Software development is the process of creating, designing, deploying, and maintaining software, involving various tasks such as requirements gathering, system design, implementation, testing, deployment, and maintenance. It includes several tools like integrated development environments and version control systems, and offers a high-demand career with job growth projected at 22% from 2020 to 2030. Emerging trends, such as artificial intelligence, cloud computing, and low-code/no-code development platforms, are making software development more efficient and accessible.