Software Development Life Cycle Guide With Examples

The IT industry is all about software and services. One wrong code and you land in the territory of glitches. Therefore, learning essential software development skills is imperative for technological advancement. To start with, let us know what SDLC is and its examples.

SDLC or Software Development Life Cycle covers the entire process of creating software, from planning to manifestation. The stages in the cycle include a lot of steps that focus on maintaining and preparing the source code. These include conceiving, designing, specifying, programming, etc.

This helps programmers concentrate on maintaining frameworks, applications, and various software components. Unless one knows and understands the stages in detail, the ball is not easy to play. Learn more about SDLC examples and their importance in this article. Let’s start.

What Is The Software Development Life Cycle?

To elaborate, the Software Development Life Cycle or the SDLC is the procedure of producing software at a low cost, less time, and yet of the highest quality.

Under this, well-structured progress of phases is visible that each organization focuses on very seriously. This allows them to create high-quality software after testing the software rigorously and then making it ready for manufacturing.

There are essentially six phases to this methodology, and they are as follows:

• Analysis of requirement
• Planning the development
• Design of the software, like the architectural design
• Developing the software
• Conducting tests
• Deployment of software

The most popular Software Development Projects Examples or models are the Agile Model, Spiral Model, and Waterfall Model.

Understanding Software Development Life Cycle Stages

There are some Development Life Cycle Stages that dictate the entire process. They are as follows.

In the concern of the Software Development Life Cycle Template, let’s understand the main stages one-by-one in detail.

Project Initiation

After you have decided on which project to go forward with and signed the agreement, the next phase is initiating it. This is when the entire software development life cycle starts, and you have to figure out the project goal.

Thereafter, the team has to state the success criteria associated with the project and its goal. In case you are under a T&M contract with the company, this phase is still important to go through.

The next point of concern in this phase of an SDLC Example is to make a Project Charter. In that, you have to prepare and define which factors would work with the project in question. After that, you have to figure out who the key stakeholders are for the process.

There are many points of the process where they would give their input, such as:-

• User Experience
• Hardware Specifications
• User Interface
• Technical Limitations
• Software architecture, and
• The environment of the development

While you can get feedback on such points from the customers and clients, that is not enough. Having expertise from within your team and outside would help you create the perfect Software Development Projects Examples.

After making out the project motto and aim, you can hire dedicated developers to develop the concept.

Concept Development

Indeed, developing software is not a one-way road; there are different manners of creating web applications. One of the most important and useful ones in this regard is to develop and design the concept first.

For the application that you wish to create, you have to make a conceptual wireframe and design. If the detailing is not set, that is still fine; as long as you have a basic framework to refer to in later stages.

Of course, there is a great reason why you should focus on this stage more carefully, especially regarding the stakeholders. Having a concept design ready would give them a more substantial project to focus on, and they would engage more.

Not all the stakeholders would understand the more complicated development language. Thus, such simplified imagery would help them realize the end-product better.

Aside from the design part of the concept development stage, the technicalities are also important in an SDLC Example.

This is because not all the projects can work with the already available solutions and needs more specific requirements. In such a situation, your team has to create a whole new concept that would bring the correct outcome you desire.

Here, you can take the help of the best experts in this field to exchange ideas with, and figure out unique solutions. In case you cannot find the correct solution after brainstorming, you have to continue with the present approaches.

And if you need more time and resources to work the solution better, your Software Development Projects Example may get canceled. Overall, this stage is often termed as the gateway stage.

Planning

After clearing the concept, the next obvious step is to create a plan. If the project is a large one, you have to create a completely full-fledged plan from the first step. Thus, it is better to start off with smaller projects if you are a beginner.

It is more simple and easy to handle and plan. However, it is important to mention here that most teams focus on creating a customized approach to each project management program.

Thus, you can go forward with using the already present approaches, like Kanban and Scrum variations. Or, you can make a completely customized plan, instead. As for the main points that are covered during the SDLC Example planning, they are as follows.

• Figuring out the scope of the project
• Settling milestones
• Estimating the costs and time required
• Identifying the expertise and resources that you would need also comes under this particular phase.

Therefore, by the end of this SDLC phase, you may have committed to delivering on time the product in its complete form.

Or, you would have created the plan for project management. In the case of the former, you would have to figure out how to work the project as per the organization’s customs.

Requirements

The next of the Product Development Life Cycle Stages is to figure out what you would need to complete it. To do that, you can adopt the following methods.

• Hold interviews
• Brainstorming with the team
• Create and distribute surveys and questionnaires
• Mind mapping
• Depend on focus groups
• Notice wireframes
• Analyze the relevant documents
• Listen to user stories

You do not need to follow any particular step only to gather requirements. As long as the software engineers understand what you need as requirements, you can continue making the SDLC with Example.

You can tweak the requirements and make it more suitable for future projects too.

Following this, focus on implementing the high-level practical analysis of the project with the requirements.

Designing

At the design stage of the software development life cycle, you would notice two specific aspects.

• UI and UX Design
• Technical Architecture

In this portion of working through SDLC Real Life Example, you have to probe the previously gathered requirements. Following that, you need to figure out the UI or User Interface design that would make the service or application functional.

Plus, you need to create an architecture that can hold all the requirements in a way that would work for them.

The designs that you would develop are in the following manners.

• Workflow diagrams
• Wireframes
• Mockups
• Listed Frameworks, Technologies, and Libraries
• Documented description of the Architecture

Following this, you can get started with the coding process that would work toward the proper development of the product.

Development

After planning, gathering, and designing, the next step of the Software Development Life Cycle Template is executing it.

The programmers would start with the coding process on a day-to-day basis. Selecting the framework of your choice, you have to continue with the development procedure at this point.

Developing effective software solutions is crucial for enterprise use and here dedicated development team plays a vital role in bringing ease and pace to the software development process.

You have to prepare a working prototype or model of the application and show it to the stakeholders. That would increase their engagement and create a better quality product.

They would suggest changes or more specifications that you need to implement in the SDLC Example. At this point in the life cycle, you have to consider their points and repeat and increment the project continuously.

However, while this stage may demand more time, you still have to deliver the end-project on a scheduled date. The deadline and budget that the client specified cannot get changed, and you have to keep that in mind.

Integration

All the applications nowadays integrate completely with other services, and you have to focus on giving your application the same functionality.

This is especially important in companies, as their employee information is generally synced to another database.

Thus, you need to focus on integrating your software with these databases, so that you can access their storage space.

In terms of what services to integrate the SDLC Example with, one name is the third-party providers. These include Cloud applications like Dropbox, among others.

Also, you have to make your software soluble with the market you are selling at and the business processes of the client company.

There is a lot of collaboration that is involved at this stage, which makes it very time-consuming. Thus, you should check for the requirements and possible risks for integration from the beginning.

While it is part of the development process, it involves a lot of complicated elements. Owing to this, treating it as a phase in an SDLC Example is most suitable.

Testing

In the final stretches of the development process, it is important to handle the final testing. Not only is testing important as a separate stage but also it is necessary at the other stages too.

If you handle this throughout the beginning stages, that would help you detect and correct any issues beforehand. If you test it well and find no defects in the program, that ensures Quality Assurance.

Even if there are some minor defects in the program, people can still use it. However, you should know the latest Software Testing Trends to give a perfect result in a custom software development company. But you have to check and see if they are of working condition and provide the list of problems during certification.

Deployment

During the deployment period of the software Product Development Life Cycle Stages, you have to deliver it to a hardware.

Whether it is a mobile device, PC, server, or MAC, you have to use the software on these devices. Overall, the main purpose at this stage is to make the software you developed accessible to end-users.

For deployment on desktops or phones, you have to prepare an installer for your software to work with them. Plus, you have to provide this installer in mobile application stores like Google Play or App Store.

On the other hand, if you are deploying it to a server, you have to upload the application directly into it. Then, the next step for a programmer is to connect this application to other servers and services.

Maintenance

The maintenance of the application occurs throughout the Development Life Cycle Stages, but sometimes, you would notice a shorter period of it.

This usually appears after deployment, when some development team members keep working on the application still. During this period, they look for any critical issues that previously left their notice, and they fix it.

Later, after some months of verification and user testing, the support work is passed to a different support team.

Closure, Hand-off, and Support

In the last phase of the SDLC Example, you still need to put in more effort. You have to gather everything about the application you created and its specifications and pass it to another support team.

You need to identify many other requirements, though these you should prepare beforehand.

Plus, you have to provide extra documents, what more capabilities are needed later, etc.

However, like the identification of the requirements, you have to understand and plan the hand-off process beforehand.

Understanding SDLC Models

There are some common Software Life Cycle Examples or SDLC models available. They are as given below.

Agile Model

A major characteristic of the Agile Model is that it demarcates the product into different cycles and produces a working product quickly.

There is a succession of many releases that is a common point of this process. After each of the releases is tested, that back information is used in the following version for more improvement.

However, there is a drawback in this model and that revolves around the dependency on customer interaction.

Indeed, in some particular cases, focusing more heavily on these interactions often turns the development in the wrong direction.

When To Use Agile Model?

• To implement new changes
• To implement a feature that would require some extra hours 
• Very few initial requirements
• Product owner involvement is high

Waterfall Model

This particular SDLC Example is the most straightforward type of model, and it is essentially the oldest too. The main characteristic of this methodology is that programmers focus on each step, one after the other.

After finishing the first from the beginning to the end, they jump on to the next phase, and this continues.

This is the reason for its name, as there is a mini-plan for each of the phases, and they waterfall into their next after completion.

There is, of course, a drawback to this as well. When one does not complete the smallest details, that can stagnate the entire procedure.

When To Use Waterfall Model?

• When requirements are clear from the beginning
• No ambiguous requirements from the client
• Good understanding of technology
• The short-term project with low risk

V-Shaped Model

This SDLC Example is a continuation or similar to the Waterfall Model in its essence. Like the previously mentioned model, this too concentrates on the testing process in each level of the process. And similar to the Waterfall Model again, it sees the same kind of problem.

When To Use V-Model?

• When you’re dealing with small or medium size projects
• Plenty of technical resources are available
• Requirements are clearly defined
• When you want to track continuous progress

Iterative Model

The main point of concern in the Iterative model is the concentration on repetitiveness. In this, the top software developers who are using this particular version of the SDLC Example make it very quickly.

After doing so, they test the software over and over again and keep on improving on the previous version with little cost.

This leads to the creation of more successful versions in the following line. As for the drawback of this model, that lies in the quantity of resources it takes up. If not checked in time, this number increases highly.

When To Use Iterative Model?

• When major requirements are defined
• Developers are learning new technology during the project
• There are chances of changes in the near future
• When the project is for a long-term

Spiral Model

Out of all the Software Development Examples, the one that is the most flexible is the Spiral Model. It concentrates a lot on repetition, something that is very similar to the Iterative Model.

In this, the SDLC goes through each of the stages vigorously. It checks the planning of the process, what the design is like, what the build is, how the testing process is occurring, etc.

If any discrepancy appears, this methodology goes back to the first step and continues. This repetition occurs over and over through each phase. And each time, the stages showcase advancement, until finally, the software is ready for deployment.

When To Use Spiral Model?

• When the project is for a long term
• When there are frequent releases
• The creation of a prototype is compulsory
• For medium to high-risk projects

Big Bang Model

Among all the models, this SDLC Example is a high-risk model. The maximum of the resources in the Big Bang model focuses on the development phases. This is more suitable for smaller projects rather than the bigger and more complicated ones.

There is, of course, a drawback in this model too. And that is the lack of definition stage of each of the methods. In fact, not even the most important requirements of each of the parts are mentioned in this option.

Owing to this, it is less preferred among all the models except for by smaller companies who use it in their comparatively smaller project outlines and software.

When To Use Big Bang Model?

• When there is no pre-planning
• When there are a limited amount of resources
• Suitable for a short-term project
• Good for study and learning purpose

Software Development Life Cycle Best Practices: Secure SDLC

After understanding the different phases in the SDLC and its projects, the next point that you should focus on is its best practices. And the most crucial one to consider among them is Secure SDLC.

This comes into focus in order to face the most important concerns of modern cyber-security. To understand What Is SDLC Example, this is important to look into as well as security is an important factor.

The first step that the software teams should look into starts at the first stages, i.e., Project Requirements and Analysis. They should figure out which criteria and policies would best ensure the safety of the solution.

After this, they should focus on threat modeling, which basically means testing the software’s high-security-risk environments and scenarios.

In the following stages, the quality assurance managers and programmers should keep the potential risks in mind. And consequently, approach their duties with pre-planned safeguards for such potential risk areas in an SDLC Real Life Example.

As for the deployment stage, you should implement advanced systems for intrusion detection for more secure software development.

Benefits Of Software Development Life Cycle

There are many benefits that are visible in the Software Development Life Cycle with Example. They are as follows.

• The main reason why a company chooses to adopt these examples is to completely manage the development process.
• It helps in managing the budget of the project.
• Those who are participating in the development process better understand their roles and that stops any unnecessary conflicts from arising.
• Helps figure out a concrete working plan.
• It allows the team to get a better and clearer picture of the action plan.
• One can improve the cost of each part of the development process, and management of resources too with an SDLC Example.

Of course, it is also important to understand here that these advantages are not a general thing for every team. How well a team performs their tasks and the expertise of the managers of each project defines what benefits they would notice.

If the team does not perform diligently at any stage, the final product would come out damaged or low-quality.

SDLC Real-Time Example: Projects

In order to Explain SDLC with Real Life Example, it is crucial to look at some real and successful projects with SDLC models. They are:-

Streaming-Related Hybrid Applications

A company that provides streaming services for videos took the help of software developers to make their service better. The main aim of the project was the chance for people to stream videos online on tablets, gaming consoles, smartphones, etc.

The team of developers signed a T&M pricing model and created the framework keeping with the baseline of Backbone.js.

With the help of the new architecture, the development costs decreased, new features could be added, cloud support was visible, among others.

Related to the streaming services, the developers added features like movie renting features and SVOD in this SDLC Real Life Example.

The programmers centered on stabilizing the product and delivered on the counts of customizable multi-screen features, too.

Innovative CMS Platform

A company with a need to create a management solution for web content took the help of an SDLC Example. The scope was to expand on their available CMS and make its UI more advanced.

The purpose of this new UI was to create websites, mobile solutions, and intranets for companies and manage them in an efficient manner.

The developers chose to go with the Agile model as the SDLC Example for this project. They started off with a web framework of the open-source variety but replaced this with a customized one.

This allowed protecting the CMS API from experiencing any unwanted changes. Furthermore, the team of developers implemented a visual editor and an amenable admin UI in the layout template.

Not to mention, the programmers made it possible to add updates to the platforms later, and improved the security too. Finally, at the stage of solution stabilization of this SDLC Real Life Example, the testing specialists checked to see if everything was in working order.

Aside from the ability to continuously get updates, this CMS platform was made accessible for continuous testing too.

After doing so, the developers provided the finished CMS platforms with flexible and modern architecture to their client. Plus, they continued providing support and maintenance to the company for years too.

Chintan Gor

CTO, eSparkBiz

Enthusiastic for web app development, Chintan Gor has zeal in experimenting with his knowledge of Node, Angular & React in various aspects of development. He keeps on updating his technical know-how thus pinning his name among the topmost CTO's in India. His contribution is penned down by him through various technical blogs on trending tech. He is associated with eSparkBiz from the past 14+ years where one can get premium services.