It's pretty evident that technology is accelerating at a rapid pace and humans are becoming further dependent on it for every purpose. And with every new day, software development is becoming more and more crucial since the demand for software is fast rising from every corner imaginable. In fact, almost every machine that we use can be a by-product of some software empowering it. And going by the recent trends in the market, software development is quite a bustling scene, what with India providing a huge chunk of software intelligence that’s required to make this process successful.
Quick Glimpse on SDLC
Software development is the life cycle of processes that is made up of a well-segregated structure imposed for the development of software that may be a trend in the market. There are multiple processes that occur during the entirety of the software development scenario. So, if you are wondering what software development is, you need to know all about the processes involved in it.
The software development process, regardless of manufacturer, goes through multiple stages in a staggered manner. It is termed as the software development life cycle. It segregates in 6 different steps. SDLC methodologies or the Systems Development Life Cycle method support the design of software that meets business requirements. A well-segregated methodology should always support long-term software maintenance.
Each phase tends to produce the deliverables needed to execute the next step in this software life cycle. The requirements are finally translated into perfect designs. The codes are delivered according to the plans which are then referred to as the development phase. All these stages are elaborated with the help of a team of software development technicians who are crucial for each step. No scenario is conceivable without another.
How the Software Development Life Cycle Works
The software development life cycle simply describes each task required to put together a software application. This helps reduce waste and increase the efficiency of the development process. Monitoring also ensures that the project stays on track and remains a feasible investment for the company.
Many enterprises will divide these steps into minor units. Planning can be divided into technology research, market research, and cost-benefit analysis. Other steps can merge with each other. The test phase can run concurrently with the development phase, as developers need to fix bugs that occur during testing.
Software Development Stages
In this guide, we'll break down everything you need to know about the software development lifecycle, including all of its stages.
The process of software development services goes through a series of stages in step wise fashion that almost every developing company follows. Known as the ‘software development life cycle,’ these six steps include planning, analysis, design, development & implementation, testing & deployment and maintenance. Let’s study each of these steps to know how the perfect software is developed.
Step 1 :
Analysis
Detailed analysis of the software is performed to identify overall requirements of client. This step is necessary to make adjustments and to ensure that software functions properly at the end.
This software development stage encompasses all aspects of project management. This typically includes resource allocation, capacity planning, project scheduling, cost estimating, and sourcing. During the planning phase, the development team collects information from the stakeholders involved in the project, customers, sales, internal and external experts, and developers. This entry is synthesized in a detailed definition of the requirements to create the desired software. The team also determines what resources are required to meet the project requirements and then infers the associated cost.
Expectations are also clearly defined during this stage; the team determines not only what is wanted in the software, but also what is NOT wanted. The tangible deliverables produced from this phase include projected schedules, project plans, estimated costs, and procurement needs.
Step 2 :
Design
Once the analysis is complete, the step of designing takes over, which is basically building the architecture of the project. This step helps remove possible flaws by setting a standard and attempting to stick to it.
The design phase models how a software application will work. Some aspects of the design include:
- Architecture: Specifies the programming language, industry practices, general design, and the use of any templates or models
- User Interface: Defines the ways that clients interact with the software and how the software responds to input.
- Platforms: Define the platforms the software will run on, such as Apple, Android, Windows version, Linux, or even game consoles.
- Programming: Not only the programming language, but also the methods for solving problems and performing tasks in the application.
- Security: Defines the measures taken to protect the application and may include SSL traffic encryption, password protection, and secure storage of user credentials.
Prototyping can be part of the design phase. A prototype is like one of the first versions of software in the iterative software development model. Demonstrates a basic idea of how the app looks and works. This practical design can be shown to interested parties. Use the feedback to improve the app. It is less expensive to change the Prototype phase than it is to rewrite the code to make a change in the Development phase.
Step 3 :
Development
Expert software developers start the actual software development process. The required components and functionalities of software are created in this very stage.
The development stage is the part where developers actually write the code and build the application according to previous design documents and detailed specifications. This is where static application security testing or SAST static application security testing tools come into play. The product program code is created according to the specifications of the design document. In theory, all the pre-planning described above should make the actual development phase relatively straightforward.
Developers will follow the coding guidelines defined by the organization and will use different tools such as compilers, debuggers, and interpreters. Programming languages can include basics like C++, PHP, and more. Developers will choose the correct programming code to use based on the specifications and requirements of the project.
Step 4 :
Testing
The testing stage assesses the software for errors and documents bugs if there are any.
After the development stage, the team can proceed to integration and validation testing. Software development service teams are in the constant process of releasing different software applications for various purposes, so this process is necessary as it is important to vigorously test the product with all available parameters. This phase exposes potential bugs in the product and if there are any, they are fixed.
As we saw in the previous step, the software developers themselves will perform unit or module tests. The next stage of testing would be the integration test. After the integration tests, validation tests will be performed, testing the final software product against the requirements and UI/UX design, from the point of view of the end user.
A different approach to testing is the so-called Test Driven Development (TDD) method. Using this method, software developers would first write a test script for particular requirements, and only then write code to meet those requirements. The test is then executed, and the code is tuned until the test passes. If the software application contains no more problems, the application is deployed
Step 5 :
Implementation
This stage is crucial for running the developed software assessed by all the stakeholders. This is to ensure the complete level of customer satisfaction.
After removing all the coding errors during the testing stage, the next step is called the implementation stage. The finished code is implemented into software and then deployed or delivered to clients for use.
As the product is delivered to potential customers, the first thing that is done to ensure that it works well on a large scale is to perform a beta test. If there is any chance of changes or potential bugs caught during deployment, the team who engineer their bugs to work well in real-time are immediately informed. Once the changes are deployed with all bugs fixed, the final release or deployment gets underway.
Step 6 :
Maintenance
Once the software passes through all the stages without any issues, a maintenance process is followed wherein it will be maintained and upgraded from time to time to adapt to changes. Almost every software development Indian company follows all the six steps, leading to the reputation that the country enjoys in the software market today.
The SDLC phase doesn't end when the software hits the market. Developers must now go into a maintenance mode and begin practicing the activities necessary to handle issues reported by end users. Additionally, developers are responsible for implementing any changes the software may require after implementation.
This may include handling residual bugs that could not be fixed prior to release or resolving new issues that arise due to user reports. In comparison of smaller systems, larger systems may need longer maintenance stages.
In order to build quality software, relevant information is collected from the client. This is required to to know the overall purpose of software and target audience. Project managers and stakeholders follow efficient communication strategy to hold daily and periodic meetings with clients for data gathering. Once collected, the requirements are analysed and decide how the software will perform. Software development experts also check feasibility of development of software and understand expectations of clients based on gathered data.
The actual software development process is the main crux of the whole software development life cycle. The stage involves tasks of developing a software based on data gathered, analysis done, and design prepared in earlier stages.
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An efficient team of software developers perform the detailed process of coding and add required functionalities. The overall process of developing a software is not confined to one particular industry only. The complete 6 stages of software development process is same for a varied range of industries like the following:
Another crucial phase of software development life cycle is testing. It helps to find bugs and any kind of error in the software and fixe the same. The testing stage is basically helpful to ensure the quality assurance factor of the software developed for the client. The software development service teams perform process & product audits along with testing during development and before delivery. Software developers also perform unit testing to make sure your product is not exposed to bugs.
Finally, after all the testing phases, final implementation of software is done by expert professionals. The software is run to see whether all the functions work properly or not. Successful implementation of project is ideally carried out by software development company that features a list of reliable technology partners.
Maintenance of software created for client is required to fix issues, set major updates, and improve functionality with changing times. It is for the better use of software for clients and ensure system running smoothly.
Read more about : Importance of SDLC in software development.
The software development life cycle process is a thorough method to control and manage the software on a high level. The set procedure is appropriately followed no matter, whichever technology is used for the project that may include the following:
The cost of software development services is comparatively lower than in other countries, making it a much sought after destination today. Custom software development is a big hit among clients who are able to get their business needs fulfilled at highly cost-effective rates.
SDLC Best Practices
The most important best practice to implement in your SDLC is effective communication throughout the team. The more alignment, the greater the chances of success.
Signs of a well-implemented SDLC include:
- Code quality standards
- Effective collaboration between teams
- Successful deployment of a comprehensive application security program
- Optimized workflows
- Cross-participation of teams throughout the life cycle
Common SDLC Errors and Challenges
There are several pitfalls that threaten to negatively impact SDLC implementation. Perhaps the most troublesome mistake is failing to properly consider and accommodate the needs of customers and stakeholders in the process. This results in a misunderstanding of the system requirements and inevitable disappointment with the final product.
Additionally, the complexity of SDLC often causes a project to go off the rails or teams to lose sight of details and requirements. Without strict adherence to all aspects of design parameters and plans, a project can easily fail
The Future of the SDLC Life Cycle
With the adoption of newer and faster development lifecycles, organizations are moving away from older SDLC models. With increasing demands for speed and agility in the development process, automation has played a key role. Development and operations are merging into a DevOps capability as the boundaries between disparate teams have slowly dissolved in favor of a streamlined and synchronized development approach.
Newer approaches to SDLC have emerged as DevOps, a combination of philosophies and practices that increase an organization's ability to deliver applications faster. As SDLC approaches shift more toward SDLC DevOps, consideration of the role of security must also be addressed. Security is no longer a separate, compartmentalized step in the SDLC; To ensure secure software, produced at the speed of DevOps, security is now considered a critical component throughout the SDLC.
In the coming years, no doubt, organizations will adopt not only a DevOps approach to their SDLC, but also a more evolved DevOps methodology, where security is integrated into the entirety of the SDLC. To ensure the success of this modern software development model, an organization must be strategic in selecting tools that support and enhance this effort. As a proven leader in the field of application security, SynapseIndia offers a comprehensive suite of products and services perfectly suited to this endeavor. Contact us to learn more in depth.
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03 Sep 2012
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