When you open an app on your phone or a program on your computer, do you ever stop to think about the work that went into it? If you’re like most people, you probably don’t.
But in reality, a team of software developers spent weeks, months, or even years crafting the perfect piece of software for you to use.
To help you better understand the work involved, we’ve put together this guide. By the time you finish reading it, you’ll know exactly which steps go into the software development process.
Read on to learn all about the different software development steps.
1. Planning
As you might guess, the first step of the software development life cycle is planning. This is where developers sit down and plan out the project that they want to bring to life.
Developers hammer out a plan that details the exact steps they’ll follow to create their specific piece of software. At the same time, they also have to make sure that what they want to make is realistic and feasible. If it’s not, they revise it.
This stage also has them looking at the finances to determine whether or not their goals are worth investing in. Many more complex pieces of software need investor support.
2. Requirements
In the requirements stage, developers ensure that consumers both want and need the product they’re attempting to create. There’s no sense in investing time and money into making something that people don’t need.
For example, if developers notice a need for an app that allows consumers to transfer money, they’ll then get to work determining exactly what their app needs to do.
They might realize that people want to transfer money internationally, regardless of currency. To accommodate that desire, they’ll then get to work building a piece of software that allows people to do that.
3. Design and Prototyping
Once developers have determined the requirements and assessed the program’s feasibility, the next step is to start designing it.
Depending on how complex the program is, design can go quickly or take weeks to complete. Different people often have different creative visions, which can also slow progress down.
During this stage, developers also take the time to create prototypes. They do that by looking at the need that their program will fulfill, then creating a few different solutions that satisfy it.
4. Coding and Software Development
After finishing the design, developers then start working on the meat and potatoes—coding. This is where the program the software to run how consumers expect it to. Think of code as the infrastructure behind the program.
Depending on the development team and the product in question, developers may use several different programming languages. Some of the most popular languages include:
- C#
- JavaScript
- Python
- Java
- R
To navigate the enormous task of writing code, developers divide this stage into smaller, more manageable subsections. They use tools such as interpreters, debuggers, and compilers to get the job done.
Writing lines of code is, by far, the longest part of SDLC. Especially since most developers then have to spend time updating the code in subsequent updates (more on that later on).
5. Testing
When you write a paper or an essay, you need to go back and revise it before submitting it. The same goes for writing code. Once developers finish the initial programming, they need to test it and ensure that it runs.
The more testing developers do, the greater the chances that they’ll identify and resolve bugs that would otherwise plague users. That’s why testing is so important—it helps ensure that customers end up with a solid product.
Different software development companies approach testing in different ways. Qualitylogic.com is an example of a company that makes sure software runs as it should while also conducting tests as efficiently as possible. This keeps products from getting bogged down.
6. Software Deployment
In this stage, companies begin to push their products out into the world for consumers to use. Before it reaches the public, however, they first need to get it into the manufacturing environment.
Most companies will first do a trial to ensure that consumers respond well to their products. Staging areas allow them to get a better sense of what people like and dislike about their software.
If someone catches a mistake during this period, the software must go back to the coding and testing stages.
Once everything checks out, they can then release it to the general public. They might offer it as physical copies in stores or digital copies in app stores.
7. Maintenance
As you might have noticed, most developers don’t release a single version of their apps. They release multiple versions because bugs and other problems almost always remain.
To combat them, developers frequently revisit the code, design, and other areas to look for areas of improvement. They also have to take things like consumer responses into consideration.
The best apps and software are those that never stop updating.
Understand the Software Development Process
Whether you’re thinking about becoming a software developer or want to learn more about the process, know that there are several unique and important steps.
Use this guide as a resource to help you understand the entire software development process. Remember that no matter what the final product looks like, all developers follow this set of steps.
Are you looking to learn more about the software development life cycle? If so, make sure to check out the rest of our site for more helpful guides and tips.
