Data Development Platforms: Why Developers Need A New Way To Work with Data

Developers face the non-stop advancement of technology to create, manage, and analyze data. This means that thriving in the industry requires the infrastructure, tools, and services necessary to work with data efficiently. Data development platforms are useful tools for this purpose.

For instance, our post on ‘Software Development Trends in 2023 and Beyond’ covered concepts such as continuous deployment, edge computing, and cross-platform application development. The effectiveness of these strategies is reliant on seamless data processes, and this is where data development platforms become vital. A white paper on building data platforms by McKinsey & Company even stated that these are “not an option but a necessity.” That’s because they provide reliable interoperable tools and secure dev environments, making it relatively easier for developers to process multiple sets and types of data.

This article will help you further understand why developers need a new way to work with data and how data development platforms can help.

Project Timelines Can Be Shorter

Traditionally, you have to spend a significant amount of time setting up databases, configuring data pipelines, and managing storage. With data development platforms, these tasks can be automated, enabling devs to focus more on the core functionality of their applications. These tools provide pre-built connectors to various data sources, making it easier to ingest and transform data. By eliminating the need for manual data management, developers can accelerate development cycles, reduce errors, and improve productivity.

Collaboration is Paramount to Maximize Data Processes

Collaboration is a cornerstone of modern software development, and data development platforms facilitate collaboration. When doing projects, data is not the exclusive domain of developers; it also involves data engineers, data scientists, and business analysts. Data development platforms offer a centralized environment where all these stakeholders can collaborate seamlessly. They provide shared access to data assets, version control, and role-based access controls. This ensures that everyone involved in the project can work with the right data at the right time, fostering synergy and reducing bottlenecks in the development pipeline.

Security is Becoming More Important

Data security is a paramount concern in today’s interconnected world. In another article, TheNextTech previously tackled the importance of secure environments and highlighted some steps to ensure asset safety such as data encryption and security testing. Data development platforms can serve as the primary layer of security as they can offer encryption mechanisms, authentication protocols, and access controls that safeguard data at rest and in transit.

Veteran IT journalist Craig Stedman also identifies compliance as another key factor in using data development platforms. They help developers adhere to data protection regulations, such as GDPR and HIPAA, by providing data anonymization, auditing, and monitoring tools.

Scaling Projects and Handling Complex Data

Modern applications demand a high degree of data agility and scalability, which data development platforms are designed to deliver. These platforms allow developers to work with a wide variety of data sources, from traditional relational databases to big data systems like Hadoop and NoSQL databases. A guide to data development platforms on MongoDB details that broad workload support and a scalable foundation are critical in application environments. Data development platforms address these requirements as they offer tools for data integration, transformation, and orchestration accessible within a unified environment. They are also built to scale horizontally, ensuring that applications can handle growing volumes of data and traffic without major reengineering efforts.

Another key reason developers embrace data development platforms is the ever-increasing complexity of data. The variety, velocity, and volume of data have surged in recent years, making it challenging for developers to manage and extract value from massive pools of information. Data development platforms offer features like data profiling, cleansing, and enrichment that help devs work with messy and disparate data sources. They also incorporate machine learning capabilities for predictive analytics, anomaly detection, and recommendation systems. By leveraging these advanced data processing capabilities, developers can create more intelligent and data-driven applications.

Leveraging Comprehensive Analytics and Cloud Deployments

Data development platforms also play a pivotal role in data analysis. Modern data development platforms provide user-friendly interfaces and visual tools that make it easier for developers and non-technical users to work with data. This democratization of data access enables more team members to make data-driven decisions and empowers developers to embed data analytics directly into their applications.

As mentioned in our article on ‘What is the Future of Software Development’, the rise of cloud computing and microservices architecture has changed the way developers build and deploy applications. Data development platforms are well-suited for this modern paradigm as many of them are cloud-native or hybrid. They allow developers to seamlessly integrate with cloud services and take advantage of cloud infrastructure.

Final Thoughts

Data development platforms are crucial for developers as they streamline the development process, foster collaboration among team members, ensure data security and privacy, and support the demands of modern applications. These platforms empower developers with greater flexibility so they can focus on building their applications, while the systems handle parts of data management, processing, and analysis. As data continues to be at the heart of modern applications, developers who leverage data development platforms are better equipped to meet the challenges of this evolving landscape and create more powerful and efficient software solutions.