Part 3 : Understanding SDLC and How DevOps Enhances It
Today, I dove into the Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC), its steps, and how DevOps plays a vital role in improving this process. Let me share what I learned!
What is SDLC?
The Software Development Life Cycle is a structured process followed by software companies to design, develop, and test high-quality software products.
The 6 Steps of SDLC
Here are the six stages of SDLC, explained using an example:
Example: Expanding an ABC Clothing Website
Imagine ABC, a clothing website that currently sells men’s and women’s apparel, plans to add a range of kids' clothing.
1. Planning
In this step, we gather requirements and assess feasibility. For example, ABC would conduct surveys to gauge customer interest in a kids' range.
- Outcome: If the feedback is unfavorable, the idea might be dropped. Otherwise, it proceeds to the next stage.
2. Defining
Requirements are formally documented in a Software Requirement Specification (SRS).
- Example: The data collected during the planning stage—customer preferences, design needs, and market trends—would be detailed in this document.
3. Designing
Here, the architecture of the project is designed, typically divided into two types:
High-Level Design (HLD): Ensures scalability, like handling increased traffic during the holiday season (e.g., Christmas).
Low-Level Design (LLD): Focuses on implementation details, such as writing Python code or designing MySQL queries.
4. Building
Developers create the application based on the defined requirements and designs.
- Example: The code and resources are stored in repositories like Git for version control.
5. Testing
The application is tested in a controlled virtual environment to ensure quality.
- Example: The Quality Engineering (QE) team tests the new kids' clothing feature for usability, security, and performance.
6. Deployment
Finally, the application is moved to the production server for public access.
- Example: The ABC website now includes the kids' clothing range live for customers.
How DevOps Improves SDLC
DevOps integrates development and operations teams, ensuring a faster and more efficient SDLC. Here's how:
Automation: DevOps automates the building, testing, and deployment processes, reducing manual effort and human errors.
Speed: Automated pipelines help deliver features faster.
Quality: Continuous testing and integration ensure the software meets high standards.
For example, in the ABC website scenario, a DevOps engineer would set up automated pipelines to quickly deploy and test the new kids' clothing feature, saving time and effort.
Key Takeaway
SDLC provides a roadmap for delivering high-quality software, while DevOps enhances this process with speed and efficiency. Together, they ensure that projects are completed faster and with greater reliability.
That’s all for Day 1! Stay tuned as I continue my journey into software development and DevOps.