Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC)

The process or a plan of action imposed on the development of a software product is prominently known as software development life cycle (SDLC) is a process. SDLC is recognized as a standard practice that specifies all the tasks required for developing and maintaining software. Even there are several sub models for every stage, each sub model approaches to a variety of tasks or activities that take place during the process. SDLC is basic and industry structured standard to achieve systematic streamlined approach towards the success of development. SDLC methodology may be summarized to include only those activities appropriate for a particular project; either the system is automated or manual, whether it is a new system, or an enhancement to the existing systems. SDLC method initiates with a proposal form of requirement raised by the customer, and continuous through a feasibility study, systems analysis and design, programming, testing, implementation, and post-implementation analysis. Documentation developed during the project development is used in the future when the system is reassessed for its future announcements and activities.

Stages of SDLC
Various phases of SDLC are to be pursued in order to gain a better view and confidence in handling a project. Following are the phases involved in SDLC process:

Requirement gathering and analysis Specification and Architecture design

Maintenance and release

Coding and testing

System design

Requirement gathering and analysis

Extracting analyzing the requirements of a client expected software product is first stage in creating software with SDLC. Typically, clients likely articulate an idea about the mandatory show up requirements, it may require skill and experience software engineering to recognize the incomplete, ambiguous or contradictory requirements. The software analysts and business analysts establish a descriptive view of intended project and establish its goals & objectives.

Specifications
Specification is the next stage, precisely describes the requirements and specifications of software to be encrypted. Typically, most productive specifications are authored to understand and refine existing applications. Authoring requirement specifications and functional requirements is mandatory to tailor the client requirements and dependencies.

Architecture Design
Architecture of software system considered as an articulated representation to that system. The goal of architecture design is to ensure that the software system meets the necessities of the product. Architecture step also addresses interfaces among the system and other software products, primary hardware or the host operating systems. In addition, the business rules, operational diagrams, DFD, pseudo-code and concerned referral documentation need to be considered while designing architecture. SDLC team analyzes the product user s requirements and prepares a streamlined plan.

Development and Coding

Actual technology code is encrypted in this stage. Senior software developers divide and distributed work to the particular specialized team members. Encryption becomes easier if the proper requirements and design is developed in previous stage. According to requirements of client, programming language is selected. The developers must develop the project in such a way that it is adaptable to those changes. Shrinking a design to code may be the most obvious part of the software engineering job, but it is not necessarily the largest portion.

System Testing
Developers tailor all the encrypted modules as single build for unique testing on usability, bugs and quality as per standard practices. Every module is integrated with another and proper testing tools are selected for checking errors.

Maintenance and Release

Maintenance and release is the final stage, most important (and often overlooked) stage of all the SDLC. The development team tailors the compiled software to product-users end or interface and extends the targeted business. During this phase, any changes, correction, additions, inter platform movement or migration and, porting are finalized. The main operation of the software must not be affected by those changes. The developed software is given to the users. Maintenance is necessary after the development of a successful project. It is obvious that changes occur once the project is handed over to the client.

Outcomes of SDLC Phases

Several factors determine the outcome of software development. In the process each SDLC phase has its significance and they need inputs to work on the phase objectives and produce the deliverable. Phase Feasibility Study Requirement Analysis System Analysis and Designing Development and Coding Inputs Outputs Customer Requirement, Budget Cost benefit analysis report and Time frame Customer requirements given in SRS different formats (BRS, FRS) SRS, End User Information Architecture and design docs

Deign Documents, DB structures, Developed modules Coding and programming guide lines Module Integration, Test Plan, Test Defects, Issues, defect analysis Cases and summary report. Completed Required System, User Acceptance report and Guidance Documents deployment Issues.

Integration and Testing Acceptance and Deployment