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Software Development Process: The Complete Visual Guide

App Store contains more than 2 million apps and Google play store contains more than 2.65 million apps. You have numerous options to download apps on your device. But do you know, an app is completed in 3-6 months?

You get a complete app from a development team. It has to analyze the requirements entire system and business. Software development is divided into parts for impeccable solutions. Well, this is not a new process that you are reading in 2023. SDLC began its journey in the 1960s

Gradually software engineers in large software industries started to use SDLC to develop complex projects. It breaks the complex project to make it simple for iterative development. A web development company always analyzes the project with the help of project managers and finds which software development model will suit it.

Often cross-functional teams work to use a combination of SDLC processes and produce a robust software product in a short time. All software development companies use SDLC to develop applications, websites, and many other different software products. If you are also planning software development for your business, this write-up is full of crucial information that you need.

What Is Software Development Life Cycle?

To understand the software development processes, you first need to focus on the software development life cycle. It is popularly known as SDLC. The software development methodology is a process of building high-quality software products. Tasks are divided into development teams for coding, designing, prototype development, and testing.

The software development process follows basic principles that include some stages

Apart from it, a project manager decides on Agile and scrum for the team so that software development approaches can be smooth. System software is also built with a suitable software process. To know more about what is system software, read our blog. It will help in the future development of software.

7 Stages of Software Development Life Cycle

For rapid application development, professionals make a software development plan. They consider all the factors before building software. It is helpful in selecting the right SDLC model. Moreover, they can follow all the phases keeping the software requirement in mind. Every SDLC model has 7 stages.

These stages include some tasks important for the development process. Our professional developers will walk you through the 7 stages of software development methodologies in the space below.

1. Requirement Analysis
2. Planning phase
3. Designing
4. Coding
5. Testing
6. Deployment
7. Maintenance

Requirement Analysis

To develop software for comprehensive documentation customer collaboration, requirement analysis is crucial. To initiate this process, you need to do market research. Planning risk assessment development and problem analysis come after requirement analysis. Development teams must consider customer and client requirements for impeccable modern software development.

Many times when a client’s requirements are not considered seriously, the result turns out to be like the below images.

What a client wants :

What a client gets :

Planning phase

Development teams work with an iterative approach after making a proper plan. Comprehensive market research and requirement analysis play a crucial role in this development phase. Without them, the development process for planning can’t take place.

You can identify mistakes, priorities, and many other things and plan accordingly. The planning phase is a deciding point in the product development lifecycle. From designing to the development process, deployment and maintenance, everything has to plan already.

Designing

The designing phase comes before the coding phase. Through software engineering and with the help of designers, a framework is created for an app or a website. HTML, CSS, JavaScript, PHP, and many other front-end development programming languages are in the software system development process.

User feedback is also taken to decide on the design of the software. A development team creates software with new features after considering innovative ideas and creative designs through research. If you want to know about this phase in more detail check our blog- what is the design phase?

Coding

In the designing phase, only the look is decided and made, but through coding, developers add life to the software. They work on integrating functions. The core functionality of the app or website is developed through coding by back-end developers. In other words, the actual writing of the program takes place in this software development process.

Writing programs is a crucial process of the software development life cycle. Developers have to consider deliverables and approvals. Moreover, comprehensive but easy-to-understand documentation is also prepared in this phase. It helps developers and software users to understand it in the future.

Testing

Testing is the most important software development process. It also includes some stages like requirement analysis design development testing, risk assessment development, test environment setup, and test case development. After implementing the test cases under the testing environment, the test reporting stage takes place.

Software testing is a long process and White box testing and Black box testing are two types. The integration testing system includes all the important features for testing. A development cycle completes when testing is done impeccably.

Deployment

Once developers are sure there are no errors and bugs in the software, they take it to the next phase, which is deployment. In the software industry, deployment is done with effective procedures. A development team uses a target production environment for successful software execution.

Maintenance

It is the last phase of the software development process, but it is as important as other phases of software development. In this phase, the development team checks that the software is working according to the designs. It maintains software in different ways or the ways that suit the software type. Likewise, users’ feedback is also considered for improvement in the app or website.

Many times. maintenance strategies depend on a software development methodology type. It is because a proper procedure is followed in this software development lifecycle. Developers can remove new viruses, malware, and any other errors from the software in the maintenance phase

Most Used Models of Software Development Lifecycle

Software development industries use software development methodologies according to their need. But some models are mostly used for large or critical projects. The best software development process is possible with project analysis because developers can effectively decide on the model.

• Waterfall Process
• Incremental development
• Agile Software Development
• Iterative Software Development
• Spiral Development Process

Waterfall Process

The waterfall software development process is also called the waterfall model. It works like water flows. One step after another and moving ahead in a sequence. Well, the waterfall model is the oldest software development process. It is used in software engineering. This is also called a Linear sequential model.

The waterfall model is one of the simplest processes. Finish one phase and move to the next one. A stage depends on the information from the previous stage, so they are interconnected. The waterfall development process is used for small projects.

Incremental Development

The incremental software development process includes some stages such as design analysis, development, implementation, verification, and maintenance. The first increment is the core product and later increments add on in the process. As you can notice in the image.

Features of the previous incremental process are added to the next increment. In this model also, a project is broken down into mini-development projects.

Agile Software Development

Agile is one of the best software development methodologies. It is a collaboration between the requirements and solutions teams. Work is done in a sprint. One sprint lasts two and sometimes four weeks. Developers have to focus on some principles while working with Agile sprint. In the agile software development process, you have to rely on developers and testers more than security specialists.

Many app development companies use these types of software development models to complete their clients’ projects timely and impeccably. There are some Agile methodologies that most developers use. Agile and scrum models make the Agile process easy and fast. Agile processes help you get the best final version of the software product.

Iterative Software Development

The iterative software development process is breaking down the large project into small chunks. Repeated cycles are used in this development stage for designing, development, and testing. Each iterative approach is combined with specific features to create software. Likewise, a software development process is divided into some segments.

An iterative and dynamic approach is the key process. Developers can release usable software with this software development model.

Spiral Development Process

When you look at the spiral model it feels confusing. It is somehow similar to the incremental software development process because it also increases. But it expands in a spiral form. Here more emphasis is on in-depth risk analysis. In this software program user feedback also play a crucial role.

Well, this model is also called a meta-model. When you look at the below image, the radius represents the cost of the software product and the angular degree represents the progress made in the current phase.

The prototype model in software engineering is also an important phase in every model. It helps to develop the software impeccably. The client can know what type of new features can be added to it and what can be removed.

How to Pick the Right SDLC Model Quickly?

Why are there many software development process models? Developing software for different sectors and businesses is not the same. Some processes are followed in some projects and some are not. Moreover, the projects are small and large size. Likewise, some are easy and some are complex.

Then how will you find which is the right SDLC model for you? Focus on the below steps to find the right SDLC model for your software idea.

1. Basic Understanding
2. Need of Project Stakeholders
3. Requirement Analysis
4. Documentation

Basic Understanding

A developer needs to have an in-depth understanding of all the tools working software and models. But when you have a basic understanding of software development processes, you can understand your project better. Also, take the help of Mobile app market research if you want an innovative app for smartphone users

Need of Project Stakeholders

Understand the stakeholder’s requirements and concerns, and their business priorities. Technology constraints help to choose the right SDLC model. You should also analyze the existing architecture of some software.

Requirement Analysis

This is an important process for the right SDLC selection. If you know what you want or requirements, making a decision can be easy or less difficult.

Documentation

Detailed documentation of a project and software development process, helps developers in the future modification and improvement of the software. Most website development agencies prepare documentation.

Programming Languages for Software Development Processes

Developers need to be skilled in some technologies for software development. They must know some programming languages. Have a look at some of the important programming languages.

1. C++
2. Java
3. JavaScript
4. Ruby
5. Python
6. PHP
7. SQL
8. Flutter

Wrapping Up

All the software development industries follow some software development processes for robust, scalable, and error-free projects. Developers choose an SDLC model, according to the need of business goals. If you also want an error-free, robust, and innovative software solution for your project idea, contact Technource.

Should I outsource a software product?

Yes, you can outsource a software product. But before you decide the same, you need to consider some factors like the type of software development, developers, designers, testers, and the cost of hiring a complete team for your project.

How to choose the right SDLC model?

To choose the right SDLC model for your project, you need to have basic knowledge of all the models, do market research, and make a list of your requirements. This way, you can pick the perfect SDLC model.

What are the benefits of SDLC?

Many app and website development companies follow the Software development life cycle and use different SDLC models because of the below benefits.

1. Provides a well-managed framework for designing and development
2. Reduces the chances of mistakes
3. Help developers to complete projects on time
4. Leave room for improvement

What is PDLC?

PDLC is a product development life cycle. The entire process of product development includes some stages as follows.

1. Market Analysis
2. Design and architecture
3. Development
4. Deployment
5. Maintenance and upgradation