What is Software Development Life Cycle
- The Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC) is a step-by-step process used to plan, develop, test, and maintain software. It helps teams build software in a structured way, ensuring quality and efficiency. Think of it like a roadmap that guides the software project from start to finish.
Key Stages of SDLC
Planning
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In this step, teams define what the software should do and why it's needed. They talk to stakeholders (the people who need the software) to understand their needs, and then plan the project in terms of time, budget, and resources.
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Example: A company wants to build a shopping website. The team meets to discuss features like product listings, payment options, and delivery methods.
Requirements
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Here, teams collect detailed information about what the software should do. These are the "requirements" that the software must meet, like features and functionality.
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Example: The shopping website must have a search feature, secure payment, and user accounts.
Design
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In this stage, the team creates a blueprint or design for how the software will work. This includes the architecture, user interface (UI), and data flow.
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Example: Designing what the homepage looks like, how users will move from browsing to purchasing, and how data will be stored.
Development
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The actual coding happens here. Developers write the code based on the design to create the software.
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Example: Developers write the code that allows users to search for products, add them to the cart, and make payments.
Testing
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Before launching, the software is tested to make sure it works correctly and meets the requirements. This includes finding and fixing bugs.
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Example: Testers check that the payment system works correctly, the website doesn’t crash, and that it works on different devices.
Deployment
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After testing, the software is released or deployed to the users. It can be launched in phases (for example, first a beta version) or all at once.
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Example: The shopping website goes live for customers to start using it.
Maintenance
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Once the software is live, it needs ongoing support to fix any issues that come up and to add new features. This is the maintenance phase.
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Example: After launch, the team fixes bugs and adds new features like product reviews or a mobile app.