The structured series of stages software goes through, from planning and design to building, testing, release, and maintenance.
The software development life cycle, or SDLC, gives teams a shared framework for turning an idea into working software and keeping it running. Common stages are requirements gathering, design, implementation, testing, deployment, and maintenance. Different methodologies move through these stages in different ways.
In the waterfall model, each stage is completed before the next begins. In Agile approaches, teams cycle through all stages in short iterations, releasing small improvements frequently. For example, a team building a booking app might plan, build, test, and release a basic reservation feature in two weeks, then repeat the cycle for reminders and payments. Security is increasingly built into every stage, an approach often called a secure SDLC, rather than checked only before launch.
An iterative approach to software development that delivers work in small increments and adapts to feedback instead of following a fixed upfront plan.
Quality AssuranceThe process of ensuring software meets requirements and quality standards through planning, testing, and continuous improvement.
Waterfall ModelA sequential software development approach in which each phase, from requirements to maintenance, is completed before the next begins.
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The software development life cycle explained phase by phase, with the deliverables each stage produces and how modern agile and DevOps teams compress the cycle.
A practical, section-by-section outline for a software requirements document, with examples that both clients and developers can understand and use.