Cloud-native development is significant because it allows applications to be built specifically for the cloud environment, enabling greater scalability and resilience. By leveraging microservices, containerization, and serverless architectures, developers can deploy features more rapidly and efficiently. This approach maximizes resource use and promotes continuous integration and continuous delivery (CI/CD) practices. Cloud-native development enhances flexibility, allowing organizations to respond swiftly to changes in market demands and improving overall agility in software development.