Cloud-Powered Software Development

Tools for the Modern Era

Running a top-notch software development organization once demanded hefty investments in hardware, software, and bureaucracy. Today, cloud-based tools and open-source software have slashed those barriers, enabling developers to build robust systems quickly and affordably. Here’s how cloud services are transforming software development, making it easier to innovate, scale, and succeed.

The Cloud Revolution

Cloud-based services and open-source tools have democratized software development. Developers can access powerful, free, or low-cost platforms that eliminate the setup and maintenance costs of traditional in-house systems. With just a credit card, teams can set up a development environment in hours, leveraging tools for version control, issue tracking, monitoring, and more.

Essential Cloud Tools for Developers

Here are just a few of the services and providers that any developer group can easily tap into (you can find many more listed at http://goo.gl/slg2YY):

• Version control: Bitbucket and GitHub
• Issue tracking, project management, and collaboration: Asana, Basecamp, FogBugz, GitHub, JIRA, Pivotal Tracker, Redmine, Trello, and YouTrack
• Remote application monitoring: BugSense, Crittercism, Exceptional, New Relic, and Sentry
• Localization: Pootle, Transifex, and WebTranslateIt
• Real-time communication: Google Hangouts, Grove.io, HipChat, Skype, and sqwiggle
• Email: Gmail, Outlook.com, and Yahoo! Mail
• Wiki: Confluence, Bitbucket, and GitHub
• Collaborative editing: Etherpad, Google Docs, Stypi, and Microsoft Office 365
• File sharing: Box, DropBox, Google Drive, and SkyDrive
• Deployment servers: Amazon Web Services, Google App Engine, Heroku, Microsoft Azure, Nodejitsu, and Rackspace
• Store fronts: Google Play Store, iOS/Mac App Store, and Windows Store
• Payment processing: Braintree, Chargify, PayPal, and Stripe
• IT support: Desk.com, Helpscout, and Zendesk
• Bulk email delivery: CampaignMonitor, Mailchimp, mailgun, and Sendgridbulk
• A/B testing: Optimizely
• Programming: Cloud9 and Visual Studio Cloud
• Continuous integration: Bamboo, Cloudbees, Codeship, and Travis

Why Cloud Tools Win

Cloud-based development offers compelling advantages:

• Low Cost, High Speed: Build infrastructure quickly without large upfront investments.
• Best Practices Built-In: Services like GitHub and Travis CI provide mature tools, replacing makeshift solutions like Post-it note bug tracking or emailed documents.
• Scalability: Cloud platforms scale effortlessly from a three-person startup to a 100-person enterprise, adjusting resources in real-time.
• Customer Insights: Deliver updates continuously, monitor user behavior, and run A/B tests to make data-driven decisions.

To mitigate risks, choose popular providers with open data formats and APIs to avoid vendor lock-in, ensuring flexibility if a service fails or shuts down.

Impact on Organizations

In large organizations, cloud tools bypass outdated in-house systems slowed by bureaucracy. Developers can subscribe to services like Google Docs or Heroku using department budgets, avoiding IT delays. These tools also serve as leverage to push for better internal support.

However, cloud adoption can draw talent away. Creative developers may prefer the flexibility of cloud-based environments over restrictive corporate setups, prompting organizations to rethink their offerings.

A Homogeneous Ecosystem

Cloud services create a standardized development landscape. Tools like GitHub are used across academic projects, open-source contributions, and professional work, fostering skill transfer and a deeper talent pool. Familiarity with these tools is now a job requirement.

Looking Forward

Cloud-based development lowers barriers, enabling anyone with a great idea to build and launch software quickly. By leveraging scalable, user-friendly tools, developers can focus on innovation rather than infrastructure. The cloud is a game-changer for how software is built and delivered.