What is SDLC?
The software development life cycle (SDLC) is the process that Software Developers follow when they’re making an application or piece of software. Every software company goes through these same five phases when they’re creating any type of program, whether it’s a web application, mobile app, desktop program, game, or whatever else. The five phases are design, implementation, testing, integration, and maintenance. We’ll go into detail about each phase in this article to give you a better idea of what it takes to create software from start to finish.

5 Phases of Software Development Life Cycle:

Stages of SDLC
1) Discovery
Discovering what the customer needs is an important part of building software. Software development life cycle is a term that encompasses all the stages a product goes through in order to get built, used, and maintained. It is a continual process that doesn't end when the software launches; it's an on-going process.

2) Design
Sorting software into phases simplifies the process. It can also help clarify goals, show how you've progressed, and provide a reference point for when your company may need to change direction or pivot. It's important for companies to understand what happens in each phase and what it entails.

3) Implementation
Planning and implementation is the phase of software development life cycle that defines the scope of work, such as requirements and design. The plan can be defined in detail or abstractly based on the context of the project. In this phase, multiple stakeholders gather together to create an implementation plan which should include roles and responsibilities, resources needed, tasks, timelines, risks and estimates. Implementation plans usually also include issue tracking methods for capturing software defects in a project.

4) Testing
System testing refers to the process in which individual software components are examined for defects. These are potential defects that could not be detected through earlier testing phases or even with other system components. There are three major types of system testing, black box testing, white box testing and gray box testing. The first is black box, where the tester may only have limited knowledge about how the software functions but tests from an external perspective. In contrast, white box assumes intimate knowledge about how a product operates.

5) Deployment and Maintenance
It's crucial that you always have contingency plans in place when it comes to development. This will help make sure that your entire team is on the same page and that all bugs are fixed before the next release. Things can go wrong, so be ready for them! For example, if a server crashes during deployment, make sure you have a backup plan.

It’s also important to keep software maintenance in mind; this includes updates like bug fixes or patching security vulnerabilities. While these may not seem as exciting as new features or entirely new products, they're just as important! They'll ensure the longevity of your product by ensuring the latest updates get out quickly without any delays from mistakes or oversights. On top of that, upgrades can increase customer satisfaction with your product by providing better functionality or adding more options.

Final Term
Knowing about SDLC will help the team organize their projects in a manner that is designed to allow for the development to be well-paced and stress-free. It will also ensure that development efforts are properly aligned with organizational expectations. One crucial element of a SDLC is that it allows for proper preparation and testing before software goes live.

Another important aspect of SDLC is that it offers an opportunity for customers to share feedback and other insights, which can then be implemented into the next iteration of the product. A final phase includes continual review to monitor how changes made at each stage affect both project quality and cost; this should happen periodically during the life cycle so as not to interrupt workflows.