SDLC (Software Development Life Cycle)
The Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC) is a framework that defines the steps involved in the development of software at each phase. It is an organized way to develop software or a system.
It is a methodology used to develop, maintain, and replace software or systems. Creating software is a methodical process. It helps in establishing a system, software, or project. It gives an overall list of processes and sub processes required for developing a system.
It is a process that gives a complete picture of developing, designing, and maintaining a software project by ensuring that all the functionalities, along with user requirements, objectives, and end goals, are addressed. SDLC defines the complete cycle of development, i.e., all the tasks involved in planning, analyzing, testing, deploying and maintenance a software product.
The Importance of SDLC
The Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC) is a process used by software engineers to develop high-quality software in a systematic and efficient manner. The goal of the SDLC is to produce software that meets the needs and expectations of the end user, is delivered on time and within budget, and is maintainable and adaptable to changing requirements.
To achieve these goals, the SDLC typically includes a number of defined phases or stages, each of which has specific goals and deliverables.
- It offers better visibility into a project plan.
- It allows team members to track the progress of their projects.
- It supports constant communication between the developers and the user.
- Proper documentation support is needed for future upgrades and maintenance.
- It helps to determine the needs of the user.
- It helps with the easy identification of missing requirements.
- It ensures proper development and testing.
- It supports the proper analysis and design of the software.
- Improved quality and exactness of documentation.
- An in-depth understanding of customer and business needs.
Phases of SDLC
SDLC is a process that defines the various phases involved in the development of software for delivering a high-quality product. SDLC phases cover the complete life cycle of a software product, i.e., from inception to retirement of the product.
Phase 1: Planning
This stage involves defining the goals and objectives of the software project, identifying the stakeholders, and creating a project plan. During this initial development phase, team members work together to discuss and plan.
- Survey the system by collecting inputs from various sources.
- Analyzing the current system in depth and developing possible solutions to the problem
- Selecting the best solution and defining its function with a feasibility study
- Intentions behind the project.
Phase 2: Analysis
This stage involves gathering and documenting the requirements for the software, such as what the software should do and how it should behave. It is an important event that takes place when the new information system is being changed. It follows the feasibility study and involves a detailed study of the current system, leading to the specification of a new system.
It is the central part of the whole development system. During system analysis, data are collected from the various available sources by using tools such as observations, questionnaires, sampling, research, and documentation.
Using the following steps, it becomes easy to draw the exact boundary of the new system under consideration:
- Analysis of functionality and financial feasibility
- Identifying and capturing the requirements of stakeholders through customer interactions like interviews, surveys, etc.
- Clearly defining and documenting customer requirements in an SRS (Software Resource Specification Document) comprised of all product requirements that need to be developed
- Creating project prototypes to show the end-user how the project will look
- Keep the problem and the new requirements in mind.
- Find out the pros and cons, including new areas of the system.
Phase 3: Design
This stage involves designing the overall architecture and components of the software, as well as the interfaces between them. This phase is the most creative and challenging of the SDLC. This phase concerns the design of the final system. During this phase, the designer must design all aspects of the system, from the input and output screens to repeats, databases, and computing processes.
The designer must provide the physical specifics of the system designed, either as a model or as detailed documentation, to guide those who will develop the new system. The designers are responsible for providing programmers with complete and clearly outlined software specifications.
Phase 4: Development
This stage involves writing the code for the software. During this development phase, the developers play a key role, creating or customizing the system. After designing the new system, defined procedures are transformed into the physical system.
The technical documentation includes information about system features, the flow of the system, the design, and the layout of the system analysis and design phase into the proper physical system. The development phase of SDLC involves the following:
- The actual code is written.
- Demonstration of accomplished work presented before a business analyst for further modification of work.
- Unit testing is performed, i.e., verifying the code based on requirements.
- The programmer is also responsible for documenting the program, providing an explanation of how and why a certain procedure is coded in specific ways.
- Compilers
- Interpreters
- Debuggers
- C
- C++
- Pascal
- Java
- PHP
Phase 5: Testing
This stage involves verifying that the software works as intended and meets the specified requirements. It is an integral part of phases 4 (development) and 6 (deployment). SDLC’s testing phase refers to checking, reporting, and fixing the system for any bug or defect. In this phase, the on-going system or project is migrated to a test environment where different types of testing are performed.
After developing all the components of the system, a test plan should be developed, and all the testing must be done according to schedule. A test schedule may contain the following steps:
- Test unit specification.
- Schedule
- Test deliverables.
- Features to be used
- Approach used for testing.
Phase 6: Deployment
This stage involves installing the software on the target platform and making it available to end users. In the deployment stage of the software development life cycle (SDLC), the software or system is installed and made available for use in the production environment. This stage begins after the testing phase, during which the software has been successfully tested and is ready to be deployed.
Packaging the software: The software is packaged in a way that is suitable for installation and deployment in the production environment.
Deployment planning: A deployment plan is created to outline the steps that will be taken to install and make the software available for use. This plan should include details about the hardware and software requirements, as well as any necessary configurations.
Pre-deployment activities: Before the software is deployed, there may be several pre-deployment activities that need to be completed. These may include verifying that the production environment is ready to receive the software, updating documentation, and training users on how to use the software.
Deployment: The software is installed and made available for use in the production environment. This may involve installing the software on individual computers or servers, or it may involve deploying the software to a cloud environment.
Post-deployment activities: After the software has been deployed, there may be several post-deployment activities that need to be completed. These may include verifying that the software is functioning as expected, monitoring the performance of the software, and addressing any issues that arise.
The deployment stage is an important part of the SDLC because it marks the point at which the software becomes available for use by end users. It is important to thoroughly test the software before deployment to ensure that it is stable and reliable. A fully functional and tested product that's available to end users.
Phase 7: Maintenance
This stage involves fixing any bugs that are discovered and making updates or enhancements to the software over time. This is the phase in which software is maintained and supported after it has been deployed in the production environment. This stage begins after the software has been successfully deployed and continues until the software is retired or replaced.
The maintenance stage involves several activities, including:
Monitoring: The software is monitored to ensure that it is functioning as expected and to identify any issues that may arise.
Troubleshooting: If issues are identified, they are diagnosed and resolved to ensure that the software is functioning properly.
Updating: The software may be updated to fix bugs, add new features, or improve performance.
Enhancing: The software may be enhanced to meet changing user needs or to take advantage of new technologies.
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