Software development happens to be one of the most intricate processes that developers often have to deal with every time they are creating an app or adding a new feature to an existing one.
Ordinarily, the process of software development begins with research, otherwise defined as the requirements analysis stage. Here, the stakeholders involved in the development process divulge the idea and the features they expect to be in the software.
Requirements Stage
Requirements stage often comes with listing the nature of the needs, specifications, manpower and resources needed to see the whole process to completion.
It is at this stage where the design of the software is determined to act as a blueprint all through the lifespan of the development process. This stage answers questions of who will use the system and how they will use it. It also answers those of the type of data to be input into the system and what the system outputs.
Design Stage
As soon as the stakeholders agree on the model of system they want to have, it can now be designed at this stage. Core of the activities done during this stage is determining the appropriate hardware resources like the servers and networks within which the software should run.
Also in this stage is where you come up with the system specifications and requirements that could be used in developing that specific software.
It is also at this stage where the specific tests to be required in the later stages of development are determined.
Coding
After the design clearly outlines what is needed and how it should operate, the work is then divided into portions referred to as modules and developers apportioned the modules.
The bulk of the software development also takes place at this stage of sdlc phases. This is chiefly because it involves coming up with codes and debugging.
Interestingly, this stage involves reviewing of the previous design stage. Features that prove to be impractical could be adjusted at this stage and replaced with more pragmatic approaches.
Testing
After the coding is done, developers take a huge chunk of their time fixing bugs and conducting vital tests on the software. These tests ensure the software only does that which it was designed to do, and all the features are working properly.
Deployment
Once the developers are satisfied that the software conforms to the standards and design specifications, they can go ahead to deploy it for general use.
Once the software is deployed, it gets tested for great user experience and functionality. Clients often do a beta testing immediately after receiving software from developers.
The stage also exposes some of the bugs that come with active use of the app, and they are forwarded to the developers for fixing before the software is released to the intended users.
In the hands of the users, the software could develop its problems of usage. These are shared with developers who then come up with mitigation to fix the problems.
Developers’ job doesn’t always end at the deployment stage; rather, it goes ahead to involve the maintenance of the software even after it is handed to its users.
Conclusion
Software development is the process used by all software developers to ensure all products conform to the set quality standards. This applies with creating an app.
For this reason, developers engage in Research, Design, Coding, Testing and Deployment stages which ensure all checks and balances are put in consideration.
