Top 8 Trends That'll Radically Shape the Future of DevOps

DevOps is now the primary method by which many companies deliver applications and services. By combining the development and operations aspects of software management into a single, integrated activity, the DevOps lifecycle provides IT teams with a range of advantages, from improved cost-efficiencies to a faster time to market.

According to Forrester's 2022 Future of DevOps report, this methodology has rapidly become the "default approach" for the most software-intensive organizations, and has had a "transformative impact" on the way IT applications are delivered and operated. Unlike many other highly-hyped technologies over the last decade that have had brief 'flash in the pan' moments before fading, DevOps has proven to deliver a real, sustained impact for businesses.

The growing demand for DevOps

However, the DevOps world never stands still and there are always new tools and technologies to learn, as well as evolving philosophies for how to apply the innovations. 

In 2023, the global market for DevOps tools is set to reach $5.9 billion at a compound annual growth rate of 31.2%, before hitting the $20 billion milestone by 2026.

With more investment in the sector and a higher number of employees building their skills in DevOps, this will lead to high-quality outcomes for firms that are able to harness the technology. By 2024, 40% of development teams will be classed as high performers when it comes to DevOps, up from 25% today. 

Therefore, if your team isn't keeping up-to-date with the latest developments, you might quickly fall behind more advanced competitors.

8 DevOps trends set to shape the future 

As DevOps is such a wide-ranging discipline that can be applied to almost any type of application development, there’s always scope for new trends and innovations to help make life easier for dev teams or improve the capabilities of software. Here are some of the biggest trends in the sector right now that you need to be aware of heading into 2023.

1. Microservices 

The use of microservices can greatly speed up the process of software development, as well as reducing the risk of errors and improving scalability. It works by splitting what would otherwise be monolithic architecture into a series of individual components, each with their own purpose.

Among the advantages of microservices architecture is the fact that, if one piece of the puzzle fails, the rest of the application is unaffected, while also making it easier to identify and isolate the problem. What's more, it means you can work with smaller, more focused teams who are able to innovate rapidly, track performance and maintain control over their own tech stack.

2. Serverless computing

Serverless architecture is growing in popularity as the cost and complexity of managing and maintaining traditional server infrastructure continues to rise. This offers a way of managing computing resources without relying on dedicated servers. Instead, this technique uses containers to run applications.

Benefits of serverless computing include the ability to streamline operations, as containers include everything needed to manage the entire software development lifecycle (SDLC) in one place, from development to deployment, testing and maintenance. They also make life easier for dev teams, as there are no issues such as server maintenance, cloud monitoring and system updates to worry about.

3. DevSecOps

Security has long been a primary concern for software development, and in an age when the number of cyber attacks is at an all-time high - as well as becoming increasingly costly - being able to build this into your DevOps processes from the start is essential in helping protect your business from threats. 

As the name implies, DevSecOps inserts security into the heart of DevOps thinking, ensuring that security processes are being conducted and tested right from the start of the SDLC. As well as reducing the risks of errors or misconfigurations leading to vulnerabilities, this reduces the workload further down the line, as you have to devote fewer resources to testing and big fixing.

Learn more: An In-Depth Guide to DevSecOps (and 5 Best Practices)

4. Infrastructure as Code 

Infrastructure as Code, or IaC, is another DevOps trend that looks to make life easier for developers by automating many of the more tedious, repetitive and time-consuming tasks associated with software architecture. By creating files containing code with specific details of your configurations, this makes it easy to replicate environments and keep them under control. 

Key benefits of IaC include faster development, great consistency through more uniform standards for applications and reduced risk of errors. In turn, this makes the SDLC more efficient, as well as improving cost-effectiveness.

5. Low-code applications 

Another way of boosting efficiency and making application more consistent, low-code methodology requires developers to write in a more concise, standardized format that can be easier for others to understand and maintain. 

Low-code approaches can make it easier for multiple developers to work on projects and are ideal for prototyping, as they enable you to get up and running more quickly. It also reduces the risk of errors or conflicting code creating vulnerabilities. However, it may come at the cost of flexibility, as it makes it more difficult to customize applications. 

6. AI and ML

Artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) will both have major roles to play in any DevOps strategy moving forward, as without these technologies it will be impossible to build the advanced automation tools that are required to run many of the above trends effectively.

Automation is also vital to supporting a continuous integration and development approach, so AI and ML is increasingly important in ensuring that these operations go smoothly. With these technologies, you not only reduce the need for manual human input, but gain peace of mind that automated activities are producing tangible results.

7. Kubernetes 

Kubernetes is the most popular open-source solution for managing containerized applications, and this naturally makes it an ideal fit for DevOps environments. Integrating these solutions into your practices allows team members to easily share applications between development and operations professionals, streamlining the pipeline and automating workflows.

8. Edge computing

Moving computing operations closer to the edge of the network is becoming increasingly important in maintaining performance in a wide range of operations, especially those that rely on accurate, real-time data to make decisions. DevOps can help firms make the most of these capabilities by making it easier to manage the complexities involved with edge computing, where operations take place directly on devices and sensors, rather than relying on connections to centralized servers.

With technologies such as 5G and the Internet of Things making edge computing a more feasible option for many scenarios, being able to optimize these efforts using DevOps could help give many applications the performance boost they need to be successful.