SDLC: Software Development Life Cycle. It is a cycle that is used to develop software applications. These stages break down the development process into actions that can be assigned, measured, and completed. 

What is SDLC?

Software Development Life Cycle is nothing, but it is the procedure for your business to build different types of software applications. Mostly SDLC steps are divided into 6 to 8 stages. It depends on the project’s scope. These are the essential steps that are recommended for any software development project. The steps include Planning, Requirements, Design, Build, Document, Test, Deploy, Maintain.

SDLC is a method for measuring and improving the development process. It enables a smooth examination of each stage of the process. As a result, businesses may maximize efficiency at each level. As processing power grows, the need for software developers also increases. Companies must save expenses, provide software faster, and meet or exceed the demands of their consumers. SDLC helps achieve these goals by identifying inefficiencies and increasing costs and fixing the operations so that all the work runs smoothly.

In short, the software development life cycle is a systematic method of development that allows high-quality development & low-cost software in the least amount of time. The SDLC’s purpose is to create exceptional software that meets and surpasses all client expectations and needs. 

How the Software Development Life Cycle Works

The Software Development Life Cycle describes each process involved in the creation of the software program. It helps in removing waste and improving the development process’s efficiency. Many businesses will break these steps down into smaller units. Technology research, marketing research, and a cost-benefit analysis might all be part of the planning process. This is because the developer must eliminate the defects discovered during the test so that the testing phase can run concurrently with the development phase.

7 SDLC Phases

1. Planning Phase

It is the first phase of all the projects. What does it include? The first phase of SDLC involves the measurement of labor and material costs, a timetable with targets, a project handling team, and a leadership structure. A planning process also contains a feedback application form, which is filled out by potential consumers, developers, subject experts, and sales representatives. The scope and objective of the application should be clearly defined during planning. It plans the path and equips the team to produce the program efficiently. It also establishes limits to protect the project from growing or deviating from its initial goal.

2. Requirements Phase

Defining requirements is part of the planning process to identify what the application is for and what its requirements are. For example, if you have a new project and you’re already planning, check out some requirements, such as whether it requires social integration. Defining the resources required to create a project is also part of the requirements. For example, a group could create software to control a custom manufacturing machine. The machine is a necessity for the procedure.

3. The Design phase of SDLC

The Design phase simulates how a software product will function. Design elements include the following things:

1. Project structure: It specified programming language, industry conventions, general design, and use of any templates.

2. Project UI: It defines how consumers interact with the program and how the software responds to input.

3. Developing Platforms: It suggests the platforms on which software will run, like Apple, Android, Windows version, Linux, or even gaming consoles.

4. Programming Language: It is not only a programming language but also an approach to addressing problems and fulfilling duties in the application.

5. Communication System: It defines how the program may connect with other assets like a central database or other instances of the application.

6. Security: It includes security measures implemented for the application which involve SSL certificates, traffic encryption, password protection, and secure storage of user credentials.

The design process involves prototyping. In the Iterative software development approach, a prototype is like one of the early versions of software. Use feedback to help you improve the application. Changing the Prototype phase is less costly than rewriting code to alter the Development phase. 

4. Software Development Phase

It is the place where software is written. A small project may be created by a single developer, but a large project may be divided into and worked on by many teams. During this stage, You can control Source Code Management solutions. These systems aid programmers in keeping track of code modification. They also help in ensuring the inter-efficiency of various team projects as well as the achievement of established goals.

The Software Development Phase includes many tasks. Many developers need to study up their abilities or collaborate with others. It’s vital to find and resolve problems and flaws. Waiting for test results or generating code so an application may run are common tasks that slow down the development process. SDLC can foresee these delays and reassign developers to other tasks. Instructions and explanations are appreciated by software engineers. Documentation may be a structured procedure that includes wiring an application user guide. It may also be more casual, such as comments in source code explaining why a developer adopted a certain approach. Even organizations that seek to build simple and intuitive products might benefit from the documentation. 

Documentation can be a short walkthrough of the app’s fundamental functionality that appears when it initially starts up. User manuals, troubleshooting guides, and FAQs are examples of written documentation that can assist users in solving issues or answering technical inquiries.

5. Testing Phase

Before making an application available to consumers, it’s vital to test it. Much of the testing, such as security testing, may be automated. Another testing can only be done in a specific context; for complicated deployments, consider developing a simulated production environment. Each function should be tested to ensure that it functions properly. The various components of the program should also be evaluated to ensure that they work together seamlessly, and eliminate any processing barriers. The testing process helps to reduce the number of defects and seen by customers. As a result, there is a higher level of user satisfaction and a higher rate of use.

6. Deployment Phase

The application is made available to users during the deployment phase. Many businesses want to have the deployment step automated. This might be as straightforward as a payment gateway and download link on the company’s website. It might also be the installation of an app on a smartphone. Deployment might be difficult as well. One example is migrating a company-wide database to a freshly designed application. Because the database relies on numerous other systems, integrating the upgrade may require extra time and effort.

7. Operations and Maintenance

The development cycle is nearly complete at this stage. The application has been completed and is in use in the field. However, the phase of operation and maintenance is still critical. Users find issues that we’re missed during testing in this phase. These issues must be fixed, which may result in additional development cycles. Models like Iterative development proposal extra features in future releases in addition to issue patches. A new Development Cycle can be started for each new release.

Why is the SDLC important?

SDLC is important for project planning and scheduling.

• It makes project monitoring easy.

• It establishes a uniform structure for activities and deliverables.

• It gives all participants engaged in the development process more insight into all areas of the life cycle. 

• It improves the development process.

• It enhances client relationships.

• It lessens project risks.

• It lowers project management costs as well as the final manufacturing cost.

SDLC methodologies

1. Waterfall

The waterfall technique is the oldest, simplest, and most systematic technique. Each step is based on the result of the previous one, and It all happens in order. This methodology establishes discipline and produces a measurable outcome after each step. When flexibility is required, this strategy does not perform effectively. Once a phase is judged complete, there is minimal space for adjustment because it might influence the cost, delivery schedule, and quality of the program.

2. Agile

Continuous release cycles are created using the agile methodology, with each release including minor, incremental changes from the prior one. The product is tested after each iteration. The agile paradigm assists teams in identifying and resolving minor difficulties in projects before they become major concerns. Teams can also involve corporate stakeholders in the development process and solicit their opinions.

3. Lean

The lean software development technique is based on lean manufacturing ideas and practices. The lean principles foster greater flow in work processes and the development of a culture of continuous improvement.

4. Spiral

The spiral development model is based on a project’s specific risk patterns driving the development process. The development team assesses the project and decides whether components of the previous process models should be included. 

5. V-Shaped

Verification and validation steps happen simultaneously in the V-shaped model. Each verification phase has a corresponding validation phase, and the model is run in a V-shape, with each development phase having an associated testing phase.

Software Development Best Practice

There are a few additional useful techniques in the Software Development stages. These can be used throughout any stage of the development process.

1. Source Control

Source Control is a plan to keep your working code safe. Keep the code in a single area with protected and recorded access to implement Source Control. This might be a physical area in the building where data are stored and accessible in a single room. It might also be a virtual place where users can access a cloud-based development environment over an encrypted connection. A change management system is included in Source Control software to monitor work done by individuals or teams. Use a backup system to capture development progress in the event of a disaster, just as you would with any other storage.

2. Continuous Integration

A scenario of what not to do led to Continuous Integration. It ensures that all components are compatible throughout the development process. Before CI, various teams would work on their projects. When it came time to put the application together, this presented considerable issues. Continuous Integration assures that all teams use the same programming languages and libraries, reducing disputes and duplication of effort.

3. SDLC Management Systems

Each phase of the software development cycle is controlled and managed by a software development cycle management system. Each phase, as well as the entire project, benefits from management systems. They also include systems for analytics, bug tracking, and task management. These measurements, also known as key performance indicators (KPIs), may be utilized to enhance areas of the cycle that aren’t doing well.

Benefits of the SDLC

When SDLC is done properly, the maximum level of management control and documentation can be achieved. Developers know what they should create and why they should. All parties have to agree on the stated objective and the plan to achieve it. Everyone understands the values and resources required.

Several issues might convert an SDLC implementation into a drawback to development rather than a tool that aids us. Failure to consider the demands of customers, as well as other users, can lead to a misunderstanding of the system requirements from the start. The advantages of SDLC are only realized if the plan is implemented to the letter.

The Future of the SDLC

Organizations are shifting away from outdated SDLC models as they adopt quicker and fresher development life cycles Automation has become increasingly important as the demands for speed and agility in the development process have grown. As the boundaries between various teams dissolve in favor of a simplified and coordinated approach to development, development and operations are combining into a DevOps capability.

DevOps, a collection of ideas and methods that improve an organization’s capacity to deploy applications more quickly, is a newer approach to the SDLC. As the SDLC methodologies change more toward a DevOps SDLC, the function of security must also be considered. Security is no longer considered as a discrete and isolated stage in the SDLC; instead, security is now viewed as a crucial component across the SDLC to ensure secure software is developed at the pace of DevOps.

Organizations will undoubtedly use not only the DevOps approach to their SDLC in the coming years, but a more advanced DevOps methodology, where security is backed up throughout SDLC, should be smart in choosing enterprise tools that support this modern software development approach and improve success. Possibilities, an established leader in application security, has a complete array of solutions and services that are well suited to this effort.

Conclusion:

SDLC stages show – what is going on and where your development process can be improved !!!

Like many other business processes, Software Development Life Cycle strives to examine and improve the software development process. From day-to-day coding to controlling production dates, it offers a scalable picture of the project.