The software development process is long-term and tedious. But developers and project managers can leverage software development stages to outline, design, develop, test, and deploy software applications with greater efficiency and quality.
What are the Software Development stages?
The software development stages or life cycle is a blueprint for developing high-quality software applications. It’s a clear step-by-step process to build software in a systematic and cost-effective way. This approach helps develop software by gathering the initial requirements for a new application.
By following the software development phases, the development team can ensure that each stage in the development process from design, and testing to release, is completed successfully without any errors.
In this blog, we will discuss everything you need to know about the Software Development phases.
7 Stages of the System Development Phases
There are 7 primary stages of the modern software development process. Here’s the brief breakdown:
- Planning Stage
- Feasibility or Requirements of Analysis Stage
- Design and Prototyping Stage
- Software Development Stage
- Software Testing Stage
- Implementation and Integration
- Operations and Maintenance Stage
Planning Stage
Before we start talking about the planning stage, we recommend you take time and learn more about the application development lifestyle. The planning stage is exactly what it sounds like: planning for the upcoming project.
This stage helps to define and determine the objectives for any new systems. By developing an effective outline for the upcoming development projects, the development team can rectify problems before they affect development.
It helps to secure the funding and resources for software development. Planning stages also set the project schedule which is a major factor if the application needs to be on market by a certain time.
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Analysis Stage
This is the second stage of the software development lifecycle. It includes gathering all information and data required for a new application and determining the first ideas of prototypes.
The development team may:
- Define starting prototype system requirements
- Evaluate other options for existing prototypes
- Perform research and analysis for better user understanding
- Create a software requirement specification
It has all the specifications required for the application they plan to build and prevents from overdrawing funding or resources when working with other development teams.
Design Stage
In the design phase, the development team scrutinizes whether the application suffices all the requirements of the end-user in terms of technology, practicality, and finances. Once the developer decides on the best design approach, he will look for the best programming language that will suit the application.
Developers will outline the below specifications for the overall application:
- User interfaces
- System interfaces
- Network and network requirements
- Databases
Operation, training, and maintenance plans will all be drawn up and all the stakeholders will review this plan and provide their feedback and suggestions.
Development Stage
This is the 4th stage of the software development lifecycle. In this stage, the developer will write code and build the application as per the above design documents and outlined specifications.
This stage is considered the longest in the software development process and developers will work on programming tools like interpreters, compilers, and debuggers to implement the code.
The programmer will choose the right programming language such as C++, PHP, Python, and more. Then he will show the work done to the business analyst for any modifications or enhancements.
Testing Stage
Once the programmer builds the application, then it is deployed in the testing stage. The testing team checks the functionality of the entire system. In this stage of software development, the testing is done to ensure that the entire software works according to the customer’s requirements.
After testing, the QA and testing team might get some bugs and errors and communicate the same with software developers. The developer team then fixes the bugs and errors and sends back to the QA team for retesting. This process goes on until the application is stable, bug-free, and running smoothly as per business requirements.
Implementation and Integration Stage
Once the testing is done, the overall design for the software will come together and be ready for deployment. Developers will integrate necessary modules or designs to detect further errors and defects.
After passing this stage, the application is theoretically ready for customers to use. The users are then provided with the necessary training and documentation that will help them to understand the functionality of the application.
Again, a small round of testing is performed on the live software to fix any issues in the production environment.
Maintenance Stage
Software development doesn’t end when an application reaches the market. The development team now moves into the maintenance stage and starts activities required to handle real-time bugs reported by end users.
Additionally, the development team is responsible for implementing any changes that might be needed in the future. It may include handling residual bugs or resolving new issues due to user reports. Larger systems need a longer maintenance stage than smaller systems.
Benefits of Software Development Stages
There are many advantages of software development stages for the development team.
- Clear Goal Descriptions
- Proper Testing Before Installation
- Clear Stage Progression
- Member Flexibility
- Perfection Is Achievable
- No One Member Makes or Breaks the Project
Conclusions
Ultimately, any development team can benefit from following 7 stages of software development into their project. It ensures that the end product meets the customer’s expectations within the company budget. The 7 stages of software development are an excellent process for building and deploying software easily, including fixing bugs by utilizing best practices and methodologies.
When done right, this process can provide the development team with the highest level of documentation and management control. Developers are more efficient and know what they should create and why. All stakeholders come up with a clear action plan and understand the resources and costs required.
Author Bio
Technical Nick is a bespoke technology blogging platform where we bring you the latest news and stories from a diverse set of topics including Technology, Android, iOS, Digital Marketing, Business, Blockchain, AI, Laptops, Mobiles, Cameras, and more. Technical Nick is developed and maintained by Nikhil Kumar who is a digital marketer. He loves to blog about tech, ios, laptops, mobiles, etc.
