7 Stages of SDLC: Learn About Phases of the Software Development Life Cycle

 

Simply put SDLC or Software Development Life Cycle is a series of phases or stages that a team of developers follow to build a software product. Generally, it is considered that any SDLC has 7 key stages, but there can be more or less. It depends on the project scale and size too. But for this blog, we will primarily focus on the 7 stages of SDLC. 

What is the Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC)?

SDLC, or Software Development Life Cycle, is like a rulebook for software companies. It helps them enhance the development process and make better software. SDLC has seven main steps to create software or hardware.

Stages of SDLC: Check 7 Phases of the Software Development Life Cycle

1. Planning
2. Requirements
3. Design and Prototyping
4. Software Development
5. Testing
6. Software Deployment
7. Operations and Maintenance

It is important to develop a plan of action to reduce delays and meet deadlines. To succeed in this competitive environment, businesses need to ideally develop their applications, using 5 effective software development methodologies, processes, and strategies.

An SDLC aims to allow the successful production of a high-quality solution that would meet or exceed the requirements of a customer at all its phases, within the provided budget and timelines. Whenever anyone starts developing a new product, it’s necessary to follow the stages of the software development life cycle, which we will cover below.

Benefits of Software development life cycle (SDLC)

SDLC is like a map for making software, showing everyone what to do, why, and how much it will cost software developers to understand what they should build and why. Both stakeholders decide upfront on the target and see a concrete plan to achieve the aim. Everybody knows the necessary costs and resources.

Here are some benefits of SDLC:

• Helps track progress and costs.
• Makes complex projects manageable.
• Detailed steps for better results.
• Checks for reliability and quality.
• Provides lots of documentation.

7 Stages of System Development Life Cycle (SDLC)

Now let’s discuss all 7 phases of the System development life cycle that every developer or software development company follows to develop the perfect software.

#Stage 1: Planning

Among the 7 steps of SDLC, the first one is the planning step. In this step, we are putting together all the tools to consider the scope and gravitas needed to pursue the software or project we want. The awareness of our customer’s requirements and how much capital, time, and resources we can contribute to their product’s success is also known as a “feasibility report.” When we are in the preparation process, the three things that are mandatory to keep in mind are:

• Identification of the system for development
• Feasibility assessment
• Creation of project plan

Furthermore, in this phase, we also we check if making the software or program is a good idea for investors and our business. We also see how well our company can handle it.

#Stage 2: Requirements

Next in the System development life cycle is the requirement. The team ensures the project requirements of the end-users of the system. The company needs to connect with IT departments to express the new technology and improvement criteria.

This step in the development process ensures that we gather all the necessary information and follow it to meet the client’s needs. Our developers, designers,, and product managers team up to document processes and workflows that we want to automate with software.

#Stage 3: Design and prototyping

After identifying and documenting the key requirements, the next stage involves creating a prototype. At the end of this phase, the team receives design documents that outline the chosen patterns and components for the project. More often than not, swift prototyping is part of the design process, allowing for a quick comparison of the most suitable solutions. This prototype serves as a starting point for further software development.

#Stage 4: Coding / Software Development

Once the software design is finished, the next step is coding. That’s when developers build the software using the chosen programming language. They split the work into smaller parts and gave each part to different developers. 

Coding is a big part of the SDLC. During coding, developers follow set rules and use special tools like compilers and debuggers to create and run the code.

Stage#5: Testing

When the coding is complete, testing begins, and the modules are released for evaluation as software testing is necessary to avoid any bugs. The created software is extensively reviewed during this process, and any issues found are assigned to developers to repair them.

Retesting and regression testing are conducted until the software is as planned according to the expectations of consumers. Testers refer to the SRS document to make sure the software conforms to the customer’s standard.

#Stage 6: Software Deployment

In this phase, the goal is to deploy the software to the manufacturing environment so that consumers can start using the product. Many companies, however, prefer to push the product across different delivery environments such as a testing or staging area.

It enables every stakeholder to play with the product safely before it is introduced into the market. Therefore, this allows us to catch any final mistakes before launching the product.

#Stage 7: Maintenance

After finishing all the software development stages smoothly, the next crucial step is designing a maintenance plan. Without it, the software’s performance can suffer, as it won’t keep up with necessary updates and changes to meet evolving business requirements.

Conclusion:

The true value of SDLC becomes evident when put into practice. It speeds up development, and simplifies tasks, enabling you to meet your client’s needs on time and within budget. If you encounter challenges, don’t hesitate to reach out to an outsourcing software development company for expert guidance throughout the process

At DreamSoft4u, we believe SDLC is all about finding the right balance between your project needs, budget, and time. We carefully consider all factors to optimize your SLDC and ensure a successful project outcome. 

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