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Top 10 software development stories of 2022
We look at how software development has adapted to the changing economic climate over the past 12 months
Software development was thrown into the spotlight right at the start of 2022, with the discovery of a vulnerability in the open source Log4J logging service used by developers to monitor their Java applications. This set the stage for a focus on improving the resilience of open source components.
Due to the way developers use open source, code libraries often depend on other libraries, which themselves depend on libraries. This creates a software supply chain, where the responsibility for fixing a vulnerability is far removed from the developer writing code.
It is this risk in the software supply chain that has led to the White House working with leading software companies to establish a bill of materials for software, which could be used to enable developers to understand where all the components comprising a new piece of software actually comes from and who has responsibility for these components.
Beyond security, businesses have also found that it is very difficult to become a software-driven business. Low-code tooling is helping to alleviate the dire lack of skills, but businesses also need to work in a truly agile way and understand how to run software initiatives as normal business operations, rather than big-bang projects.
Here are Computer Weekly’s top 10 software development stories of 2022.
1. A modern approach to enterprise software development
Overworked IT departments need a better way to deliver digitally enabled products and services at the speed the business requires.
2. Around 750 new software developer jobs advertised every day
Tech job adverts in the UK are still on the rise, with recruiters saying finding the talent they need for roles could be the biggest challenge of 2022.
3. Developers grapple with open source software security
Software developers are taking longer to fix vulnerabilities and many do not know about the dependencies of open source software components they are using, study finds.
4. Developer well-being: A Computer Weekly Downtime Upload podcast
We speak to Brad Miller, the chief technology officer at Capital One bank at how to provide flexibility and support for remote software development teams.
5. API management: Assessing reliability and security
Once an application programming interface (API) is published, its developer then has responsibility to ensure it is kept up to date and is secure.
6. Open source community sets out path to secure software
A 10-point plan to improve the security and resilience of open source software was presented this week at a summit in the US.
7. Can ‘low code, no code’ close the commerce skills gap?
Conor Barr, chief product officer at retail integration platform Patchworks, discusses whether low or no code could help those low on tech skills to excel in the e-commerce market.
8. State of open source: Computer Weekly Downtime Upload podcast
In this special edition of the Computer Weekly Downtime Upload podcast, OpenUK’s Amanda Brock speaks to Cliff Saran about open source challenges.
9. DevSecOps: Software developers lack sufficient security focus
GitLab survey shows developers want to produce high-quality code, but ‘shifting’ security left is hard to achieve.
10. The ins and outs of low-code application testing
When teams use low code for application development, it can save time and money. But don’t neglect testing for potential issues just to deploy the app sooner.
