87% noted that young people gained more confidence to explore computing and programming.
coderdojo

Helping each other grow and achieve our dreams is what drives us here in Developer Nation.

We’d like to celebrate the personal stories of these young tech creators together with the Raspberry Pi Foundation:

Jay, sharing his love of robotics in his local community
“My mission is to spread the word of computing and programming, because not many people know about these subjects.” – Jay

jay sharing his love of robotics
jay sharing his love of robotics

Laura, building robots to change the world
“I never imagined that I would have so many opportunities to travel, expand my horizons, and meet so many people. It’s thanks to CoderDojo and Coolest Projects that I’ve been able to build an amazing network of friends, and together we’re ready to take on the world.” – Laura

Laura, building robots to change the world

My Coding Story: Selin
“I do hope people and AI work together in the future to make the world a better place. So I hope I will be a role model, and I actually know it’s hard to start at first, but, like, interests are gender-free. But to just, like, start, be curious and courageous, and, like, never let setbacks stop you so you can actually accomplish, like, your dream and to follow it and to never give up..” – Selin

  These stories show how much we can accomplish together as a community. We’re truly grateful to our community members for embracing our Donation Program and contributing to it, helping us create a sustainable ecosystem for everyone to live and thrive in. Being community-led, this effort could not have been possible without your valuable contributions.  Let’s keep making a positive difference together!

NEW Developer Nation survey is live. Participate and shape the trends in software development. Start Here!

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Community

Exploring the Landscape of Enterprise Development: A Regional and Technological Perspective

Forget about dusty old maps and boring stats – imagine navigating the ever-changing jungle of enterprise software development! It’s like discovering hidden tribes of people who code in modern programming languages (Python! Kotlin!), use cutting-edge CI/CD tools – Jenkins, CircleCI and work in big teams and have years of experience bringing an idea to life from the ground up by writing the most optimised code. It’s like building magical castles in the cloud. 

That’s where we’re headed, adventurer! We’ll trek through Silicon Valley’s glittering skyscrapers, sneak into Bangalore’s secret startup dens, and even chill by the beach with coders from Africa brewing the next big tech revolution. No region is off-limits! Along the way, we’ll decode the whispers of rising tech trends – AI whispering innovation to your data, blockchain building invisible fortresses, and old giants like Java shaking hands with nimble new stars like Swift. We’ll peek into everyone’s toolbox, from open-source bazaars to enterprise treasure chests, and maybe even borrow a cool gadget or two.

All this, based on our most recent pulse report, Q3, 2023, which you can find here. But before that, if you  are a professional developer or know someone who is, consider participating in our ongoing 26th Developer Nation survey and contribute to the optimisation of the developer experience.

Enterprise Development isn’t just about gadgets and gizmos. This is about the passionate humans behind the code – the keyboard warriors battling bugs, the dreamers sketching the future, and the masterminds building software that’ll change the world (one line at a time!). Learning about enterprise developers is essential for a holistic understanding of software development, especially in  large organizations where the challenges and requirements are distinct from those of smaller projects. This knowledge can benefit various stakeholders, from business leaders and project managers to individual developers and technology enthusiasts. 

So, grab your coding backpack, your adventurous spirit, and your insatiable curiosity. It’s time to rewrite the jungle rules, one bug fix, one feature update, one innovative idea at a time. 

Regional Disparities

While regions like South Asia hold a scant 9.5% share of the world’s enterprise developers, North America, Western Europe, and Israel stand as towering giants, each wielding around 31% and 28.6% of the talent pool, respectively. This chasm in geographical distribution begs the question: what factors have sculpted such an uneven landscape?

Disparity in software development likely stems from socioeconomic and economic factors. Developed economies have better educational resources and established tech ecosystems, fostering a critical mass of skilled developers. Thriving tech hubs in other regions attract talent with promising careers and salaries while nascent ecosystems struggle to compete, hindering talent growth.

The stark disparities in the distribution of enterprise developers highlight the need for concerted efforts to bridge the digital divide and create a more equitable global tech landscape. By investing in human capital, fostering collaboration, and promoting inclusive growth, we can unlock the full potential of technology for all corners of the world.

Enterprise Developers' Geo

Technology Preferences

The technological preferences of enterprise developers paint a vivid picture of the industry’s driving forces. Web development and backend tasks reign supreme, captivating a whopping 82% of the developer pool. This focus reflects the ever-expanding web ecosystem and the crucial role of robust backend infrastructure in powering modern applications.

While web and backend rule the roost, mobile development and artificial intelligence (AI) are carving their own niches. With their ubiquitous presence in our daily lives, mobile apps attract roughly 35% of developers, driven by the ever-evolving mobile landscape and the insatiable demand for user-centric experiences. AI, though still in the early stages of enterprise adoption, holds the attention of around 33% of developers, hinting at its immense potential to revolutionise various sectors. 

Enterprise Developers Areas

Industry Spotlight: Software and Finance Lead the Way

Beyond technologies, the industries drawing developer interest are equally revealing. Software products and services take the crown, with nearly 40% of developers gravitating towards this dynamic domain. This affinity stems from the constant churn of innovation and the fast-paced nature of the software world. Financial services and banking, with their complex data landscapes and growing reliance on technology, come in a close second at 21.6%, showcasing the increasing convergence of finance and technology.

These trends signify a close interplay between developer preferences and industry needs. The prevalence of web and backend development aligns seamlessly with the software and financial sectors’ demand for a robust online presence and advanced data processing. Simultaneously, the growing interest in mobile and AI mirrors the increasing importance of user engagement and data-driven insights across various industries.

Understanding these connections provides valuable insights into the future of enterprise development. The emphasis on web, mobile, and AI is expected to strengthen, driven by both developer enthusiasm and industry demands. As these technologies advance, the software and financial sectors will likely stay ahead, attracting and fostering top developer talent.

Enterprise Developers industry verticals

CI/CD Practices

As the software development lifecycle evolves, Continuous Integration and Continuous Deployment (CI/CD) practices have become indispensable. Jenkins emerges as the dominant force in this arena, enjoying a staggering 66.5% usage. GitLab’s self-hosted version follows suit, while IBMCode and TeamCity trail as smaller players. Notably, Jenkins is popular in organizations with over 1,000 employees, with self-hosted GitLab closely behind at 37.2%. Azure Pipelines, IBM UrbanCode, and TeamCity cater to smaller segments of the market.

CI/CD tools

Containerization and Cloud Services

The age-old frustration of “It works on my machine but not yours” has become a relic of the past, thanks to containerisation technologies like LXC and Docker. These container technologies are especially favoured by backend developers, commanding an impressive 61.8% usage. Database-as-a-Service (DBaaS) is also prominent at 34.6%. In the backend developer’s toolkit, cloud monitoring services are vital, with 23.7% usage.

top 5 technologies used by backend developers

DevOps Tooling

In the DevOps domain, GitHub is the leader, commanding a substantial 28% usage. Google Cloud Developer Tools follow closely at 13.8%, while AWS CodeCommit lags  with just around 8% usage. These statistics underline the importance of collaboration and version control in the modern software development landscape.

top 5 technologies used by devops

Conclusion

The enterprise development world is dynamic and shaped by regional influences and technological preferences. As we navigate the evolving landscape, it is clear that specific tools and practices have become integral to the development lifecycle. Whether it’s the dominance of Jenkins in CI/CD or the widespread adoption of containerisation technologies, staying informed about the trends is essential for developers and businesses alike. As we move forward, anticipating and adapting to these shifts will be key to thriving in the ever-changing enterprise development world. 

If you are an enterprise developer, I’d love to connect with you personally and learn more about your work and day-to-day challenges and how Developer Nation and SlashData can help you from our decades of experience in Developer Market Research and community building. Please reach out to me at ayan.pahwa@slashdata.co or on social media. Cheers!

– @iAyanPahwa 

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Community Tips

Mastering DevOps in Software Engineering: A Step-by-Step Guide

Are you having trouble matching your software development methods with today’s fast-paced changes? The evolution of software development has made embracing DevOps practices not just a trend but a strategic necessity.

DevOps, derived from development and operations, signifies a transformative shift in the entire process of creating, testing, and deploying software.

Embarking on the journey of integrating DevOps into your software engineering workflows requires thoughtful consideration. For a seamless transition into this transformative process, seek personalized guidance tailored to your specific needs.

Let’s dive into the essential considerations that will pave the way for a seamless and successful implementation.

1. Understanding the DevOps Culture

The cultural transformation integral to DevOps is much more than just teamwork; it’s about fostering a sense of shared responsibility and ownership among the development and operations teams. This approach breaks down traditional silos and encourages open communication, creating an environment where everyone works towards common objectives, thus enhancing overall efficiency and productivity.

This image from Space-O Technologies shows the difference between DevOps vs Agile development methodologies. 

DevOps in Software Engineering
Source:  spaceo.ca

In this ever-evolving landscape, the insights from experienced professionals are crucial to ensure that your approach is well-aligned with modern requirements. Therefore, as you take your first step towards optimizing your software practices, it’s beneficial to seek expert guidance.

2. Choosing the Right DevOps Tools

Selecting the appropriate tools is the backbone of any successful DevOps initiative. The technology stack you choose should align with your organization’s specific needs and existing infrastructure. Here’s a closer look at some key DevOps tools:

• Jenkins

Beyond being an automation server, Jenkins serves as the heartbeat of continuous integration and continuous deployment (CI/CD) pipelines. Its versatility makes it a go-to choice for automating various stages of the development process.

• Git

Git, a distributed version control system, ensures effective source code management. Its ability to handle collaborative development seamlessly and facilitate branching and merging makes it a fundamental tool in DevOps workflows.

• Docker

As a containerization platform, Docker enables the packaging and distribution of applications along with their dependencies. This promotes consistency across different environments and streamlines the deployment process.

• Kubernetes

Kubernetes stands out for container orchestration. It automates the deployment, scaling, and management of containerized applications. This provides a strong solution for container orchestration in complex environments.

3. Establishing Continuous Integration and Continuous Deployment (CI/CD) Pipelines

Implementing CI/CD pipelines is not only a technical choice but also a strategic move toward achieving faster, more reliable software delivery. Let’s explore the benefits in more detail:

Benefits of CI/CD Pipelines

  • Faster Time-to-Market: CI/CD pipelines accelerate the development cycle, ensuring that new features and bug fixes reach users swiftly.
  • Reduced Manual Errors: Automation in testing and deployment reduces the likelihood of human errors, contributing to a more reliable release process.
  • Enhanced Collaboration: CI/CD pipelines create continuous feedback loops, fostering collaboration between development, operations, and other stakeholders.

4. Security as Code: Integrating DevSecOps

With cybersecurity threats on the rise, integrating security practices into your DevOps pipeline is non-negotiable. DevSecOps is a methodology that emphasizes incorporating security measures right from the start. Here’s a closer look at key security considerations:

Key Security Considerations

  • Automated Security Scans: Regular automated scans of code and dependencies help identify and remediate vulnerabilities proactively.
  • Access Control: Implementing robust access controls ensures that only authorized personnel have access to sensitive data and critical systems.
  • Security Training: Continuous training for development and operations teams on security best practices is essential to build a security-first mindset.

5. Monitoring and Logging for Continuous Improvement

DevOps is an iterative process, and continuous monitoring is essential for identifying areas of improvement. Robust monitoring and logging solutions offer insights into system performance, troubleshoot issues, and guide optimizations over time.

Monitoring Best Practices

  • Real-Time Monitoring: Identify and address issues as they arise, preventing potential disruptions to services.
  • Performance Metrics: Track key performance indicators (KPIs) to gain insights into application and infrastructure performance.
  • Log Analysis: Analyzing logs is crucial for troubleshooting issues, understanding system behavior, and identifying patterns that can inform future improvements.

6. Embracing Infrastructure as Code (IaC)

Infrastructure as Code (IaC) is a fundamental practice that involves managing and provisioning infrastructure through code and automation. The advantages of IaC extend beyond just efficient infrastructure management.

Advantages of IaC

  • Scalability: IaC allows for the effortless replication and scaling of infrastructure as needed, supporting the dynamic demands of modern applications.
  • Version Control: Tracking changes to infrastructure configurations using version control ensures transparency, accountability, and the ability to roll back changes if needed.
  • Consistency: IaC ensures consistency across different environments, reducing the chances of configuration drift and minimizing deployment-related issues.

7. Collaboration and Communication

Effective collaboration and communication are the bedrock of a successful DevOps culture. Creating an environment where development, operations, and other stakeholders communicate openly and collaborate seamlessly is essential for sustained success.

Collaboration Strategies

  • Cross-Functional Teams: The formation of cross-functional teams brings together individuals with diverse skills, fostering collaboration and shared responsibility.
  • Knowledge Sharing: Workshops, training sessions, and collaborative tools are instrumental in facilitating the exchange of knowledge and best practices among team members.
  • Collaborative Tools: Leveraging communication and collaboration tools, like Slack or Microsoft Teams, supports real-time communication and connect the team.

8. Scalability and Flexibility

In the dynamic landscape of software development, scalability and flexibility are paramount. Your DevOps practices should be designed to adapt to changes in technology, team structures, and business requirements.

Scalability Tips

  • Modular Architecture: Designing systems with a modular architecture facilitates easier scalability. Individual components can be scaled independently to meet varying demands.
  • Automation for Scale: Automation is a key enabler of scalability. Automate repetitive tasks to ensure efficiency and consistency as your infrastructure and application needs grow.
  • Continuous Evaluation: Regularly evaluating and adapting DevOps processes is essential for optimal performance. Continuous improvement should be ingrained in the culture.

As software engineering constantly evolves, it’s crucial to stay informed about current development trends in software engineering. Understanding these trends can guide your DevOps practices toward greater adaptability and innovation.

Conclusion

In conclusion, adopting DevOps in software engineering is a transformative journey that involves cultural shifts, strategic tool selection, and the establishment of efficient processes. By understanding the DevOps culture, choosing the right tools, establishing CI/CD pipelines, integrating security practices, monitoring for continuous improvement, embracing Infrastructure as Code, promoting collaboration, and ensuring scalability, you can lay the foundation for a successful DevOps implementation.

Remember, DevOps is not a one-time implementation but a continuous evolution. Stay committed to the principles, foster a culture of collaboration, and leverage the power of automation to propel your software engineering processes into the realm of efficiency, reliability, and innovation.