Development Cycle
SDLC · Software Development Life Cycle
In software, the process of dividing software development work into distinct phases to improve design and project management. Current methodologies include agile, waterfall, prototyping, iterative and incremental development, spiral development, rapid application development, and extreme programming.
Origin
Sequential software processes emerged in the 1950s, but Winston W. Royce's 1970 paper "Managing the Development of Large Software Systems" formalized the staged approach later called "waterfall." Ironically, Royce never used "waterfall" and actually advocated iterative refinement, yet his paper became synonymous with sequential development. The concept predates Royce—Herbert D. Benington described sequential phases in 1956. Modern SDLC encompasses diverse methodologies, from Royce's waterfall to contemporary agile frameworks.