The Software Development Lifecycle (SDLC) is a structured process that outlines the stages and activities involved in creating software, ensuring systematic planning, development, testing, deployment, and maintenance.
Creating software can be a tricky job with lots of potential problems along the way. But don’t worry, there’s a way to make things easier! By following a software development life cycle plan, you can make the process smoother and reduce the chances of running into issues.
Breaking down each task into smaller parts helps your team of developers create software that meets your goals. But what exactly is the SDLC and how can you use it in your next project?
Check out the 7 main phases of the software development life cycle and learn about some popular methods used in the industry today!
What Is Meant By Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC)?
Hey there! So, have you ever heard of something called the Software Development Life Cycle, or SDLC for short? It’s basically a step-by-step process that software development teams use to create awesome software. The whole point of the SDLC is to make sure everything runs smoothly and that everyone on the team knows what they’re doing.
By breaking down the software development process into smaller parts, it’s easier to tackle each task one at a time. This helps make sure the software turns out really strong. Plus, it helps keep everything on track and makes sure everyone is working together as a team. Cool, right?
Key Phases Of The Software Development Process
Planning
When creating a new software, the planning phase is super important. This is when the leaders of the project talk about what they want to achieve and figure out if it’s possible.
They also decide who will be on the development team and get feedback from important people involved in the project. It’s crucial for everyone to communicate well so that everyone knows what’s going on.
Another big part of the planning phase is figuring out how big the project will be. They need to decide if their goals are realistic and how many people will be needed to make it happen.
Analysis & Requirements
When a team is working on a project, they first plan out what they want to do. Then, they analyze what needs to be done and what resources they need. This helps them figure out the end goals of the project and decide if they need to make any changes to reach those goals.
During this phase, the team also talks about what hardware and software they will need to use. This helps them assign tasks to different team members based on their skills and what they will be working on.
They also create a document called the Software Requirement Specification (SRS) which outlines all the details of the project. This document is super important and will be used throughout the entire project, especially during the design and development stages.
Design
When you’re in the design phase of creating software, it’s like figuring out the best game plan for building it. If your software will have a fancy user interface, this is when you’ll decide how it will look and where all the buttons and stuff will go.
You’ll also work on designing databases during this phase, which is a big part of any software. By working together to plan out all the design details, it helps everyone on the team understand what the end goal is and how to get there.
Development
When creating a software program, the most important part is the development stage. This is when the developers actually write the code and build the software based on the plan and requirements.
Because of the careful planning and design work done beforehand, developing software for clients should be pretty easy. As long as everyone knows what they’re supposed to do and what programming language to use, the development stage can be really fun.
Make sure to meet all the goals set out for the project to make your customers happy. By spending more time on development, you can avoid a long testing phase and get your product out to customers quicker!
Testing
Testing is super important when it comes to making sure your software works well. This is when developers check every part of the software to make sure it does what it’s supposed to do and doesn’t crash.
One way to test software is to pretend you’re a regular person using it. This helps make sure it does everything it’s supposed to do.
Most of the testing can be done by computers, but it’s still a good idea for developers to look at every part of the software they made.
Deployment
When you’re ready to share your software with others, that’s called the deployment phase. You can release it to the public or to a specific client. There are different ways to do this, like putting it on an online store or website. And the best part is, most of the process can be automated!
Before your software is all set to go, you’ll need to think about a few things. Like how much you want to charge for it and how it will work with other programs. For instance, you might need to help a company get your software working on their computers.
Maintenance
After the software is finished and out in the world, it’s super important to keep it in tip-top shape with regular check-ups and updates. During this maintenance phase, the main goal is to fix any bugs that slipped through the cracks during testing.
Teams also use this time to decide if they should update the existing software or start fresh with a whole new set of tools. Depending on what the software does, it might be better to keep adding cool new features instead of starting all over again.
Different Software Development Life Cycle Methodologies
Waterfall Model
The waterfall model is like a classic recipe that software development teams often use. Imagine a waterfall flowing smoothly from one step to the next – that’s how the waterfall model works.
It’s known for being super reliable, but nowadays most companies prefer using AGILE methodology. The reason the waterfall model is so reliable is because you can really focus on one step at a time.
But, the downside is that it can be slow and make the project take longer. Since each step relies on the one before it, you have to make sure each step is totally finished before moving on to the next one.
AGILE Model
One of the most popular ways to develop software is through an AGILE model. The main goal of AGILE is to make sure the customer is happy and gets what they paid for.
When you use AGILE for planning and designing software, you’ll always be asking users for their opinions to make sure the project is strong. The cool thing about AGILE is that it can change easily to fit what the user wants, so you don’t have to start over if you want to add something new.
To make AGILE work well, it’s important to have good communication. That’s why there are regular meetings called ‘Scrums’ where the team gets together to talk. During these meetings, goals are set and then the team works towards them using Sprints.
Sprints are times when the developer focuses on one part of the software. By listening to users and using efficient methods, AGILE can be a really effective way to make software.
DevOps Model
The DevOps model is a unique way of developing software that involves the clients who will be using the software in the development process. This is different from other methods because it allows the users to give feedback and make sure the software meets their needs.
It’s kind of like the AGILE method because it also involves users in the development process. However, it can be a bit challenging because it relies on outside people to give feedback.
Since the DevOps model relies on communication with users, it’s really important to listen to their feedback. This can take more time and money, but it ensures that the software meets the client’s needs.
Even though there are some challenges with the DevOps model, it’s really effective in important situations and makes sure the software is exactly what the client wants!
Spiral Model
The Spiral model is a cool way to develop software that lets you change things up as you go along. It’s like having different tools in your toolbox for each step of the process.
One of the best things about the Spiral model is that you can tweak your plan as you go to make sure you’re on track. But, it can be tricky to use if you’re working with a big group because it takes a lot of time to figure out.
You’ll need someone who knows their stuff to lead the way and keep things running smoothly. But if you want a method that can bend and flex to fit your needs, the Spiral model is a great choice.
Iterative Model
The Iterative Model is a cool way to make software that’s different from other methods. Instead of trying to make everything perfect from the start, you quickly create a basic version of the software and then keep adding new features to it. Once the first version is done, the team figures out what to do next and updates the software.
This process keeps going until the software is finished or the team decides to start over with a new project. Iterative models are usually used for big applications so that users can start using the software while new features are still being added.
Because the software is always changing, it can be tricky to know exactly what the final product will look like. But if you plan well and communicate with your team, an Iterative model can be a great choice for making big software projects.
Other SDLC Models
There is a range of other software development life cycle models, but most are just adaptations of the five you can find above. Some of the most popular variants are:
- V-Shaped Model: This is essentially the waterfall methodology with a few tweaks. Instead of just moving from one phase to the next, the V-shaped model implements validation and testing throughout the entire development cycle.
- LEAN Model: This is an adaptation of the lean manufacturing principles and practices first implemented by Toyota. It is almost a mix between AGILE and Iterative methods, where a first draft is developed, and then the developers will use user feedback to improve it constantly.
Although we have covered most of the common methodologies used in software development, they are just too many to break down. As long as you are familiar with the most popular types out there, you should be able to finish your software project successfully.
If you are lost and can’t decide which SDLC model is best for your project, get in touch with us today. We offer software advice and guidance to help you get your software out on the market.How To Apply Software Development Life Cycle Best Practices
Careful planning
Planning is super important when it comes to making software. It helps make sure the final product is what the client wants and that you don’t spend too much money. If you don’t plan carefully, you might run into problems that can stop the whole project.
There’s a whole part of making software that’s just about planning. So, make sure you take this step seriously. It will not only help with future work, but it will also make sure you have everything you need to finish the project without any hiccups.
Secure Source Control
It’s super important for developers to keep their source code safe and secure. Source control is key to making sure you don’t lose all your hard work on a software project. You should keep a copy of your source code in a safe place where only project managers and trusted team members can get to it.
Another good idea is to save your source code in a virtual storage system, like the cloud. Just make sure it’s super secure and encrypted so no one can mess with your code.
Always remember to make backups of your software project regularly. That way, if something happens to one copy, you can just use the backup code and keep going without any problems.
It’s really important to have good cyber security to protect your source code from any bad guys trying to get their hands on it!
Effective team management
When you’re working with a big group of people on a project, it’s important to make sure everyone is on the same page and working together well. One way to do this is by choosing certain people to be team leaders. This is especially important if you’re working with people who are far away from each other. Having a strong leader to keep everyone in touch and organized can make the whole process run smoothly.
Continuous Integration (CI)
When developers work on big projects, one of the toughest parts is putting everything together at the end. Even experienced developers can struggle with this step, and sometimes parts of the software just don’t work well together.
To prevent this from happening, it’s important to use continuous integration (CI). This means that throughout the project, all the code from different developers is combined regularly. It’s also important to use programming languages and libraries that work well together to avoid compatibility issues.
Websites like GitHub are really helpful for keeping everything integrated and making sure the whole project stays compatible. CI also helps prevent mistakes and saves time, so it’s definitely worth including in the software development process.
Continuous Deployment (CD)
If you’re working with a client who needs to get their hands on the software quickly, you can use something called continuous deployment (CD). This is kind of like when you work on a project in small steps, one after the other.
The cool thing about CD is that you can release your project at any time while you’re still working on it. You can also set up a way for the software to be automatically sent out to the right places, instead of doing it all by hand.
But be careful! You don’t want to release any code that will totally mess up the system. As long as you have a good team leader and you want to keep your project constantly moving forward, CD might be a good idea to try out.
Final Thoughts
Software development can be tough, but the SLDC process is like a roadmap to make things easier. Teams all over the world use this process to create awesome apps, and you should think about using it for your project too!
Also read our blog on What is Legacy Software Modernisation?