Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC)

The Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC) is a standard process followed in the software industry to design, develop, and test high-quality software products. It ensures that software is built systematically, meets business requirements, and is delivered on time and within budget.

Example Use Case: E-Commerce Application Development

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📌 SDLC Phases

SDLC typically consists of the following phases:

1. Planning

This is the initial and most critical phase where:

• Requirements are gathered by Product Owners, Business Analysts, or Stakeholders.

• The goal is to understand what the customer needs.

• A feasibility study is conducted to assess the technical and financial aspects of the project.

2. Defining

• Clearly document the requirements in the Software Requirement Specification (SRS) document.

• This acts as a contract between the client and the development team.

3. Designing

🔹 High-Level Design (HLD)

• Focus on system architecture.

• Ensure the system is scalable, secure, and meets performance requirements.

• Define the database architecture, technology stack, and integration points.

🔹 Low-Level Design (LLD)

• Break down the HLD into detailed components.

• Specify class diagrams, data structures, and algorithms.

• This serves as a blueprint for developers.

🚀 At this stage, DevOps practices begin to play a role in automating and streamlining the upcoming phases.

4. Building (Development)

• Developers begin writing code based on the LLD.

• Code is version-controlled using tools like Git.

• Unit testing is performed during development to catch bugs early.

5. Testing

• The application is taken from the source code repository (Git) and deployed to the QA environment.

• QA engineers perform functional, integration, performance, and security testing to validate the product.

6. Deployment

• Once the product is tested and approved, it is deployed to the Production environment.

• This phase often involves CI/CD pipelines for smooth, automated delivery.

7. Post-Deployment (Maintenance)

• Monitor application health and performance.

• Fix production issues and implement minor enhancements.

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🛠 Role of DevOps in SDLC

DevOps is a culture and set of practices that automates and integrates the processes between software development and IT teams. It helps accelerate the SDLC by:

• Automating Build, Test, and Deployment processes.

• Using tools like Jenkins, Docker, Kubernetes, and GitLab CI/CD.

• Enabling Continuous Integration and Continuous Deployment (CI/CD).

✅ DevOps ensures faster delivery, better collaboration, and higher reliability.

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🔄 Agile Methodology in SDLC

Modern SDLC implementations often follow Agile methodology, where:

• Work is divided into small, manageable units called sprints.

• Continuous feedback from stakeholders is incorporated.

• The product evolves iteratively with a focus on customer collaboration and rapid delivery.

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✅ Summary