Software development refers to activities performed to create, deeply maintain, develop, and design any software. The software is the set of instructions or programs that guide computers to do some work. Software is independent of hardware and is individual on its own. 

There are three different types of software:

  1. System Software: It provides the computer with core functions and instructions to operate and run the machine.
  2. Application Software: This software is designed to help users to perform different tasks efficiently. Different application software is being built to carry multiple user tasks. Application software is designed to carry out specific tasks related to the users' demands.
  3. Programming Software: This software gives programmers tools such as text editors, debugging tools, compilers, and others. 

All the above software has their specified importance. Multiple different software is built and developed according to users’ specifications. People develop this software with famous and renowned software developers, and bekey.io is one of them. 

What are the software development methodologies?

Successful projects are always based on different software development methodologies. They are managed well using specific software for them. There are multiple choices to make when choosing a specific software development methodology. The task describes the software development methodology that needs to take place specifically.

All methodologies have their own set of strengths and weaknesses. Users can easily compare one methodology with another and see the difference in using any of them. The difference can then work as a proper ground for that task.

There are four primary software development methodologies that multiple users use to complete their tasks:

  1. Agile Development Methodology
  2. DevOps Deployment Methodology
  3. Waterfall Development Methodology
  4. Rapid Application Development

Agile development

Agile development methodology is the first software development methodology to use. This method has got salient features and reliable points to use. One of the most significant advantages for which different teams use this method is that it minimizes different risks in adding new functionality. Agile prevents risks such as bugs, changing requirements, and cost overruns. 

In this methodology, all the software created is in iteration. They contain fewer or mini-increments of new functionality. Agile development methodology works on "Plan, Collaborate and Deliver." The management that uses the Agile Model can improve efficiency as the software is allowed to release in iterations. This iterative release helps the teams to find and fix any defects and improve their efficiency at the finest.

On the other hand, this software relies on a real-time communications network which causes new users to lack the documentation they need. The developer needs a colossal time commitment because they must fully complete each feature within each iteration.

Agile models can not prove their worth in front of large organizations’ management. It still needs some time and testing to provide management with advanced tools for better efficiency and results.

DevOps deployment

DevOps development methodology is the name of another software development methodology in the list. DevOps is a set of techniques an organization needs to process and practice in its environment and culture.

It consists of strategies for collaborating among different departments and enhancing the organizational environment's essence in a cycle structure. DevOps strategies are to code, build, test, release, deploy, operate, monitor, and plan. 

DevOps work to provide more security and reliability to the system by lowering failure rates of newly released products in the markets. It focuses on improving time to market in this rapidly changing environment. DevOps aims to automate continuous deployment and wants to provide more customer satisfaction, product efficiency, and employee productivity. 

On the other hand, this system becomes a source of displeasure for people who don't want continuous updates in their systems. Some industries also face difficulties moving onto a new operation phase because of their large-scale testing system.

Waterfall development

Among various models of system development, Waterfall is considered the most traditional one. This model is a step-by-step process. The waterfall method consists of different sequential phases; by nature, it is a linear model.

The phases or steps of the waterfall model include requirements, designs, implementation, verification, and maintenance, which lead to the achievement of different goals. Each phase of this process needs to be completed fully before moving on to the next phase.

The Waterfall is easy to understand and can compete with any latest model because of its simple nature. Things can easily be managed and get done in this approach. Projects having clear objectives mainly use Waterfall Development Model because it is easy to understand as well as easy to use too.

But its step-by-step nature causes a disadvantage to those organizations that needs rapid operations in their place. Due to its rigid structure, its often slow, and this factor allows different organizations to look for other system development methodologies.

Rapid application development

Rapid application development is a system producing high results with minimal or low investment cost. This system allows users to rapidly change according to the changing environment without wasting their time, effort, and productivity. RAD allows a fast-paced system in the rapidly changing market, which is why it is popular with many developers. 

This system consists of four phases of life: "Requirements planning, user design, construction, and cutover. " The middle two phases, i.e., "user design and construction," run in a cycle until the user confirms that he is delighted with this procedure.  

RAD is a quick development methodology that attracts users working on small and medium projects. Well-defined business objectives, clearly defined user groups, and time-sensitive projects are the most effective areas where Rapid Application Development can be processed and used.

RAD requires a high-skill team with stable composition. Those work groups with deep knowledge and high area of interest for the work. Organizations that fail to overcome these shortcomings can't use RAD in the first place.

Software development lifecycle – SDLC

Software development lifecycle or SDLC is the set of sequential steps and phases to develop different software. It consists of six to eight steps through which software development takes place. Planning, Requirements, Design, Building, documenting, Test, Deploy, and Maintaining are steps. These steps can be merged, split, omitted, or subtracted in each software development based on the project that is going to happen. 

SDLC consists of these core components. It also measures and improves efficiency and helps increase the productivity and effectiveness of any project. SDLC is a complete framework defining tasks to perform and extracting beneficial results from it.

This lifecycle promises to keep a comprehensive check and analysis on each step. SDLC ensures the meeting of multiple customers' satisfaction and strives to produce better future results. It also aims to provide cost-beneficial solutions to its customers and help them meet deadlines at the earliest.

SDLC has different phases, and they are defined below:

  1. Planning

Planning is the initial stage of SDLC, where the project heads evaluate the next possible steps. It includes creating timetables, mapping costs, structuring the teams and completing all the requirements in the initial stage.

  1. Defining Requirements

Defining requirements means determining the objectives of the application and its complete requirements. In this phase, resources are also planned out and gathered needed to build the project.

  1. Designing and Modeling

The next phase is the designing of the application. Multiple factors are seen in designing the application, such as platforms, programming codes, architecture, user interface, etc.

  1. Software Development

This is the actual program to be written by a single developer if it is a small project and by multiple developers in case of a large project. Documentations are done in this step, and the team writes the developers' coding. Major tasks are done here to develop software as per the needs.

  1. Testing

After making the software, it is passed through the testing phase, where different tests such as performance tests, operation tests, and security tests are applied to it. Software must pass through before presenting it to the general public.

  1. Deployment

The deployment phase means that the application is presented to the public. It can be a complex phase as well as an easy one, depending on the kind of software.

  1. Operation and Maintenance

In the last stage, different bugs are found and resolved to maintain the rhythm of the software. These bugs weren’t found during testing, and it is crucial to make these issues resolved at the earliest for the users.

Summary

There are different software development methodologies; each has its benefits and disadvantages when compared. Some of them are traditional, while others are advanced as compared to them. Organizations, businesses, entities, and work groups need to learn and properly go through each one of them to select which framework of processes reflects more with their ideology and choose it.