What is software development?
Software development refers to a set of computer science activities that are dedicated to the process of creating, designing, deploying and supporting software.
Software itself is the set of instructions or programs that tell a computer what to do. It is independent of hardware and makes computers programmable.
The goal of software development is to create a product that meets user needs and business objectives in an efficient, repeatable and secure way. Software developers, programmers and software engineers develop software through a series of steps called the software development lifecycle (SDLC). Artificial intelligence-powered tools and generative AI are increasingly used to assist software development teams in producing and testing code.
Modern enterprises often use a DevOps model—a set of practices, protocols and technologies used to accelerate the delivery of higher-quality applications and services. DevOps teams combine and automate the work of software development and IT operations teams. DevOps teams focus on continuous integration and continuous delivery (CI/CD), processes that use automation to deploy small, frequent updates to continually improve software performance.
So much of modern life—business or otherwise—relies on software solutions. From the phones and computers used for personal tasks or to complete our jobs, to the software systems in use at the utility companies that deliver services to homes, businesses and more. Software is ubiquitous and software development is the crucial process that brings these applications and systems to life.
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Types of software
Types of software include system software, programming software, application software and embedded software:
- System software provides core functions such as operating systems, disk management, utilities, hardware management and other operational necessities.
- Programming software gives programmers tools such as text editors, compilers, linkers, debuggers and other tools to create code.
- Application software (applications or apps), such as office productivity suites, data management software, media players and security programs help users complete specific tasks. Applications also refer to web and mobile applications such as those used to shop on retail websites or interact with content on social media sites.
- Embedded software is used to control devices not typically considered computers including telecommunications networks, cars, industrial robots and more. These devices and their software, can be connected as part of the Internet of Things (IoT).
Software can be designed as custom software or commercial software. Custom software development is the process of designing, creating, deploying and maintaining software for a specific set of users, functions or organizations.
In contrast, commercial off-the-shelf software (COTS) is designed for a broad set of requirements, enabling it to be packaged and commercially marketed and distributed.
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Who develops software?
Programmers, software engineers and software developers primarily conduct software development. These roles interact, overlap and have similar requirements, such as writing code and testing software. The dynamics between them vary greatly across development departments and organizations.
Programmers (coders)
Programmers, or coders, write source code to program computers for specific tasks such as merging databases, processing online orders, routing communications, conducting searches or displaying text and graphics. They also debug and test software to make sure the software does not contain errors.
Programmers typically interpret instructions from software developers and engineers and use programming languages such as C++, Java™, JavaScript and Python to implement them.
Software engineers
Software engineers design, develop, test and maintain software applications. As a managerial role, software engineers engage in problem solving with project managers, product managers and other team members to account for real-world scenarios and business goals. Software engineers consider full systems when developing software, making sure that operating systems meet software requirements and that various pieces of software can interact with each other.
Beyond the building of new software, engineers monitor, test and optimize applications after they are deployed. Software engineers oversee the creation and deployment of patches, updates and new features.
Software developers
Like software engineers, software developers design, develop and test software. Unlike engineers, they usually have a specific, project-based focus.
A developer might be assigned to fix an identified error, work with a team of developers on a software update or to develop a specific aspect of a new piece of software. Software developers require many of the same skills as engineers but are not often assigned to manage full systems.
Steps in the software development process
The software development life cycle (SDLC) is a step-by-step process that development teams use to create high-quality, cost-effective and secure software. The steps of the SDLC are:
- Planning
- Analysis
- Design
- Implementation
- Testing
- Deployment
- Maintenance
These steps are often interconnected and might be completed sequentially or in parallel depending on the development model an organization uses, the software project and the enterprise. Project managers tailor a development team’s workflows based on the resources available and the project goals.
The SDLC includes the following tasks, though the tasks might be p