What is SDLC in Software Engineering?
Software Engineering is a rigorous, disciplined, and quantitative approach to the design, development, operations, and upkeep of software systems. There are many distinct approaches to software engineering and various outputs that can be obtained by using the principles and knowledge of the same. Goals of software engineering are generally straightforward and comprehensible, but they aren’t necessarily easy to achieve. The discipline has significantly evolved and has become even more versatile over the years. While those already in the industry would need to keep up with the rapid pace and be open to new opportunities, those entering the field would have to develop proper skill-sets that can help in enhancing the overall performance and increase the employability. Pursuing software development courses online is a great way to get started in the software engineering career.
We will discuss Software Development Life-Cycle (SDLC) in this session.
The Software Development Life Cycle, also referred to as application development life-cycle is an iterative project management model that specifies the processes involved in developing a project from its inception to execution. The phases of SDLC include planning, defining requirements, designing, development, testing, deployment and maintenance.
- Planning Phase
In this phase, developers define the problems and scope of the systems from real-time scenarios, and discuss and determine the objectives for designing new systems.
Three key activities involved in the Planning Phase include the identification of the system for development, feasibility assessment, and creation of project plan.
- Defining Requirements Phase
This phase includes establishing and recording business and end-user requirements. Functional and Non-Functional Requirements documents can be further used to refine requirements.
- Designing Phase
Developers make a layout of the details for application, as well as consider specialised aspects like user interfaces, system interfaces, network needs, and databases. They use SRS documents and accordingly design logical frameworks that can be implemented in a computer language later.
- Development Phase
The goal of the development phase is to turn the system design prototyped during the design stage into a working system that meets all of the system’s defined requirements.
- Testing Phase
The focus of the testing phase of SDLC is detailed examination and discovery. During the testing phase, developers check to see if their code and programming meet the needs of the customer. Integration testing is a type of software testing that examines how different software components interact with one another. Any software module will perform properly on its own, but when it is combined with another module, there is a possibility that the software will not operate as planned. Integration testing can help in ensuring that the software operates as planned.
- Deployment Phase
The SDLC ends with the deployment phase, which puts the application or the product into production. The information system can finally be integrated and deployed into its environment.
- Maintenance Phase
Software maintenance might involve upgrades, repairs, and corrections in case there is some problem or software breaks. Developers are responsible for implementing any changes that the product may require after deployment, such as correcting mistakes or defects discovered during further software testing.
Advantages of SDLC
- It provides a defined view of the entire system, resources, timeframe, and goals.
- Costs and progress of the created system can be easily assessed, and large or complex projects can be controlled better.
- It generates a number of intermediate products that can be evaluated to see if they fit the user’s requirements and adhere to industry standards. Developers can work on them and make changes if needed.
Disadvantages of SDLC
- Details about the system should be stated beforehand.
- As the number of documentation increases, time and cost of the development also increases.
- It fosters rigid implementation rather than creativity. There are certain standards that must be met, and developers are only responsible for completing those requirements.
- Testing isn’t suited for every development team and project.
Conclusion
The difficulty of designing a system from the scratch is reduced by using a Software Development Life Cycle. SDLC aids in the transformation of a project’s concept into a fully functional and operational structure. SDLC has become an important aspect of how businesses construct software solutions as the field of IT is constantly evolving. But it is important to remember that merely following the various phases won’t yield much, it has to be done in an effective way considering various aspects and alternatives. Advance software engineering courses can help you gain a deep understanding of data science and commonly used software platforms in various organizations.
FAQs
– Goals of the project
– Objectives of the project
– Expectations from the project
The design phase of the software development life cycle is the most challenging and intellectually stimulating because the criteria given in the document are converted into a logical structure that must be implemented in a specific programming language and it’s also crucial to identify hardware and system requirements during the design phase i.e., it enables the creation of a complete system architecture.
