Before we move onto the top 7 SDLC phases, let’s find out what is SDLC and what is the meaning of SDLC.
What is Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC)?
Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC) is a systematic approach to software development that defines the stages involved in creating a software product from conception to delivery. The purpose of the SDLC is to provide a structured approach to software development that helps organizations deliver high-quality software products in a timely and cost-effective manner.
Another purpose of the software development life cycle (SDLC) is to ensure that all stakeholders, including developers, project managers, customers, and end-users, are involved in every stage of software development, from conception to deployment.
The complete guide to SDLC life cycle phases and software development models is prepared by the developers of TST Technology, a software development company in Ahmedabad.
Read on to find out SDLC has how many phases.
What are the 7 phases of SDLC?
The software development phases determine how the software development life cycle proceeds. There are 7 SDLC life cycle phases.
Let’s take a look at them briefly.
Planning :
In this stage, the software development team identifies the scope of the project and defines its goals. The broad picture of the project is viewed and teams are formed to gather project requirements and do research.
Requirements Gathering and Analysis :
The team works with the customer to understand their requirements, prioritize their needs, and determine the feasibility of the project. Once the requirements are gathered, analysis is done to see how the software development will occur.
Design :
During this stage, the team analyzes the requirements gathered in the planning stage and designs a solution to meet those requirements. The design phase includes creating system architecture, data flow diagrams, user interface designs, and other necessary design artefacts.
Implementation :
In this stage, the team starts writing the code for the software application. The team may use different development methodologies, such as Agile or Waterfall, to manage the coding process. The goal of this stage is to implement the solution designed in the analysis and design phase.
Testing :
In this stage, the software is thoroughly tested to identify any bugs or defects in the code. The testing process has 4 parts: unit testing, integration testing, system testing, and acceptance testing. This stage is crucial for ensuring the quality and reliability of the software.
Deployment :
Once the software has been tested and all bugs have been fixed, the software is ready to be deployed to the production environment. This stage involves installing the software on the target system and configuring it to meet the requirements of the customer.
Maintenance :
After the software has been deployed, the software development team enters the maintenance phase. During this phase, the team provides ongoing support and updates to the software to ensure its continued performance and reliability. This may include fixing bugs, adding new features, and making performance enhancements.
The software development life cycle SDLC is a cyclical process and therefore it goes on and on. For every update and new features, the SDLC goes through all of these stages. Sometimes, the first two stages pass very quickly if the new update does not require much planning and requirement gathering.
Another thing to note is that as the SDLC process is not a one-time event but an ongoing process, it is continuously refined and improved over time. Teams may choose to incorporate new best practices and technologies as they become available to ensure that they are delivering the best possible software solutions.
What are the models of software development life cycle SDLC?
#1 Agile Model :
This is a flexible and iterative model that emphasizes collaboration, flexibility, and continuous improvement. It is based on the Agile Manifesto and is best suited for projects with changing requirements.
There are 2 sub models of the Agile Model:
Scrum: This is an Agile methodology that is used to manage software development projects. It is based on the principles of transparency, inspection, and adaptation, and it emphasizes the use of sprints, daily stand-up meetings, and retrospectives.
Extreme Programming (XP): This is an Agile methodology that emphasizes the use of continuous testing, pair programming, and customer involvement.
Test-Driven Development (TDD): This is a software development methodology that emphasizes the use of testing to drive the development process. The developer writes a test case before writing the code, and the code is only considered complete when it passes the test.
Feature-Driven Development (FDD): This is a model that emphasizes the delivery of small, incremental features to the customer.
#2 Waterfall Model :
This is a linear sequential model that follows the strict order of SDLC life cycle phases, including requirements gathering, analysis and design, implementation, testing, deployment, and maintenance. It is best suited for projects with well-defined requirements and a fixed timeline.
#3 Iterative Model :
This model involves repeated cycles of planning, design, implementation, testing, and deployment. Each iteration of the SDLC life cycle focuses on a specific set of requirements, and the goal is to deliver a working software system that meets these requirements.
#4 V Model :
This model links development and testing phases in a sequential manner with V shape, with each development phase having a corresponding testing phase. It helps ensure thorough testing before deployment and is suitable for projects with stable requirements.
#5 Big Bang Model :
This model is traditional and straightforward. Here, all the SDLC life cycle phases are completed in one go without iterations. Suitable for projects with well-defined and stable requirements.
#6 DevOps Model :
This is a modern model that focuses on the automation of the software development life cycle phases. It emphasizes the use of automation and collaboration to streamline the SDLC and improve the speed and quality of software delivery.
#7 Spiral Model :
This is a risk-driven model that combines elements of the Waterfall and Iterative models. It is best suited for projects with high risk and uncertainty.
#8 Rapid Application Development (RAD) :
This model emphasizes the use of prototyping and iterative development to quickly deliver a working product.
To sum up, software development is very critical and requires a lot of planning which highlights the importance of the software development life cycle SDLC and the software development models.
TST Technology provides stellar software development services in India and abroad with accomplished developers. To know more about it, visit the TST Technology website here.