In the race to transformation, no organisation wants to be left behind. Therefore any organisation that wants to stay relevant in the future must know that apart from the proper utilisation of human resources, one way to reach operational and business success in the future is the proper utilisation of software projects.
However, the world of software development is more vast and versatile than many know. Due to the high demand for these technologies, knowing the different kinds of software development is important.
In this article, we will discuss the different types of software development. While some of them intersect at different points, they are all different and therefore require specific skill sets. Learning about them will help in your decision to onboard or upgrade your business software to reap the benefits.
The Different Types of Software Development and their Benefits
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Front-end Development:
The front-end of an application is the part you can see and interact with. The primary specialisation of any front-end developer is the interface that is immediately seen and operated by the user (UI).
The graphical aspects of a website, system, or application—this involves layout and interactive parts (clicking, scrolling, and data inputting)—are the parts that appeal to your customers/users.
The users’ overall experience (ease of usage, appeal, and responsiveness) is always considered when creating these systems. As a result, front-end development often goes hand-in-hand with back-end development to ensure the best results.
It is important to note that front-end development plays a major role in nearly every aspect of software development. This is because applications, websites, web browsers, operating systems, and other software products depend on the graphical aspects of the system.
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Back-end Development:
Another name for back-end development is server-side development. A back-end developer is concerned with the back-end of a system—the part of the product that the users cannot see. Back-end development comprises all the infrastructures within the software that powers it, i.e. Application Programming Interfaces (APIs), Server Programming Languages, architecture, databases, and servers.
The functionality of a system is at the core of back-end development. This means the security, performance, core logic, and system integration ability are ensured from the back-end.
The front-end of the screen shows a simplified view of the development that has taken place at the back-end. What happens at the back end will ensure the smooth running of the front-end.
A back-end developer is someone who builds the infrastructure that supports whatever product, app, or website you are trying to create.
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Full-Stack Development:
Full-stack development requires excellent programming skills, as this type of software development involves both aspects of the product—both front-end and back-end.
A full-stack developer is a programmer who is client-side and server-side development savvy. A full-stack development team successfully creates a complete, fully functioning product. This kind of responsibility calls for exceptional critical thinking and problem skills.
Most software development projects require full-stack development. This could entail hiring both back-end and front-end developers. But hiring full-stack developers solves both problems, as you will discover how much more advantageous, comprehensive, and cost-effective full-stack development can be.
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Application Development:
Web application development, Mobile application development, General application development, Low-code application development, and Rapid application development are the different types of application development. You will find a myriad of companies that offer application development services. But before picking one, you must first understand what application entails.
Often, application development can be found at the heart of every software development project or product. Application development is the creation of a computer program or combination of programs that enable the system to perform a specific business goal.
To build a successful product, an application developer will have to tick a few steps off their list. First, they must gather all the relevant information. The next step is to design a prototype or an MVP (Minimum Viable Product) before programming and testing the application. After these requirements are fulfilled, the application can then be deployed, and further maintenance can take place down the line.
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Security Software Development
Safety is just as important in the world of technology as it is on the outside. A security software developer ensures that the users’ private information is safe. And a large part of security software development entails testing the system’s vulnerability.
How? you may ask. Simply by hacking it or attempting to hack it.
The job of the security team is to try to break through a system’s firewalls using codes in order to identify its weak spots and then reinforce them to prevent potential cyber-attacks.
Cloud technology has given desktop technology a run for its money. Cloud computing eliminates the need for heavy-duty system infrastructure or internal systems while still providing the software services required.
Take iCloud to Google drive, for instance. Cloud technology reduces the need for complex or expensive hardware/back-end technologies, thereby improving the ease and speed of running business operations for companies of all sizes.
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Embedded Systems Development
Embedded systems are computer systems that can be found within a mechanical device. For example, smartphones use embedded systems—cars, digital cameras, and computers too. This type of software development involves what is known as ‘middleware’. Middleware interacts closely with software. To be honest, most devices have embedded systems because the hardware is the structure around all these devices and machines.
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API Development
API development is a crucial part of the entire software development body. They provide the avenue for software developers to travel beyond the boundaries of their product by letting third-party developers interact with tools.
Real-life examples of API include sharing links from one app to another, logging into one app/website using the credentials of another, or even travel websites with a range of options from different vendors.
APIs work as a liaison between software. API (Application Programming Interfaces) development simply describes the kind of software development that allows the software to interact with other software.
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Data Science
Data science is one extremely important type of software development. It is the point where programming and data analysis meet. Data scientists are programmers, but instead of creating software for the general consumers, they create programmes that are used specifically in analysing data.
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Mobile Development
This is probably the most common type of software development. This trend is a result of smartphones taking over the world. In urban areas especially, you could find a smartphone in the hand of nearly everyone you come across.
As the name connotes, mobile development is the development of programs for these mobile devices—phones and tablets. All the apps we use on our phones, whether iPhone or Android—games like Candy Crush, social media platforms like Reddit, Music apps, and even system applications that come with our devices—are all examples of mobile development.
Unlike other kinds of software development, mobile development requires its own set of skills. Certain intricacies are involved in working with the two different mobile operating systems, iOS and Android. The framework, language, and tools needed are different for each kind; Android entails specialisation in Kotlin or Java, while iOS needs Swift or Objective C programming skills.
This type of software development enables us to carry out seemingly mundane tasks on our phones and tablets. These applications that we depend on for ‘everything’ are a product of mobile development.
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Desktop Development
The job of a desktop developer is to create software solely for desktop operating systems. Common examples of desktop operating systems are Linux, Mac, and Windows. A decade ago, desktop software was the trend, but smartphones came, and mobile development took the top spot.
Nonetheless, desktop development is just as relevant in today’s world. If you have ever used any software from the Microsoft Office Suite or a web browser, then you have reaped the fruit of desktop development.
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Software Tools Development
Software tools are computer programmes used for debugging code, as well as creating and maintaining it. Software tools developers are those who create the tools used by other software developers to create their software.
There are different kinds of software tools—Code editors, GitHub, and VSCs (Version Control Systems) used in collaborating with other developers, and IDEs (Integrated Development Environments) used in testing codes and also in writing them.
While software development is about writing code to create software, there are software developers who specialise in writing code that enable this process. This is what software tools development is about.
Understanding these different types of software development can help you decipher the particular kind of software developer your business requires, as well as the perks of onboarding a software development team for your business.
If you need to hire a software development company and have questions that need answering, visit our website, or take advantage of the 30 minutes complimentary consultation we offer when you call +2348141261421.
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