The rise of the Cloud changed the way the modern business world operates, with Cloud-based services allowing organizations to do more while spending less. A host of acronyms describing these services – SaaS, PaaS, DBaaS, etc. – illustrate this growing trend. A similar innovation is poised to revolutionize the software development process. Enter Features-as-a-Service (FaaS).

If you want to quickly make enhancements to the applications you support, FaaS needs to be on your “to-learn” list. Here is a look at what may be the next big thing in software engineering.

Code Reuse in a Shiny New Cloud-Based Wrapper

Wise developers have leveraged code reuse to boost their productivity levels for decades. Public-facing APIs and code libraries allow software engineers to eschew reinventing the wheel when building applications. Now, a similar capability is available using Cloud-based repositories focused on feature development.

Technology executive, JT Ripton commented on the advantages that led to the emerging FaaS trend in the industry. “The idea is that instead of creating features from scratch, app developers can grab a feature off the shelf from a FaaS provider and roll it into their app without having to reinvent the wheel. For example, a developer might need location services as a component for their app offering. They could horse around with an API from Google and include it in their app, or they instead could use a FaaS provider such as Mapbox to quickly add location features to their app,” said Ripton.

FaaS Providers Target Popular Application Functionality

Location and mapping functionality is a natural fit for developers looking to a FaaS to flesh out their application. Social networking is another common feature area supported by a variety of FaaS providers, including Tapglue. Their service provides dev teams with everything an app needs to support user profiles, following, liking, commenting, and more. Agora.io gives software engineers the ability to easily add real-time communication to their software, including both video and voice.

Developers benefit from being able to focus on the core functionality of their application, ultimately getting the final product into production faster than ever. It gives software shops the same efficiencies that led IT departments to offload data center capabilities to an off-site PaaS or DBaaS provider.

Taking the time to familiarize yourself with what various FaaS providers have to offer you and your development team is a smart call.

When you need additional insights on developing a rewarding technology career, talk to the experts at the MindFinders. As one of the top IT staffing agencies in Washington, DC, we also know what great companies are looking for talent. Connect with us as soon as possible!

Written by Tim Booker, President and CEO of MindFinders, with over 20 years of industry experience.