Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC)

Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC)
A systematic, phased approach to building high‑quality software.

1. Overview

Note: The SDLC can be executed as a linear “waterfall” sequence, an iterative/incremental cycle, or a hybrid (e.g., V‑model, Agile‑based). The core phases remain the same; only the flow and feedback loops differ.

2. Detailed Phase Breakdown

2.1 Planning & Feasibility

• Stakeholder identification – sponsors, end‑users, regulators.
• Scope definition – boundaries, high‑level objectives.
• Feasibility analysis –
  • Technical: available tech, expertise.
  • Economic: cost‑benefit, ROI.
  • Operational: impact on business processes.
• Risk assessment – identify, rank, and propose mitigation.

2.2 Requirements Analysis

• Elicitation techniques – interviews, workshops, questionnaires, observation.
• Documentation –
  • Functional requirements: “The system shall …”
  • Non‑functional requirements: performance, security, usability, reliability.
• Validation – walkthroughs, prototypes, stakeholder sign‑off.

2.3 Design

• Architectural design – choose patterns (e.g., MVC, microservices), define layers, decide on technology stack.
• Detailed design – class diagrams, sequence diagrams, API contracts, database schema.
• User‑interface design – wireframes, style guides, accessibility considerations.

2.4 Implementation (Coding)

• Coding standards – naming conventions, code style, documentation guidelines.
• Version control – Git branching model (feature, develop, release, hotfix).
• Continuous Integration (CI) – automated builds, static analysis, unit test execution.

2.5 Testing & Verification