Twenty-five years ago, a significant leap in software development speed occurred when Borland Delphi entered the market with an entirely new approach: component-driven visual programming. Around that time, ideas for integrating relational databases into the object-oriented world evolved into robust ORM concepts. While numerous developers were stuck with either the laborious task of C++ development using the complicated MFC library or the clumsy and limited Visual Basic interpreter, we were eager to dive into this brave new world. With a small team of ten developers, we won a competition over more formidable and larger rivals, becoming one of the IT leaders in our country for the next two decades.
Over the last two years, I have dedicated my time to studying new technologies and observing the trends in modern software development. Now, I have a strong sense of déjà vu. We are once again on the cusp of a new technological shift, and those who quickly board this accelerating train will reap the most significant benefits, vastly outperforming competitors who cling to obsolete platforms and tools.
If I were to start a new platform right now, I would undoubtedly use the following strategies:
Full-stack development using Node.js, Next.js, and React Native. This approach is a significant time and effort saver. In our recent projects, we often have developers single-handedly implementing a complete feature—including server-side code, web application, and mobile applications for both Android and iOS—in just one to two weeks. I know teams that adhere to the classic back-end/front-end separation and spend more time just discussing data exchange protocol details.
Decouple the ER model from the physical database. This flexibility allows easy switching and mixing of SQL/NoSQL databases. When we were laying the first modules of our Gedemin platform in the late '90s, the low-level integration with the database driver code allowed us to utilize every bit of memory (which was scarce at that time) and maximize CPU cycle efficiency. Times have changed, and computational power is much cheaper now; there's no need to be as frugal as we once were.
Avoid manually drawing the UI. Well, JSX is great, but instead of mixing your code with HTML tags, build an engine that renders screens and forms based on ER entities and provided rules. This approach allows you to change the program's look and feel as easily and quickly as a snake sheds its skin during molting.
Eliminate even the slightest compatibility concerns. Embrace every novel feature CSS/HTML/JS has to offer without fear. By the time your program hits the market, these technologies will be implemented in even the most basic devices.
Integrate AI services extensively. Functions like natural language queries, human-like summaries and reports, and interpretation of commands and instructions, once the stuff of science fiction books 15–20 years ago, are now just a matter of making calls to the OpenAI API.
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