Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC)
Categories: Hardware & Software
Know About the Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC)
A software life cycle model (moreover called process model) is a pictorial and diagrammatic depiction of the software life cycle. A daily existence cycle model addresses every one of the software products to move a product item through its life cycle stages. It also shows the structure in which these methods are to be adopted.
In other words, a life cycle model depicts the various activities performed by a software product from inception to retirement. Different life cycle models allow for planning the development activities required at different stages.
Thus, any element that does not follow a life cycle model has the essential activities inherent in all life cycle models, although the activities may be performed in different orders in different life cycle models. During any stage of the life cycle, more than one activity may also be performed.
What is SDLC?
SDLC is an interaction followed for a product project inside a product association. It includes a detailed plan that describes how to develop, maintain, modify, and replace or enhance the specific software. Life cycle characterizes a philosophy for further developing programming quality and the general improvement process.
Need of SDLC
The development team should determine the appropriate life cycle model for a particular project and then follow it.
Without using an accurate life cycle model, the development of a software product will not take place in a systematic and disciplined manner. When a team is developing a software product, there must be a clear understanding among the team representatives about what needs to be done and when. Otherwise, it would point to chaos and failure of the project. This problem can be understood with an example. Let's say a software development issue is divided into different parts and the parts are assigned to team members. From then on, assume that the team rep is given the freedom to develop the roles assigned to them however they like.It is possible that one delegate may begin writing the code for his part, another may choose to prepare the test documentation first, and another specialist might start with the plan period of the jobs allocated to him. This would be one of the true ways to project failure.
A software life cycle model depicts the entry and exit rules for each stage. A phase can only start when its phase-entry criteria have been met. So without a software life cycle model, the entry and exit criteria for a phase cannot be identified. Without a software life cycle model, it becomes difficult for software project managers to monitor project progress.
Why is the SDLC important?
- It gives a standardized system that characterizes activities and deliverables.
- It helps in project planning, estimating and scheduling.
- It makes project tracking and control easy.
- It increases visibility on all aspects of the life cycle for all stakeholders involved in the development process.
- it speeds up improvement.
- It improves customer relations.
How does the SDLC work?
Planning Phase
The planning phase covers all aspects of project and product management. This typically includes asset allotment, scope organization, project planning, cost assessment, and provisioning.
During the planning phase, the development team gathers input from the stakeholders involved in the project, customers, sales, internal and external experts, and developers.
This input is synthesized into a detailed definition of requirements to create the desired software. The team also determines what resources are needed to meet the project's requirements, and then estimates the associated costs.
Coding Phase
The coding stage incorporates a framework plan in a coordinated improvement climate. It also includes static code analysis and code review for a wide range of tools.
Construction Phase
The build phase takes the previously determined code requirements and uses them to start building the software.
Test Phase
The phase lays emphasis on the evaluation of the software built. The test team evaluates the developed product(s) to assess whether they meet the requirements specified in the 'planning' phase.
Evaluation requires the performance of functional testing: unit testing, code quality testing, integration testing, system testing, security testing, execution testing and acknowledgment testing, as well as non-practical testing. If a defect is identified, the developers are notified. Acknowledged (actual) defects are fixed, and a new version of the software is produced.
Release Phase
The release phase involves the team packaging, managing, and deploying the release to different environments.
Deployment Phase
In the deployment phase, the software is officially released to the production environment.
Operation Phase
The Operations phase emphasizes the use of the software in a production environment.
Monitor Phase
In the Screen stage, different components of the product are checked. These may include analysis of overall system performance, user experience, new security vulnerabilities, bugs or errors in the system.