Top 7 Methodologies for Software Development

DevOps Methodology

DevOps is a method for better collaboration and more closely knitted integration. It is a practice, which is based on automation of the processes between software development and IT teams.

Conventionally, people who were involved in writing codes never collaborated with those used to deploy those codes.

There had been different objectives for developers and operation professionals and they used to work separately and distinctively.

The potential of DevOps of bringing two teams on the same level to collaborate and cooperate with each other is what makes it a brilliant methodology.

This ensures faster and more reliable testing of the software. There are several stages of DevOps adoption, which are:

• Continuous development: Here, with the help of different tools and across different stages, the creation of software is done continuously. Tools, coding, and automation in the process ensure the development of software with fewer bugs and errors.
• Continuous integration: It is the process of screening the software for fewer bugs and errors, and integrating with modules, libraries and many more in order to make the software more complicated.
• Continuous testing: This stage includes several kinds of testing like systems, security, integrity, and performance. With this, the assurance of fewer errors in the environment of production is obtained.
• Continuous deployment: This includes the unrestrained deployment or delivery of the software in production and the modification in the software is made in accordance with the customer feedback.
• Continuous operations: Here, automation replaces the manual intervention by providing infrastructure as code and other servers, scripts, and coding for enhancing the software functioning.
• Continuous monitoring: In this final stage, unrestrained monitoring is ensured in order to check that there is minimum downtime and issues with the software.

DevOps methodology streamlines the cycle of software development and operations and boosts collaboration by ensuring minimal manual handling due to extensive use of automation.

At the other end, it requires specific expertise which is usually unavailable immediately among the team, and rapid development possibly may lead to security outfalls.

Rapid Application Development

This methodology is the most suitable one to be implemented if a business is having well-defined and narrow objectives.

The approach emerged from the need of delivering applications in a very short span of time. In other words, this methodology is a high-speed adaptation of linear sequential design, in which rapid development is attained by utilizing the component-based building.

In this methodology, more than one team simultaneously works on various components, which include- needs planning, user designs, construction, and cutover.

In this software development methodology, the need for user involvement is much higher as the user design and construction stages keep repeating until it has been affirmed by the user that the requirements are completely met.

The major benefit of this methodology is that the method is extremely useful for small to medium projects, especially projects, which are time-sensitive.

Also, this method encourages a customer feedback approach for an improved design. But this methodology needs experienced software developers to handle the complexities, and in this methodology the modelling, cost, and automated code generation costs are pretty high, so this methodology is not suitable for the low-budget projects.

Agile Software Development

Agile methodology for Software Development is one of the most flexible and collaborative models of software development which is based on the idea of streamlining the process of development.

This method keeps in the core the method of product testing and documentation at all aspects of the entire process, and also gives emphasis on immediate response to every need of change by the customers, for the end product to incorporate desired features and be as per the expectations of the user in the best possible manner.

Agile methodology for software development is a team-based development approach, in which the work is divided into separate phases or sprints and during every sprint, the members of the team follow a list of deliverables for a specific time span dedicated to every sprint.

After the completion of the sprint, the review of the work is done by the team.

This method ensures improved efficiency by searching and fixing defects, which leads to accelerated delivery of the product and enhanced quality of the software.

Also, this method is effective in ensuring cooperation and transparency within large teams.
But this method needs a team consisting of highly skilled and experienced developers.

In order to ensure the success of the project, the team member should be given extensive training for understanding the model of the project.

Moreover, in this methodology, the constant interaction between developers, testers and users can make the process time-consuming and overwhelming.

Waterfall Development

The most traditional model for software development, which came into existence almost two decades ago, is still the most popular and useful.

The waterfall software development method carries a simple and linear approach. In this method, different phases of development are split into flowing and chronological procedures.

The waterfall software development methodology is the easiest to understand and is considered to be the best software development methodology for a small team.

This is the most widely adopted method by teams consisting of inexperienced developers because of being the least complex. This method requires one stage to be entirely completed and then only the next stage can begin.

The most prominent advantage of this method is that it is the easiest and ensures specifics and deliverables are defined well before the process starts.

But, on the other end, this methodology is not flexible and unsuitable for complicated projects as the changes are hard to make in this.

Lean Development

Lean development software development methodology is utilized across industries with the purpose of reducing the cost of development, improving quality, enhancing productivity, and improving customer satisfaction.

The approach in this method drives avoiding activities that are less productive and ensure higher quality and performance of the product.

The method inspires the need of learning consistently, and not to take decisions in haste without realizing all the facts.

Also, the communication, team collaboration, and mutual respect is higher in this method of software development.

This method ensures the prevention of wastage of time and efforts by minimizing needless documentation, repetitive activities, and superfluous codes; and it reduces the overall expenditure of the project by promoting efficiency and productivity.

The only disadvantage of this method is that it needs a team of expert developers as the less experienced developers may lose focus and be overwhelmed with responsibilities.

Iterative Software Development Life-Cycle

This is also called the ‘build it as you go’ model. This method begins with a small component of the software instead of the beginning of the process of mapping out all that is needed.

Parts of the software are developed, assessed and reviewed and then only the same process repeats for the other parts, and this approach only is followed until the whole software is constructed.

This method ensures minimal errors as results are drawn and the progress is measured at every stage. This makes risk identification easier and more operational products can be built.

The disadvantage of this method is that the failure can only be judged at the end of the project because the step-by-step procedure makes it hard to visualize the end of the project.

Scrum Development Methodology

It is the most flexible methodology of software development. This is based on the Agile model having an incremental as well as an iterative approach which involves the development team, scrum master, and product owner.

The product owner is similar to the project manager and holds the responsibility for taking feedback from users and ensures that the requirements are being adhered to.

Scrum master is a facilitator ensuring familiarity with the scrum development. The method involves rapid execution that enables the team to detect problems, find remedies, test them and collect feedback immediately, and speed up project development.

This is also known to be the best software methodology for a single developer.

Short iteration in this method ensures quick resolution of the problems, and regular feedback makes it highly responsive to changes.

Also, this method is cost-effective and productive. The disadvantages of this method include the need for high proficiency of every member and burdened team due to the need for regular meetings. This method is suitable for small projects only.

Above are different software development methodologies and you can choose from them the best project methodology for software development as per your business needs.