Stages in software development

The software development process may change as per the size of the software project and the requirements of the clients. We have outlined the standard software development process. 

Preliminary Consultation: 

Usually the procedure begins with a consultation between the developer and the client. The developer will gather preliminary information about the client’s business and their requirements. Once the developer knows the business requirements he/she will provide the client with an estimate of time, budget and project scope. Consulting plays an important role in the delivery of strong and efficient software solutions. In a nutshell consulting is the key to good software that performs well consistently, regardless of circumstantial factors. 

Planning: 

Before a program is created, it is important to have a well-laid plan. The vital aspect of the planning stage is to decide the system architecture. However, in many companies least importance is given to architecture of the software. As a result the developer ends up with either a system of weak architecture or the absence of documented specifications. 

System Analysis and Design: 

The next stage in software application development is to create the architecture of the program. In this stage the software's overall structure is defined. Everything from client/server technology, database design and the data structure design are drafted in this stage. Organizations often treat this stage of software development as the beginning of software’s actual creation. 

Code Generation: 

Once the design has been drafted it must be translated into a machine-readable form. If the design stage has been performed meticulously then coding can be done easily. 

Testing: 

The next stage in software development is testing. Different organizations use different testing methodologies to fix the bugs committed during the previous mentioned phases. There are various testing tools and methodologies already available. Companies also create their own testing tools that are custom made for their own development operations.