Life Cycle of Software Development:
The life cycle of software development is a process of developing software without any difficulty. In other words, it can be explained as steps that are followed for developing software. These steps are common and followed by almost every software development company.
Let’s have a look at the steps included in the life cycle of software development
Understanding
every step :
1.Planning
and ’REQUIREMENTS’ studying
This is the very first step and also the most
important one. In this step, the top management analyzes the requirement of the
client for software and finds ways to accomplish the software with utmost
accuracy.
The
outcomes required by the client are also discussed. The errors and problems
that can be faced during the development of software are identified. The goal
behind this step is to accomplish the software development without any
difficulty and in a systematically planned way.
2. Defining
Requirements
After
studying requirements, the requirement should be defined clearly. A specific
document is made that defines all the requirements of software and then
confirmed by the customer. The document consists of all the product
requirements that are to be developed by the company. And this document is
known as SOFTWARE REQUIREMENT SPECIFICATION.
3.Designing
the software
The
Designing of software is done based on SRS(System Requirement Specification).
Depending upon SRS, one or more design models are suggested. Then it is
documented in Design Document Specification.
This DDS
is then reviewed by all-important contributors and based on various parameters like risks,
design, budget, and time one model is confirmed.
The
design approach consists of the architecture of software and also the
communication and data flow representation with an external and third party
modules. The architecture of software should be mentioned in the DDS with the
minutest details.
4.
Development of Software
The term
itself defines that in this step the development of software that is the
coding, the User Interface, the Database, etc are built. The coding can be done
easily if the requirements of the client and the design are perfectly decided
and documented. This development is done keeping in mind DDS.
Developers
must follow the instructions given by organizers and should use coding tools
like a compiler, debuggers, etc. High-level languages like C++, Java, JavaScript, Python, Pascal, etc. are
used depending upon the type of software that is to be developed.
Also, all
this coding, database, table relationships, etc. information is stored in
Documentation with the smallest details including the variables, methods
functions, etc.
5.Quality
Assurance[QA] or Testing
Every
stage of software development includes this step individually. In this stage,
the testing of software is held to assure the expected results. This stage also
includes reporting the errors and bugs, tracking them, fixing them, and again
testing them to make sure that the quality of the software is the same that is
defined in SRS.
6.Deployment
Once the
product is developed, tested, and assured for these standard qualities, it is
ready for release in the market. At first, the product may be released for
limited segments and tested which is called User Acceptance Testing [UAT]. In
simple language, we call it the BETA VERSION.
Once the
UAT is done, the product is released as
it is or the necessary changes that are highlighted by users are made and the
final version is released in the market. The work doesn’t end here as it needs
to maintain even after released to the existing customer base.
These are
the steps that are followed during software development.
