Development cycle - Definition and Overview

The Software Development Cycle is the idea that software is developed in five stages, each dependent upon the first's completion (however, during subsequent phases alterations to previous phases can and mostly should be made).

Note that where I use "system" I mean "software system being designed".

The phases are: Requirements Analysis (finding out exactly what has to be made, containing functional and nonfunctional requirements), Design Phase (where the blueprints and plans are made), Implementation and Unit Testing phase (where you build separate components and test them), Integration and System testing (put them all together and test these joint components until the entire system is operational and has been tested), and lastly Development and Maintenance (maintaning, upgrading, and expanding the system after it has been released. This includes providing a supporting website and manual and drivers etc).

JP