Software Application Development: Definition, Main Stages, and Efficient Models
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Application development is quite a complex process that covers several stages and requires a lot of knowledge, skills, and time from developers. Learn more about it from this article and put the knowledge into practice already today!
Understanding Software Application Development
The digital revolution, the Internet of Things, e-commerce, intelligent business models, virtual money, online services, remote work – all these concepts have already become part of our lives and are a symbol of digital transformation. Any serious commercial project requires the production of software in the form of web services, classic desktop programs, or mobile applications.
However, creating software is impossible without sufficient knowledge of digital technologies and experience writing mobile, online, and application programs. If you want to find effective software development solutions, visit the JATAPP application development website and get support from professional developers.
Customers from different countries of the world contact JatApp because it provides a full product development cycle, cost-effectiveness, and excellent service. So, be sure that you will get the highest quality software application development services there. Read more about software development, its main stages, and effective models below.
What Is the Definition of an App?
What is an app? It is a program or set of programs designed for an end-user to achieve a task or accomplish a goal. Initially, applications were offered as productivity and information tools, such as a calendar, email, or weather forecast. However, the market quickly expanded due to user needs and the availability of developer tools.
The most popular category of apps among users today is utilities. Network integrations, tools for viewing and editing photos and videos, games, video players, navigators, and local TV programs are the major application categories in the world.
The use of apps in a person’s life plays a significant role. This is mainly due to their convenience and wide use, which makes life easier.
What Is App Development?
Software application development is a process aimed at generating and maintaining the functionality, quality, as well as reliability of a software product. It uses methodologies, technologies, and practices from IT, project management, mathematics, engineering, and other areas of knowledge.
Like other traditional engineering disciplines, application development deals with issues of quality, price, and reliability. Some programs consist of millions of lines of source code that must work correctly in constantly changing conditions. The complexity of the software being developed can be compared to the complexity of modern multifunctional machines (such as for example, airplanes).
The effective app developing process helps automate many business tasks. You can get a tool that:
- Solves problems;
- Optimizes processes;
- Simplifies company management;
- Improves customer experience;
- Takes the company to a new level, etc.
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Software Development Guide: Simple Steps to Follow
The use of unified rules and technology leads to a significant increase in the efficiency of the created application. A single app development process includes the methodology, methods, standards, and tools that must be used to perform all the work in the course of developing applications.
In general, there are several main application development stages:
- Software project planning;
- Clarification of customer requirements;
- Software product designing;
- App development;
- Testing;
- Software maintenance.
If you want to learn how to develop an application correctly, you need to study each step carefully. Read the descriptions below.
Software Project Planning
During the planning stage, all the main tasks that must be completed in the development process are determined. An assessment of the financial, human, technical, and non-technical resources, scope, and complexity of the app being developed is made. The methods and techniques of work performance are determined. Temporary work execution traffic is built.
Clarification of Customer Requirements
During this stage, developers analyze the requirements for the software product. The form of information presentation, required functions, necessary interfaces, existing restrictions, etc. are taken into account. This stage serves to develop a mutual understanding between developers and the customer regarding the requirements for the application. It allows eliminating the uncertainties of the requirements and creating a clear, unambiguous understanding of all the details regarding the future software and its testability.
Software Product Designing
This stage is designed to develop and refine the model of the software product being created. Such a model defines the structure of the software, the organization of modules, interfaces, and data, the description of which is necessary for the next stage of implementation.
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App Development
During this stage, developers convert the results of the designing stage into program codes. Developers work with the software test engineer to create the right environment for testing. In addition, the developers work on the creation of technical documentation and begin to plan and implement the integration of an app.
Testing
The testing stage does not have a clearly defined start. But the earlier it starts, the more confidence that the application being developed will exactly meet the requirements of the customer. All testing activities must be performed by a special worker – a tester. He/she designs the tests, executes the test procedure, and reports the test results.
Software Maintenance
The maintenance stage focuses on making changes to the application. These changes may be related to the elimination of errors, additional wishes of the customer, etc.
Basic Software Application Development Models
There are several popular software development models but 3 of them are most used today:
- The waterfall model implies a rigid division of the software development process into stages. The transition from one stage to another is carried out only after the work at the previous stage is fully completed. Each stage culminates in the release of a complete set of documentation, sufficient for development to be continued by another team;
- The spiral model involves the creation of a system iteratively, moving in a spiral and going through the same stages, at each turn specifying the characteristics of the future product. Its most famous variant is RUP (Rational Unified Process) from Rational and MSF (Microsoft Solution Framework);
- The agile model is a methodology based on a cyclical method in which conditions and solutions develop through the mutual work of self-organizing cross-functional teams. Thanks to this model, it is possible to make the project management process more streamlined.
Thus, application development is a purposeful process that allows transforming user needs into a software product. It includes a number of important steps and is an integral part of software engineering. The use of the best software to develop apps is justified today, as it greatly helps users and allows them to simplify and optimize many tasks.
