Software Development Life Cycle: Phases, Models, and More

Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC) is a trending buzzword today. If you are even remotely involved in the world of software development, you must have heard software developers, project managers and sometimes even business stakeholders talk about SDLC (Software Development Life Cycle).

But what is the life cycle of software development?

What does Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC) mean?

What are the various Software Development Life Cycle phases?

Are there different Software Development Life Cycle models?

How can I ensure success with the Software Development Life Cycle?

Find answers to all these questions in our blog below.?

Read on.?

What is SDLC (Software Development Life Cycle)?

SDLC (Software Development Life Cycle) is a systematic process used by software developers to design, develop and test high-quality software.?

Basically a Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC) provides stakeholders with a proper framework or a blueprint that guides them through the various phases of software development.

Properly following the Software Development Life Cycle helps:

• Meet user’s requirements?
• Ensure all functionalities work effectively
• Products a software that is cost-efficient
• Test the software properly

As mentioned, the life cycle of software development is a step-by-step process. The Software Development Life Cycle phases are explained below.?

Software Development Life Cycle Phases

There are 7 Software Development Life Cycle phases. Let us understand them one by one.

1. Planning

The first phase in the life cycle of software development involves setting the project's goals. In this phase, business stakeholders and software engineers define the scope of the project and assess its feasibility.?

Resources, timelines, and risks associated with the project are identified in this phase.?

The plan created in this step works as a roadmap for the rest of the Software Development Life Cycle.

2. Requirements Analysis

In this phase, software developers gather detailed requirements from the stakeholders.?

All the requirements are documented properly and divided into functional and non-functional requirements.?

Suggested Reading: Acing Requirement Management For Successful Software Development

3. Design

This design phase in the life cycle of software development includes turning requirements into proper blueprints. In this phase,

• An architecture of the system is created.?
• Components, interfaces, and data models are defined
• High-level and low-level designs are developed.?

At the end of the design phase, software developers have everything they need to start coding.

4. Implementation (Coding)

In this implementation phase of the Software Development Life Cycle, developers actually start coding based on the design documents created in the previous steps.??

Note: During this and all other Software Development Life Cycle phases, it is important to follow all possible software development security best practices .

5. Testing

Once the software is developed, it should be rigorously tested to identify and fix defects.?

Some software testing methodologies that can be used include:

• Unit testing,?
• Integration testing,?
• System testing, and?
• Acceptance testing.?

These tests are the key to bug-free software.

6. Deployment

Once the testing is completed, the software is deployed to the production environment.?

This phase of the Software Development Life Cycle involves installation, configuration, and initial support.?

7. Maintenance

Most people assume that the life cycle of software development ends when the software is deployed. However, the Software Development Life Cycle also includes maintenance and ongoing support.?

Regular updates, patches, and enhancements keep the software up-to-date and functional. This phase ensures the longevity and reliability of the software.

Every software development project is unique. There are different software development life cycle (SDLC) models that can be followed. Below we have mentioned the 5 key Software Development Life Cycle models:

Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC) Models

• Agile: An iterative and flexible approach focusing on customer feedback and continuous improvement.
• Waterfall: A linear and sequential model where each phase must be completed before moving on to the next.
• Scrum: An Agile framework that uses fixed-length iterations called sprints to deliver incremental improvements.
• Kanban: A visual workflow management method that focuses on continuous delivery and optimizing work-in-progress.
• DevOps: A collaborative approach integrating development and operations teams to automate and streamline the software delivery process.

Read more about these SDLC models in detail here .?

At SynergyTop, we understand the unique needs of each project. That’s why we first understand your goals and requirements. Then we make sure that we select a Software Development Life Cycle model that best fits your needs. We are also open to combining two or more approaches to find the right model for your project.?

Have a software idea in mind? Don’t wait, schedule a free consultation with our software development experts today - https://calendly.com/connect-with-synergytop