Can software developers contribute to greener development?

There is no denying it – the statistics are frightening; cloud services worldwide consume more energy than most countries and as we look ahead to 2025 – cloud services are projected to consume 20% of global electricity and be responsible for 5.5% of carbon emissions1. So, what can a software developer do to reduce this impact? Is there anything a software developer can contribute to going greener? Well, here are some eco-friendly ideas to get you started. 

Code efficiency. 

If you work with mobile devices, you have probably already looked at code efficiency to extend battery life. The principal is the same, reduce power consumption through code optimisation.  

Here are some ideas: Could the application use compiled code rather than interpreted? Does the code minimise the use of nested loops, string concatenation, global variables? Does the data structure suit the task? Don’t get locked into using one because it is familiar.  

Leaverage cloud flexibility 

Technologies like AWS Lambda or Azure Functions offer a scalable solution using only the resources required to meet the demand. Using scalable services means in off-peak periods energy consumption is reduced. Not only reducing organisational running costs but also reducing the carbon footprint. 

Reduce data footprint 

The simplest way to improve your data footprint is deduplication, that is removing data duplicates and ensuring only unique items are stored. Deduplication can greatly reduce storage space, reducing processing time, cost and electricity consumption. 

Where appropriate use compression, which can lead to lower network and storage requirements leading to more efficient power utilisation. 

Conclusion 

When you speak to elite athletes, they talk about a plethora of tiny activities which combined give them a competitive advantage. Should software developers focus on efficiencies, their combined endeavours can reduce power consumption and carbon emissions and thus contribute to a sustainable future.  

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