While the software development practice of DevOps has been growing in popularity and implementation, it has not yet advanced. Its effectiveness has been debated, but many feel that it remains mostly misunderstood, and thus undervalued. It is not a software developed life cycle model but is instead the practice of integrating the relationship between development and IT operations, thereby increasing efficiency and quality of the software development process.

Software development procedures are changing ever more quickly, at what seems like an exponential rate. This change is good for some, bad for others. One department that is finding this to be quite a nuisance is the quality assurance (QA) and testing department. QA testers track and maintain the quality of software that is based on both the internal and external features of that software. The external condition is determined based on how the software performs in real time scenario operational mode and how useful it is for users. The internal quality looks at the more ‘intrinsic’ aspects, dependent on the quality of the code and, unfortunately for QA testers, has become an easily automated process.

First presented by Herbert D. Benington at the Symposium on Advanced Programming Methods for Digital computers in 1956,[1] the original and most commonly used software development life cycle model, the Waterfall Model, has withstood the test of time. Referred to as the pioneer of the SDLC processes, it has outlasted nearly seven decades of newly invented models, as well as evolved models of itself.

Choosing a software development lifecycle (SDLC) can be a tedious process and can be overwhelming if you are not experienced in differentiating the distinction between them. The one you choose for your project depends on numerous factors that are specific to your scenario and tailored to your needs.

If you’re up to speed in the outsourcing practices of the software development industry, then you have noticed, and may even be considering (or already practicing) the newest outsourcing sub-trend: nearshoring. If not, let us start by explaining, in the context of the software development industry, the difference between these commonly used but often misunderstood terms:

Creating and managing a software development project takes time, money, patience, and about every other resource you can think of.  The beginning may be the most overwhelming part (that is until you get to the quality assurance testing and find that your software is riddled with bugs). But you should start somewhere, so let’s think regarding languages, and which is best for your project.

We’ve all heard these terms thrown around in a way that makes them seem completely interchangeable. And if you’re not in the tech industry, they might be interchangeable to you. Adding an area of focus into a title such as the systems, platforms, and programming languages can differentiate a skill set far more than the two basic titles of software developer and software programmer. But once you understand the difference between these two positions, you can begin to understand what the more compound titles are talking about.

So, let’s start there.

Planning a software development program is daunting. We wish we could say it’s the hardest part and that everything after that is a breeze, but if you’ve managed a project from beginning to end, you know it gets worse. To help you start off on the right foot, we offer a little bit of support by outlining some ways to calculate how many developers you need for your project. 

Tracking and evaluating the progress of software development programs is complicated and dependent on the characteristics of a project. But the initial step of setting up proper benchmarks can make this process much more feasible and can ensure that the rest of the process will turn out the way it was envisioned. To help you get started, we have compiled a checklist overview for setting up proper benchmarks for your specific software development project.

Just like anything that goes through a process of growth, development, and change, software development has definable life cycle stages. The Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC) describes the phases of software development and the order they progress. Each aspect results in deliverables which creates the basis to move onto the next step. Here we look at the six phases that are included in every software development life cycle.