Software development

Software development is the process of designing, creating, testing, and maintaining software applications to meet specific user needs or business objectives. The process is more encompassing than programming, writing code, because it includes conceiving the goal, evaluating feasibility, analyzing requirements, design, testing and release. The process is part of software engineering which also includes organizational management, project management, configuration management and other aspects.

Software development involves many skills and job specializations, including programming, testing, documentation, graphic design, user support, marketing, and fundraising. Common types of tools are compilers, integrated development environments (IDEs), and version control.

The details of the process used for a development effort vary. The process may be confined to a formal, documented standard, or it can be customized and emergent for the development effort. The process may be sequential, in which each major phase (i.e., design, implement, and test) is completed before the next begins, but an iterative approach—where small aspects are separately designed, implemented, and tested—can reduce risk and cost and increase quality.