In recent years, the field of DevOps continued to transform in the face of new technologies and methodologies which enhanced the software delivery process; the DevOps approach underscores teamwork, automation, and streamlined processes in software development. We know that the DevOps future will also hold enhanced software delivery and greater collaboration.
In looking at the various trends across the tech industry, one can be sure that the future of DevOps will be one characterized by increased automation, tighter integration of security practices, and a strong focus on user experience and developer well-being. However, before diving into the future of DevOps, let’s get clear on what DevOps is and how it’s transformed the landscape of software development.
What is DevOps?
DevOps is a set of practices, principles, and cultural philosophies that work to improve collaboration and communication between software development (Dev) and IT operations (Ops) teams. The goal of DevOps is to offer an innovative approach to developing software through shortening the system development life cycle, embracing collaboration, and disrupting traditional barriers between software development and IT operations teams.
Historically, development and operations teams worked independently of one another, often leading to painful miscommunications, delays in product development, and inefficiencies in the software production cycle. DevOps looks to break down these silos and create a culture of collaboration, transparency, and shared responsibility among developers, operations professionals, and other stakeholders involved in the software delivery process. It’s not only achieved through the incorporation of automation, continuous integration (CI), and continuous delivery (CD) into software production processes, but through a cultural shift within your organization in order to fully achieve a more optimal development process.
How has DevOps Developed Over the Years?
Beginning years
DevOps began in 2007 while engineer Patrick Debois became frustrated while serving as a database admin. He found the friction between developers and system administrators to be a barrier to the success of his project; Debois is considered a member of the agile community, meaning he’s interested in flexible, collaborative, rapid, and continually improving project management approaches. Bridging the gap between development and operations teams became his cause, and thus, DevOps was born.
Widespread adoption of DevOps
In the late 2000s and early 2010s, there’s a more widespread adoption of the DevOps approach. Numerous tech tools were quickly integrated into DevOps practices thus ensuring that the methodology developed alongside the rapidly transforming tech industry.
Improved practices
In the 2010s, DevOps practices were transformed. From integrated securitization processes to greater utilization of tech tools like Slack and Microsoft Teams that enhance collaboration and streamline workflows. In recent years, we’ve seen DevOps teams embrace the cloud and serverless computing which has offered DevOps teams scalable and cost-effective development options. Equally, microservices effectively complement cloud-based application architectures through enabling teams to efficiently manage complex applications.
Present day DevOps
And that brings us to today, where DevOps has greatly evolved since its creation, adapting with the ever-changing tech industry. It has embraced the integration of AI-driven automation, machine learning technologies, and intelligent decision-making. Undoubtedly, these new technologies and data sciences will transform the future for DevOps engineers and the digital terrain for this methodology.
In all, the current day situation may leave you wondering, what is the future of devops? Let’s dive in.
What is the Future of DevOps?
If you’re looking to stay on top of the trends for 2024, then you’re in the right place. First and foremost, DevOps has a good future ahead of itself. It will most likely be characterized by increased automation, more advanced integration of security practices, enhanced collaboration opportunities, and an emphasis on user experiences and developer well-being. In short, these developments will allow organizations to efficiently deliver high-quality software products and respond effectively to the ever evolving demands of the tech industry.
Several trends and practices likely to shape the new DevOps landscape include:
Automation and AI/ML integration: these will only continue to grow in DevOps in 2024. We’re certain that we’ll encounter greater automation of routine tasks, the implementation of predictive analysis for spotting and addressing issues, and allowing for proactive problem solving.
Security integration (DevSecOps): we expect that securitization practices will be integrated even earlier in the DevOps software development lifecycle. With the ever growing onslaught of cyber threats, ensuring that security is a fundamental aspect of every stage of the software delivery process has never been more important.
Infrastructure as Code (IaC) and GitOps: these are two practices and principles that will only become more prevalent in 2024. Infrastructure as Code (IaC) practices will mature, allowing infrastructure provisioning and configuration changes to be automated, versioned, and tested alongside code application. GitOps principles will become more prevalent in 2024, allowing infrastructure and deployment automation through version-controlled repositories, enabling consistency and traceability for developers.
Continuous everything (CE): DevOps is no stranger to continuous integration (CI), continuous delivery (CD), and continuous testing (CT), that said, the concept of “continuous” will likely only expand further in 2024. We’re expecting additional automation in software’s development and deployment lifecycle.
Edge computing and Internet of Things (IoT) DevOps: DevOps practices must be flexible in the face of the new and unique challenges of edge computing. With real-time processing and low latency being essential, DevOps engineers must be knowledgeable and prepared to adapt to manage these demands. Equally, as IoT devices become more present, DevOps practices must ensure the seamless integration and continuous delivery for IoT applications.
Focus on user experience: DevOps should emphasize user-centric metrics and feedback loops such that development efforts align with customer needs and preferences. This may be achieved through greater emphasis on A/B testing and feature flags, which allow rapid experimentation and feedback-driven feature development.
Emphasis on well-being of developers: we’re pleased that conversations surrounding work-life balance, mental health, and professional growth have increased in recent years. We believe that those conversations will continue into 2024 and expect there to be greater emphasis on supporting developers and especially in the remote work settings.
Compliance and regulations: in 2024 there will undoubtedly be changes in compliance standards as the tech industry develops; that said, we expect that automation tools will be more greatly utilized in order to ensure that software development adheres to such regulatory requirements.
Demand for DevOps in the Future
The demand for DevOps professionals and DevOps engineers in the future is expected to remain strong and potentially increase in 2024. This is primarily due to businesses across various sectors turning to DevOps as a methodology and culture that promises a faster and more reliable software delivery process. This is primarily due to:
Rapid technological advancements: in order to keep up with emerging technologies, DevOps engineers will be needed to help organizations adopt technologies like machine learning, serverless computing, and microservices architectures.
Digital transformation: more and more companies are investing in digital transformation efforts in order to enhance agility and respond quickly to market demands. They require the help from DevOps engineers in developing practices that enable faster software development, testing, and deployment.
Security and compliance: with ever changing securitization best practices, DevOps engineers will be required to integrate security into DevOps practices (DevSecOps). DevOps professionals with expertise in security practices are in high demand.
Increased complexity: tech environments have become increasingly complex; with the rise of microservices, hybrid cloud setups, and multi-platform applications, DevOps professionals must manage highly complex environments. Organizations need DevOps engineers who can navigate intricacies and ensure the seamless integration of DevOps and practices.
Remote and distributed work: With remote work and distributed teams being prevalent in the tech industry, DevOps practices must be robust in ensuring efficient collaboration, version control, and continuous integration.
Focus on environmental sustainability: across the tech industry there’s been a greater focus on environmental sustainability. This means that there’s an increased demand for DevOps professionals who can implement eco-friendly practices.
It’s more important than ever to stay up-to-date on the latest tech trends and developments across the industry. The field changes rapidly and being prepared for what might come in 2024 will give you and your organization a head start on adapting and embracing these evolving technologies and techniques. Understanding the future of DevOps will optimize your organization’s approach to software development and grant your organization the opportunity to respond efficiently and effectively to the ongoing transformations within the digital terrain.
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