Emerging Trends¶
Areas and technologies that continue to shape the direction of cloud computing. Some of the topics listed here are already widely adopted today and are included because they are still evolving and significantly influencing future cloud architectures, platforms, and operating models.
Serverless Computing¶
Cloud execution model where applications run in provider-managed environments, allowing teams to focus on code while infrastructure scaling and availability are handled by the platform.
| Name | Description | Link |
|---|---|---|
| AWS Lambda | Event-driven function-as-a-service on AWS. | AWS Lambda |
| AWS Fargate | Serverless compute engine for running containers on AWS. | AWS Fargate |
| Azure Functions | Event-driven serverless compute service on Azure. | Azure Functions |
| Azure Container Apps | Serverless platform for running containerized applications. | Azure Container Apps |
| Google Cloud Functions | Function-as-a-service for event-driven workloads on GCP. | Cloud Functions |
| Google Cloud Run | Fully managed serverless platform for containerized applications. | Cloud Run |
Multi-cloud Strategy¶
Architectural and operational approaches for using multiple cloud providers to reduce vendor dependency, improve resilience, and address regulatory or regional requirements.
| Name | Description | Link |
|---|---|---|
| Multi-cloud Strategy Guide | Overview of multi-cloud concepts and considerations. | Multi-cloud Strategy Guide |
| Anthos | Google’s hybrid and multi-cloud application platform. | Anthos |
| Azure Arc | Azure-based management across on-premises and multi-cloud environments. | Azure Arc |
| AWS Outposts | AWS infrastructure extended to on-premises locations. | AWS Outposts |
Edge Computing¶
Computing model that processes data closer to where it is generated, reducing latency and enabling real-time and location-aware applications.
| Name | Description | Link |
|---|---|---|
| Edge Computing Overview | Introduction to edge computing concepts and use cases. | Edge Computing Overview |
| AWS Wavelength | AWS services deployed at telecom network edges. | AWS Wavelength |
| Azure Edge Zones | Azure infrastructure deployed closer to end users. | Azure Edge Zones |
| Google Distributed Cloud | Google’s edge and hybrid cloud offerings. | Google Distributed Cloud |
Artificial Intelligence Integration¶
Integration of AI and machine learning capabilities into cloud platforms to support intelligent applications, automation, and data-driven decision making.
The examples below highlight representative cloud services rather than an exhaustive comparison of platforms.
| Name | Description | Link |
|---|---|---|
| AWS AI Services | Suite of managed AI and ML services on AWS. | AWS AI Services |
| Azure AI Platform | AI and machine learning services on Azure. | Azure AI Platform |
| Google Cloud AI | AI and ML products for building intelligent applications. | Google Cloud AI |
| MLOps Platforms | Managing ML workflows and model lifecycle. | AWS SageMaker |
Cloud-Native Security¶
Security approaches and tools designed specifically for cloud-native environments, emphasizing automation, policy-as-code, and runtime visibility.
| Name | Description | Link |
|---|---|---|
| Shift-Left Security | Integrating security earlier in the development lifecycle. | Shift-Left Security |
| AWS Security Hub | Centralized security posture management on AWS. | AWS Security Hub |
| Open Policy Agent | Policy-as-code framework for cloud-native systems. | Open Policy Agent |
| Falco | Runtime security monitoring for containers and Kubernetes. | Falco |
Quantum Computing¶
Experimental computing paradigm that uses quantum mechanics principles, currently offered through cloud platforms for research and early exploration.
| Name | Description | Link |
|---|---|---|
| AWS Braket | Managed service for experimenting with quantum algorithms. | AWS Braket |
| Azure Quantum | Access to quantum hardware and simulators on Azure. | Azure Quantum |
| Google Quantum AI | Google’s quantum computing research and cloud access. | Google Quantum AI |
| IBM Quantum | Cloud access to IBM quantum systems. | IBM Quantum |
Generative AI & Large Language Models¶
Cloud platforms and tools providing access to generative models and large language models for building AI-powered applications.
Inclusion here reflects architectural and platform impact rather than short-term hype.
| Name | Description | Link |
|---|---|---|
| Amazon Bedrock | Managed service for building generative AI applications. | Amazon Bedrock |
| Azure OpenAI Service | Access to OpenAI models through Azure. | Azure OpenAI Service |
| Google Vertex AI | Unified ML platform with generative AI capabilities. | Google Vertex AI |
| Anthropic Claude | AI assistant focused on safety-oriented model design. | Anthropic Claude |
| Hugging Face Hub | Platform for sharing and deploying ML models. | Hugging Face Hub |
| LangChain | Framework for building applications with language models. | LangChain |
Platform Engineering & Developer Experience¶
Practices and tooling focused on building internal platforms that improve developer productivity through standardization and self-service capabilities.
| Name | Description | Link |
|---|---|---|
| Backstage | Open platform for building internal developer portals. | Backstage |
| GitOps | Operational model using Git as the source of truth. | GitOps |
| Internal Developer Platforms | Concepts and practices in platform engineering. | Platform Engineering |
| Crossplane | Kubernetes-based control plane for cloud resources. | Crossplane |
Sustainable Cloud Computing¶
Practices and initiatives aimed at reducing the environmental impact of cloud computing through efficiency, transparency, and carbon awareness.
| Name | Description | Link |
|---|---|---|
| AWS Sustainability | Sustainability tools and initiatives from AWS. | AWS Sustainability |
| Azure Sustainability | Microsoft’s sustainability commitments and tools. | Azure Sustainability |
| Google Cloud Carbon Footprint | Tools for tracking cloud-related carbon emissions. | Cloud Carbon Footprint |
| Green Software Foundation | Industry group focused on sustainable software practices. | Green Software Foundation |
WebAssembly (WASM) in Cloud¶
Technologies for running WebAssembly workloads in cloud environments, offering portability, performance, and enhanced isolation.
| Name | Description | Link |
|---|---|---|
| Wasmtime | WebAssembly runtime for secure and fast execution. | Wasmtime |
| WASI | System interface for running WebAssembly outside browsers. | WASI |
| Fermyon Cloud | Cloud platform designed for WASM applications. | Fermyon Cloud |
| Krustlet | Kubernetes kubelet for running WebAssembly workloads. | Krustlet |
Cloud-Native Databases¶
Databases designed for cloud environments, emphasizing scalability, managed operations, and developer-friendly APIs.
| Name | Description | Link |
|---|---|---|
| PlanetScale | Serverless MySQL platform built on Vitess. | PlanetScale |
| Neon | Serverless PostgreSQL with branching and autoscaling. | Neon |
| Supabase | Open source Firebase alternative built on PostgreSQL. | Supabase |
| CockroachDB | Distributed SQL database for cloud-native workloads. | CockroachDB |
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