6 Software Development Trends to Watch in 2025

What does 2025 hold in store for software development and software developers?

The overarching answer is likely "more of the same." Software developers will keep doing what they've always done — designing, implementing, testing, and improving software. There are no revolutionary changes afoot in the world of coding.

That said, it's likely that we'll see at least some modest shifts in focus and methodologies over the coming year. Here's a look at six trends that are poised to impact software development in 2025.

1. Shifts in Programming Language Usage

Short-term fluctuations in the popularity of various programming languages are common. But in recent years, some longer-term programming language trends have begun to solidify, which will likely affect the languages that developers choose to use in 2025.

For example, Rust is surging in popularity, and 2025 could turn out to be the year when it finally comes into its own. Meanwhile, expect once-popular languages like PHP to keep slipping in popularity. Even Java's long-term outlook is arguably uncertain due to limitations like the verboseness of Java code and its relatively slow execution speed.

Related:7 Trends That Helped Shape Software Development in 2024

2. Growing Investment in Sustainable Software Engineering

Sustainability has been a hot topic in the IT industry for years. But to date, much of the focus on making IT resources more sustainable has centered on practices like investing in "green" hardware and sourcing renewable energy for data centers.

But the way developers design, implement, and deploy applications can also have an impact on how much energy the applications consume — and, by extension, on sustainability. The concept of sustainable software engineering isn't totally new, but it's likely to grow in importance over the coming year as businesses seek additional means of reducing their carbon footprints.

3. Focus on AI's Impact on Software Supply Chain Security

The focus on software supply chain security risks (meaning risks that originate within third-party software rather than the code a business writes in-house) is also no longer a new topic. But over the past couple of years, new types of software supply chain security challenges have emerged, due especially to adoption of AI.

One example is package hallucination, which occurs when an AI model generates code that includes fictitious software dependencies. If threat actors create malicious dependencies with the same names as the fictitious ones, there is a risk that malicious code could end up within supply chains.

Related:DevOps: Key to Faster, More Efficient Government Software Development

As we head into a new year, expect increased pressure on software developers to be conscious of AI-based supply chain risks like these.

4. Decreased Use of Microservices

For about a decade, microservices — meaning a software architecture that breaks applications into discrete services — have been all the rage in software development. But microservices have clear downsides, like added complexity. There is an argument to be made — and we've made it — that monoliths are poised to experience a resurgence, and 2025 could well be the year when that happens.

Don't expect microservices to go away — they won't because they continue to offer important advantages for some use cases — but expect more developers over the coming year to recognize that microservices aren't always the best architecture.

5. Reduced Hype Surrounding AI-Assisted Development

When AI-assisted programming tools like Copilot became available several years ago, they were a game-changer for developers. The ability to generate relatively high-quality, reliable code in just seconds saved vast quantities of time.

But as we head into 2025, AI-assisted coding is no longer novel; it's commonplace, and the typical development team is already using it extensively.

This means that in the new year, AI will cease to feel like a transformative technology for software development. It will remain important, but the ability to leverage AI-assisted coding tools will no longer be a sign that your software development team is cutting-edge.

6. Programmers with Formal Degrees Will Have an Edge in the Job Market

Until a couple of years ago, it was relatively easy to succeed in a software development career without having a college degree. Completing a coding bootcamp or simply teaching yourself to code was often enough to land a decent programming job.

But layoffs and the offshoring of tech jobs have created a much more competitive job market for software developers. In 2025, programmers with college degrees in software development or closely related fields are likely to enjoy a stronger edge as they compete for positions.