Building software is a huge responsibility and a really hard job. That’s why many software development companies rely on the Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC). It usually takes the form of one of five different methodologies and follows seven key development stages. Do you want to know what they are?
In this article, we explain what the Software Development Life Cycle ModelsSoftware Development Life Cycle is and what it gives to your startup project.
What is the Software Development Life Cycle Model?
SDLC- the Software Development Life Cycle, is a process used by the developer team to create better software. It helps companies keep the project top-notch and remember quality and cost-effectiveness. The main purpose of using that method is to minimize risks.
All about SDLC is to create a specific plan for the product and to split it into smaller parts that can be assigned and completed. The main goal of that method is to make the whole process of development more manageable.
What are the benefits of SDLC?
The Software Development Life Cycle provides a framework for the product team to manage the development process systematically, with clear goals and deliverables at every stage. Using this method lets developers make sure that all people engaged in the project as owners have the same goal as them for that product.
Here are some of the benefits of using SDLC:
- Increased visibility of the development process for all stakeholders involved
- More efficient estimation, planning, and scheduling Improved risk management and cost estimation
- A systematic approach to delivering software that meets customer expectations and improves satisfaction.
The 7 phases of the SDLC
Of course, the Software Development Life Cycle can be a little bit different for every company, team, or even product. However, these are the most popular stages in that process.
Planning & Analysis
In the initial phase of the Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC), the focus is on project planning and analysis. This involves gathering business requirements from clients or stakeholders to assess the feasibility of the project, its revenue potential, production costs, and end-user needs. Utilizing a feature prioritization framework helps in making informed decisions about what to develop, what to prioritize, and what to leave for later stages. Once alignment with business goals, feasibility, and user needs are confirmed, the project moves to the next phase.
Define Requirements
During this phase, the gathered information from the planning and analysis stage is translated into clear requirements for the development team. This involves creating documents such as a Software Requirements Specification (SRS), a Use Case document, and a Requirement Traceability Matrix.
Design
In the design phase, the project plan is elaborated into a Software Design Document (SDD), specifying system design, programming language, templates, platform, and security measures. It also involves creating prototypes to visualize the product and make necessary adjustments before actual development.
Development
The development phase is where the development team translates requirements into code, dividing the project into software modules. It requires time, specialized tools, and adherence to set timelines and milestones. Testing may begin concurrently to identify and rectify critical bugs.
Testing
Before the software is released, it undergoes thorough testing by the quality assurance team. This includes performance, functional, security, unit, usability, and acceptance testing to ensure proper functioning and user satisfaction. Testing can be done in simulated environments, and certain tests can be automated.
Deployment
In the deployment phase, the final product is delivered to users. This can be automated and scheduled, with options like canary releases for feature updates or following the Software Release Life Cycle (SRLC) for new software.
Maintenance
The maintenance phase, typically the final stage in the waterfall model, focuses on addressing bugs and errors discovered post-release. With the shift towards agile methodologies, maintenance becomes an ongoing process of improvement.
The SDLC phases may restart for future updates or new features. As you can see, the Software Development Life Cycle can help developers organize their jobs and do them exactly and on time.
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