Why Software Development Life Cycle Is the Backbone of Quality Software

What is Software and Software Development? 

• Software is a collection of instructions, data, or computer programs that are used to run machines and carry out particular activities.
• Software development is the process of creating, designing, and maintaining software solutions.

What is the Software Development Life Cycle?

• SDLC stands for software development lifecycle. It is a structured, step-by-step process that helps development teams efficiently build high-quality software. The SDLC aims to produce high-quality software that meets or exceeds customer expectations, reaches completion within time and cost estimates.

Software Development Phases: 

Planning & Analysis:

• Planning is a crucial step in everything. The software planning stage sets the goals and defines the scope of the software development project. During this phase, the project team gathers information from various stakeholders, including analysts, users, and clients. These efforts lead to the creation of a comprehensive Requirements Specification Document, which serves as the foundation for the entire development process.

Designing : 

• The Software Requirements Specification (SRS) is an important document that guides the development team in designing the software's structure. It describes what the software should do (functional requirements) and how it should perform (non-functional requirements). Using the information gathered during the planning phase, the team creates a detailed plan that shows how the software will work, including its features and user interactions.

Development :

• This is the stage where the actual development of the software takes place, following the design specifications. At this point, standard programming tools such as compilers, interpreters, debuggers, and others are used.

Technologies used in our project:

• Frontend: HTML, CSS, JavaScript, jQuery, Tailwind CSS, Bootstrap
• Backend: PHP, Node.js
• Database: MySQL

Testing & Quality Assurance :

• The tester's role is important after development. Quality analysis includes testing the software for errors and verifying whether it meets customer requirements and project specifications. Validating every module of the software or application is essential to ensure precision and accuracy.

Deployment : 

• Once internal software testing is complete, the product can be deployed to end users. The goal of this stage isn’t just to deliver the software, but also to ensure it works smoothly in the real environment. This includes final checks, setting up user access, monitoring performance, and preparing for user feedback or support.

Software Development Life Cycle models:

The Agile and Waterfall models are the most widely used in software development.

Waterfall model:

• The Waterfall model is the most traditional software development life cycle model. It follows a step-by-step execution process.

Drawbacks:

• Lack of flexibility, as it cannot accommodate changes once a stage is completed.

• Limited user feedback, as it is usually not gathered until very late in the project.

Agile model:

• Agile methodology is a project management and software development approach that emphasizes flexibility, collaboration, and continuous improvement. It breaks down projects into smaller, iterative cycles called sprints, allowing teams to adapt to changes and deliver value incrementally.
• A sprint in Agile is a short, fixed period (1–4 weeks) where the team completes selected tasks from the backlog to deliver a usable product increment.
• Our company also uses the Agile method to deliver high-quality products.

Drawbacks include:

• Less focus on detailed documentation
• Hard to predict time and budget accurately
• Needs experienced and self-managed teams

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