Software development methodologies are an essential part of the software development process. Custom software development may use various methodologies for managing their daily operations. There are many benefits and drawbacks to using software development methodologies. The primary purpose of methodologies is to provide smooth software development per your project requirements.
What are Software Development Methodologies?
The software development methodology is a process that executes when working on any project. It is an amalgamation of pragmatic realism and design philosophies that takes you back to the early computing days. The basic goal of these processes is to give a structured approach to software development.
With each passing year, there are many software development methodologies that are introduced to motivate the available resources and technologies. These frameworks provide platforms for developers to work together more efficiently and as a team. It determines how the data is shared in the team and formalizes communication between the members.
There are different IT companies that agree that having software development methods is crucial for their team. However, choosing the best methodology is still a crucial question. It is because each methodology consists of its own pros and cons. Choosing the best depends on the requirements, team structure, and other goals. It is also possible to use various methodologies for various projects.
Top Software Development Methodologies
There are various software development methodologies for developing software for different firms. Let’s learn more about each methodology in detail.
Waterfall Development Methodology
Rather decades since the waterfall development methodology was used, this methodology is relevant in many projects even today. It is a linear, simple procedure where development stages are sequential and cascading processes.
The waterfall methodology is easy to understand, which makes it well-known for members with less design experience. Each step must be executed before going to the next step. For instance, the project needs should be established prior to any project design commencing.
Just like waterfall methodology flows in any one direction, there is avoiding or ignoring any steps in this approach. This feature makes waterfall methodology non-flexible and avoids projects which require regular updates.
Pros:
Predictability- Waterfall methodology provides a structured and clear plan for developing software that makes it quicker to predict timelines and milestones. Phased development- Each development stage should be executed before starting the next step. This process minimizes errors and makes the management process easier. Documentation- The waterfall method requires special documentation at every development stage. This feature ensures clear and precise communication between stakeholders and teams. Clear requirements- The waterfall method requires the assurance that project requirements are clear and upfront and ensures that every team member is on the same page.Cons:
Bounded feedback- Each software development stage when completed before moving to another step. So, there’s a little time for giving feedback. This may result in situations where the final product may not meet the requirements of the stakeholders. Inflexible method- The waterfall method is rigid and is not flexible for making quick changes in the development process. Hefty development cycle- This method requires the development stage to be executed before beginning with the next step. The development process can be time-consuming and lengthy.Agile Development Methodology
Agile development methodology is possibly the most popular software development methodology currently days. It takes a new approach from linear and conventional methods. This method focuses on satisfying the end-users rather than emphasizing documentation and stiff procedures.
With Agile methodology, functions are broken into smaller sprints that take about 1-4 weeks to complete. It is a repetitive model that has various tests involved in different software development processes. Developers seek feedback from customers and update the software.
Communication is the key priority in Agile methodology, especially between customers, users, and developers.
Pros:
Software development has almost minimum defects due to its iterative effort features in fine-tuning and testing. Clear communication is required between team members during the development process. It is because of transparent and frequent development. Frequent updates in any project are addressed easily and worked on with a small impact on the development timeline. Overall improvement in the deliverable quality of the project.Cons:
The team can sometimes lose focus because of overwhelming update requests. Agile development lacks proper documentation which can create a problem later. Agile development can be time-consuming as it focuses mainly on feedback and time-consuming. As it has a non-structured approach, Agile development needs to be experienced developers for proper working; and this feature can add more cost to the budget.Extreme Programming Method
Extreme Programming methodology is a software development approach that is suitable while working with unstable projects; it engages the customer in maximum ways. Moreover, the flexibility of this process is more than other methodologies.
This method is believed to increase the software quality, and it also has a strong ability to welcome dynamic and on-demand changes in the project. Additionally, it also has features of constant communication and feedback for developing a happy environment in the team and effective communication.
Pros:
The major benefit is that this method allows significant customer involvement that ultimately results in high-quality project development. A stable final product is made at the end of this methodology due to its feature of continuous software testing. Higher flexibility level than other methods. Developers can implement immediate changes instantly in the project. Project code is made comprehensive, easy to understand and clear. No rush of timelines, developers can work peacefully at their own speed.Cons:
Project efficiency is dependent on the developers and teams involved. Unknown and vague future results Client will always be there for feedback while working with extreme development methods Large development time and higher development costDevOps Methodology
DevOps methodology is popular amongst software development technologies as it has unconditional advantages for its customers. The ongoing operations of Development and Operations are not similar to the features of DevOps.
Development and operations are the two departments that are working together like a single team functioning for maintaining the entire life-cycle. This method works well for almost all businesses. The continuous delivery model and continuous integration model allow the DevOps team to perform every function simultaneously while developing the project. It also helps with assuring quality, security, and much more while developing and deploying projects.
Businesses are selecting DevOps because of its lean and agile approach that helps with the crisp collaboration of almost all stages that are involved in the SDLC (Software development life cycle).
Pros:
The faster process feature of this method allows multiple processes to work simultaneously which makes the final process easier and faster. Adopting changes in the market, Development, and Operations helps businesses to grow effectively and bring definite business leads. It is a reliable method. With updates and changes in any product and infrastructure, the developed project is secure and robust and has competitive advantages against similar projects. DevOps allows businesses and organizations to offer rapid and quick deliveries. Microservices along with continuous delivery are quick features of DevOps that give organizations continuity and updates rapidly. This method helps with continuous innovation and improvement of products for the betterment of the whole project. This method is collaborative and pillared on various strong features of ownership and accountability. Both, the operations team and development team are working in sync with various activities of SDLC to deploy and deliver effective and faster products.Cons:
There’s a demand for cultural changes in DevOps. Businesses have to restart their processes for growing efficiently. Organizational upgradation is also an important factor for businesses to upgrade the business from different conventional processes to distributing into multiple tasks that allows them to use various skills at the same time. Security and speed are not always achieved while using DevOps. For critical software engineering projects, there are companies that cannot assure security and speed in a single DevOps workflow.Lean Development Method
Lean method of development came out from the lean manufacturing principles made by Toyota. This method focuses on minimizing wastage and increasing project productivity. With different principles, developers can avoid non-productive activities while delivering quality in their functions and tasks.
This is a Toyota-inspired method that helps with continuous deferment and learning of decisions. It also empowers the team to keep an open mind while the development course is going on and to consider all facts before finalizing any decision.
With lean development methodology, developers are tasked to search for bottlenecks that can hamper the function. The primary goal of this method is to make an efficient system that works flawlessly. The methodology also puts emphasis on human respect which means communication is necessary for enhancing collaboration in the team.
Pros:
This method cuts the wastage in any project development like unnecessary documentation, redundant codes, repetitive tasks, etc. The final and overall development cost of any project is minimized because of the lean development principles. Some features of this method increase the motivation of the team members as they have more decision-making authority while working with this method. Time-to-market of the software is decreased because the lean principles promote software efficiency.Cons:
If you want lean development to be successful, there should be a team of highly-skilled developers that are easy to work together with. Less-experienced developers can feel that there are lots of responsibilities on them and ultimately lose focus on the project. Detailed documentation is required which places the whole burden of the project on business analysts.
Concluding Words
Different software development methods give a suitable and guided structure for building an application or software. From the early programming stage, these methods are used and also remain pivotal for developers at the current time.
With time, there are new methodologies introduced in the market and there is not any one method that is the ruler over other methods. Picking the suitable software development methodology will depend on your experience, team structure, goals, project requirements, budget, and many other factors.
