Will there be any developers left by 2030?
The low-code software industry and its close cousins in the no-code software space have occasionally been described as protagonists in a dystopian vision of the future. That dark future sees all our IT systems developed by machines, leaving humans out of the loop. The once highly educated and qualified members of the software engineering function are laid waste and consigned to a career flipping burgers, washing cars or delivering pizza.
Of course, that’s not how it works now, or how it will play out in the medium or long term. The birth of low-code was never intended to replace software engineering, it was and is intended to accelerate it with efficiencies, automations and accelerators so that code infrastructure substrate layers, middle-tier definable functions and higher-level componentized software elements could all be coalesced into user functionality more easily, more quickly and more securely.
The naysayers still exist and may well stop and ask whether there will there be any developers left by 2030, so what does the industry itself feel about this discussion? Who better to ask than a selection of Appian partners and related industry heavyweights?
Developers are evolving, not diminishing
Anurag Gupta, global head of solution consulting at Revature has no qualms about what’s happening right now. Revature is a technology engineering services provider with a focus on talent enablement and talent transformation in both bespoke services and enterprise applications. Gupta says that as the digital landscape transforms with low-code and generative AI, the role of developers is not diminishing, but evolving.
“By 2030, technologies like the Appian platform won’t just be continuing to simplify coding; they will be empowering developers to undertake more intricate and strategic tasks,” he said. “This shift accentuates the need for a deep blend of technical expertise and creativity. Developers remain crucial, now tasked with customizing, integrating and managing complex systems. Their role is pivotal for driving innovation and ensuring technological progress, emphasizing the strategic, creative essence of their work in a future where their skills are indispensable.”
As this evolved breed of software developers move forward with low-code platforms (and although enjoying a substantial presence, Appian is joined by others in this market) to use these technologies to automate business processes, the Revature team reminds us that platforms will allow even those with no technical background to more quickly create applications.
“As we move towards to 2030, we anticipate low-code to empower more citizen developers – including non-technical users like business and operations employees to build applications through simple, natural language interactions,” added Gupta. “The blending of Appian’s intuitive platform with the power of generative AI will accelerate the development of complex and customized applications, accelerating innovation and productivity.”
Dive into the complete article on Tech Republic for in-depth insights and analysis.