The Absolute Must-haves for Software Development Teams

Here are the five must-haves for software developers in 2023.

May 4, 2023

Software Development

Hard skills like coding languages, leadership, communication, and planning skills are essential for every developer. But Sashank Purighalla, CEO of BOS Framework, shares five must-haves for teams of software developers in 2023.

The US Bureau of Labor Statistics projected that, between 2020 and 2030, demand for developers will grow by 22%Opens a new window . But companies, from fintech to software as a service (SaaS), aren’t just after sub-average software developers; they want those who can fix suboptimal, fractured architecture, scale with business needs, and protect their companies from serious damage. 

And it is even more difficult for leaders to find those sought-after software developers due to the rapid proliferation of new skill sets. The definition of a “good” developer (or greater team) is always evolving.

So, focusing on 2023: What skills and tools are necessary, and what else should developers and technology leaders keep in mind?

1. Every developer needs baseline CloudOps knowledge

A team of developers brings together a combination of skill sets through working in different environments, from financial services firms to telecommunication companies. But every developer must have basic skills or a baseline architectural ability. So, what does this really consist of? In short, they need knowledge about: 

  • Cloud providers, like AWS or Azure, to deliver applications and services 
  • Source code management to track modifications to a code base 
  • Container orchestration and management to deploy multiple applications on-premise and in the cloud
  • The most popular programming languages, like Python, Ruby, and Go
  • Automating CI/CD workflows, running vulnerability scans, and building docker images
  • Application monitoring tools, like Prometheus and Nagios
  • Cybersecurity basics, like how to install firewalls and load balancers

This year, whether you are a top technology leader expanding an already-large developer team or a founder employing your first full-time developer, you must check the candidates’ level of knowledge regarding each of these elements. 

See More: How Organizations Can Effectively Manage the Exploded Network

2. Don’t lose yourself (or your team) to one digital tool

Developments must understand the baseline knowledge listed in the previous section (e.g., what will always stay relevant). After that, each developer’s team is responsible for learning about different tools, approaches, and programming languages.

There’s a fundamental difference between developers focusing on specific tools and those more concerned about business outcomes. Developers who focus solely on tools dedicate their entire career to one grain of sand. And the moment technology changes, they either become irrelevant or stop their company from adopting something new and better. 

Developers shouldn’t hold their companies hostage to the tech stack they have experience in. It’s important to self-innovate and continuously upgrade skills. So, developers and team leaders should constantly ask themselves: What tool could take this company to the next level? All without being overprotective about what they already know. 

Let’s say a developer uses Terraform to provision cloud resources—and it is all they learn. Ten years later, there may be far better alternatives they are hesitant to use. For context, a decade ago, DevOps was just a concept—now, it is one of the most searched-for phrasesOpens a new window in the entire IT industry. 

3. Be aware of the all-encompassing DevOps

DevOps encourages organizations to break free from rigid structures and collaborate across every department, working in tandem to achieve top business outcomes. It teaches that up-to-date developer digital skills don’t only arise from learning about a specific technology or single implementation; it is all about the approach to determining tech choices. 

According to Acumen Research and Consulting, the DevOps market is expected to reach over $37 million by 2030. And popular household names, like Coca-Cola, have IT teams using DevOps-based approaches like microservice architecture. Coca-Cola was using a legacy-based architecture that couldn’t support its ever-increasing growth. They turned to microservices to break applications into digestible pieces and enhance their agility and the speed of deploying products. DevOps is integral as it aligns developers and IT operations with delivering higher-quality software.

Only some companies follow this culture and approach. So, developer teams need to analyze their work environment, be aware of their industry, and realize that every approach will cultivate a different generation of developers.

4. Avoid tight training regiments

Ever found that young people faced with a challenge outperform senior developers with 10+ years of experience? Why is this? Developers in pre-defined roles impose limitations on their minds, inhibiting continuous learning.

Think of today’s engineers as Hollywood stars. Few developers have an evergreen presence, like how most celebrities have a short lifespan.

That’s why it is time to take advantage of the fact that interns don’t have a lot of baggage and look beyond traditional measures of success. Intense training programs for interns or more experienced developers could bind them to outdated ways of doing things. But if technology leaders want their developer teams to innovate, give them problems to solve and let them explore different tool combinations. They’ll find a way to get the desired outcome.

See More: 4 Top Training Trends To Look Out for in 2023

5. Consider investing in automation platforms

Suppose you think of a mid-market or growth-stage startup; they are large enough to experience security and scaling problems but need more money to pay expensive engineers full-time to solve the problems. 

Single platform approaches will be vital in 2023 so growing companies can provision and maintain cloud-agnostic architecture on one interface. These platforms can handle and automate some of the engineers’ day-to-day work so they can focus on creative business outcomes and customer experience. 

Low-code platforms with drag-and-drop elements also help smaller enterprises with few technical professionals to build applications without coding knowledge.

Putting Developers Front and Center

The software development industry is used to change: the arrival of new programming languages, regulatory shifts, and frameworks that have been and gone. But as Twitter, Facebook, and Salesforce all announced major layoffs, CTOs are increasingly selective, putting developer team efficiency as number one for 2023. 

This will depend on mastering evergreen skills, focusing on core business needs and desired outcomes, and developers having free rein to explore automation options and continuous learning.

Why do you think hard skills are essential for every software developer? Let us know on FacebookOpens a new window , TwitterOpens a new window , and LinkedInOpens a new window . We’d love to hear from you!

Image Source: Shutterstock

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Sashank Purighalla
Sashank Purighalla is Founder/CEO at BOS Framework, a microservices and DevSecOps automation platform that enables enterprises to drive up business efficiency and fix security gaps.
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