{"id":138505,"date":"2020-08-31T02:30:21","date_gmt":"2020-08-31T06:30:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/devops.com\/?p=138505"},"modified":"2020-08-28T06:33:29","modified_gmt":"2020-08-28T10:33:29","slug":"low-code-an-oasis-during-developer-drought","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/devops.com\/low-code-an-oasis-during-developer-drought\/","title":{"rendered":"Low-Code: An Oasis During Developer Drought"},"content":{"rendered":"

Key insights from Mendix\u2019s 2020 Developer Drought Index<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

You may have heard that Silicon Valley is in the midst of a developer drought. But the Valley is not alone; developer talent across the U.S. heartland has dried up. In fact, the top 10 U.S. counties with the highest developer demand per capita aren\u2019t even in California.<\/p>\n

A recent report by Mendix<\/a> identified new hiring hotspots and a changing U.S. map for tech talent. States in the U.S. heartland are actively seeking developer talent, though some are slow to adopt 100% remote work. In the wake of COVID\u201319, many are reassessing work-life opportunities, leaving densely populated cities to work and live in more rural areas.<\/p>\n

I recently had a great discussion with Sheryl Koenigsberg<\/a>, head of global product marketing at Mendix<\/a>, to make sense of the “Developer Demand Index” findings. Below we speculate on the future of developer work, and how low-code platforms<\/a> may be the oasis many talent-thirsty companies seek.<\/p>\n

‘Developer Demand Index’ Study<\/h2>\n

The “Developer Demand Index” sought to identify locations where developer talent is needed the most. The process involved a geographic analysis of 2,000 of July 2020\u2019s job ads for U.S. software developers.<\/p>\n

The study found high developer demand and short supply in middle America; South Dakota, Nebraska and Utah were among the top states with the lowest supply to demand.<\/p>\n

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At a county level, the highest developer demand was in Cumberland County, New Jersey; Minnehaha County, South Dakota; and Pontotoc County, Mississippi.<\/p>\n

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The study demonstrated how more established tech hubs\u2014Silicon Valley and Austin, for example\u2014have a better balance of talent demand and supply.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe study confirmed unpopular theories that I had,\u201d said Koenigsberg. \u201cDeveloper drought is not a Silicon Valley or coastal-only problem; smaller metros throughout the country are experiencing the same problem.\u201d<\/p>\n

Conditions for a Drought<\/h2>\n

Why do states in the nation\u2019s heartland have a developer drought to begin with? I assumed that a lower average salary in middle America would deter developers, but Koenigsberg said the conditions are more complex.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t necessarily see a correlation between average salary and developer drought,\u201d she said. Rather, new tech hubs continue to form wherever larger enterprises can get tax breaks. Other regional perks could include local government startup incentives or university partnerships.<\/p>\n

Tech certainly has a history of revitalizing less dense areas with new hubs. Take Google\u2019s expansion into Austin<\/a>, Amazon\u2019s takeover of Seattle\u2019s South Lake Union neighborhood<\/a> or SpaceX\u2019s remote Starship site in Boca Chica, Texas<\/a>. Naturally, these areas attract the requisite talent and encourage other companies into the fold as well.<\/p>\n

For example, the report speculates South Dakota state could be a new Silicon Prairie hotspot. \u201cA vibrant tech & startup scene, local talent, and the lowest COVID\u201319 rates are all driving the economic surge in this state,\u201d read the report.<\/p>\n

With remote work and social distancing brought on by COVID\u201319, technology companies are adapting and the urgency to cluster in certain locales may dissipate.<\/p>\n

COVID\u201319 and Remote Work<\/h2>\n

Software was already eating the world. But with COVID\u201319, it\u2019s eating physical reality itself.<\/p>\n

With COVID\u201319 forcing many companies 100% online, the need for new software is skyrocketing like never before. Google<\/a>, Facebook<\/a> and many others have enacted stay-at-home plans for most of 2021. After the crisis, remote work will be a more permanent reality for many.<\/p>\n

While COVID\u201319 benefited tech, many brick-and-mortar businesses<\/a> were less prepared. We\u2019re now seeing the frailties of old systems, described Koenigsberg, and the need to replace paper-based or manual operations with digitized versions. Consumer-facing companies that did not vigorously embrace digital transformation<\/a> before COIVD\u201319 are now in a tight spot.<\/p>\n

Low-Code Waters Fill a Developer Drought<\/h2>\n

According to Derek Roos, CEO of Mendix, \u201cthe ‘Developer Demand Index’ shows that companies need to think differently about how and where to engage skilled tech workers in 2021 and beyond. Traditional development paradigms basically fall apart when you\u2019re dealing with mobile or remote workflows.\u201d<\/p>\n

As I covered recently, COVID\u201319 is only one of many factors spurring a low-code revolution<\/a>. By utilizing visual-based models, \u201ccitizen developers\u201d can construct applications. This enables a business analyst, for example, to string together an internal application without jumping through the traditional IT hoops. Koenigsberg identifies other low-code benefits:<\/p>\n