Software development processes are always evolving with the new and upcoming industry trends. In fact, the industry as a whole is continuously evolving to bring more efficient solutions to development teams and improve outcomes across the organization – from the dev team to the operations team and beyond. To boost the efficiency of a software development project, you need to do more than write a comprehensive brief or eliminate extraneous milestones, you need to leverage the power of technology to automate and streamline processes across the board.

One of the top technologies you should be looking into right now and especially in 2021 for software development is blockchain. While the concept is still in its infancy, there are many software developers across the globe that are currently using blockchain to bring new software solutions to life quickly, safely, and successfully.

Being a decentralized and unbreakable electronic ledger means that blockchain technology brings numerous advantages to developers from various industries, from finance to healthcare and all SaaS businesses. Let’s take a closer look at this concept and examine the key ways that blockchain is transforming the software development industry for the better.

Increased data security and integrity through decentralization

Blockchain is not a centralized platform, and that comes with many potential perks and benefits to software developers around the world. One of key obstacles that many developers face on a daily basis is ensuring the security and integrity of data throughout the development process, not to mention the security of client and customer data as well. As the web continues to become an increasingly nefarious place full of hackers, it only stands to reason that you should shift your development process into a more secure and stable environment.

This environment might very well be the blockchain, as it ensures data security and integrity through its decentralized network of computers that allow for transparent data transfer, and highly secure storage. There is virtually no way for data leaks to occur, and the data is replicated and stored on thousands of systems, which ensures that every node carries the copy of the blockchain code, further enhancing security.

Data integrity and transparency existing together in the blockchain

In the traditional software development process, or the way the world primarily does it, data transparency and security are two opposing forces. Typically, data transparency negatively affects security through higher visibility and by the way it flows between teams and the entire organization. This creates numerous potential security risks and can negatively affect data integrity throughout the software development project should a data leak occur or in the case of a targeted attack on your data stores.

With blockchain, on the other hand, data transparency doesn’t negate security, and these two concepts are able to coexist in harmony in the blockchain environment. Developing blockchain-based software for storing and managing sensitive customer and business information is one of the best ways to keep the data safe at every touchpoint, and set the foundation for all future software development work without impeding visibility and transparency for the teams involved.

Ensured financial stability for development projects

Of course, it’s not just about the security of the data or the efficiency of the development process – it’s also about financing the whole thing from inception to completion without wasting resources or breaking the proverbial bank. To finance a software development project successfully you need to set some key parameters and allocate finances properly, but you also need to bring new revenue into the company.

Nowadays, software development companies are capitalizing on bitcoin mining that’s becoming increasingly affordable and accessible to leverage the blockchain technology to bring a new source of income into the business, which fuels the software development process. It’s not a direct way to utilize blockchain to develop better software solutions, but it is a crucial way to obtain financing to keep the projects moving forward without a hitch.

Executing smart contracts automatically on the blockchain

In the fintech industry and the banking sector, the blockchain platform can prove invaluable for facilitating more secure, affordable, and efficient transactions. One of the software solutions currently used in these sectors that all developers can implement in their fields as well is the smart contract. A smart contract is a software protocol that enforces a contract without getting any third parties involved.

The basic requirement is that both parties meet certain predetermined conditions, after which the smart contract is triggered automatically, executing payments and sending digital property to the owner. This can be an invaluable tool for developers looking to make sure they get paid for their work, and it’s the best way to keep the data of both parties safe and secure.

Incentivizing newcomers to enter the development industry

On a final note, it’s important to keep in mind that the blockchain technology lowers the barrier to entry for new developers and software development companies around the world. Newcomers to the industry are often facing security issues as well as issues when it comes to transactions using third-party applications, all of which the blockchain platform eliminates.

With its private peer-to-peer network, the blockchain platform allows you to run financial transactions without a middleman, which increases security and saves you money. The latter of which is extremely important for new development teams operating on a tight budget. With the ability to scale projects easily and manage permissions, the blockchain platform is highly optimizable for your company’s exact needs and business model.

Wrapping up

Software developers are constantly looking for new and more efficient ways to bring better solutions to the market, and blockchain might just be the key to a thriving future in this industry. With these tips and insights in mind, you can start using blockchain to take the development process forward and capitalize on this technology in the months and years to come.