`Introduction to Software Development`#

Benjamin Bannekat

Let's discover

Learn Software Development with Blue Code in less than 5 minutes.

Getting Started#

is the process of conceiving, specifying, designing, programming, documenting, testing, and bug fixing involved in creating and maintaining applications, frameworks, or other software components.

------------------------------------------Blue Code-------------------------------------------------------

According to IBM Research: “Software development refers to a set of computer science activities dedicated to the process of creating, designing, deploying and supporting software.”

Software itself is the set of instructions or programs that tell a computer what to do. It is independent of hardware and makes computers programmable. There are three basic types:

System software to provide core functions such as operating systems, disk management, utilities, hardware management and other operational necessities.

Programming software to give programmers tools such as text editors, compilers, linkers, debuggers and other tools to create code.

Application software (applications or apps) to help users perform tasks. Office productivity suites, data management software, media players and security programs are examples. Applications also refers to web and mobile applications like those used to shop on Amazon.com, socialize with Facebook or post pictures to Instagram.1

A possible fourth type is embedded software. Embedded systems software is used to control machines and devices not typically considered computers — telecommunications networks, cars, industrial robots and more. These devices, and their software, can be connected as part of the Internet of Things (IoT).

Software development is primarily conducted by programmers, software engineers and software developers. These roles interact and overlap, and the dynamics between them vary greatly across development departments and communities.

Programmers, or coders, write source code to program computers for specific tasks like merging databases, processing online orders, routing communications, conducting searches or displaying text and graphics. Programmers typically interpret instructions from software developers and engineers and use programming languages like C++ or Java to carry them out.

Software engineers apply engineering principles to build software and systems to solve problems. They use modeling language and other tools to devise solutions that can often be applied to problems in a general way, as opposed to merely solving for a specific instance or client. Software engineering solutions adhere to the scientific method and must work in the real world, as with bridges or elevators.

Software developers have a less formal role than engineers and can be closely involved with specific project areas — including writing code. At the same time, they drive the overall software development lifecycle — including working across functional teams to transform requirements into features, managing development teams and processes, and conducting software testing and maintenance.

The work of software development isn’t confined to coders or development teams. Professionals such as scientists, device fabricators and hardware makers also create software code even though they are not primarily software developers. Nor is it confined to traditional information technology industries such as software or semiconductor businesses. In fact, according to the Brookings Institute, those businesses “account for less than half of the companies performing software development.”

An important distinction is custom software development as opposed to commercial software development. Custom software development is the process of designing, creating, deploying and maintaining software for a specific set of users, functions or organizations. In contrast, commercial off-the-shelf software (COTS) is designed for a broad set of requirements, allowing it to be packaged and commercially marketed and distributed.

------------------------------------------Software Engineering------------------------------------------------------

Introduction to Software Engineering#

Software engineering is a concept in and of itself, but to better understand it, you need to know what each part of the term means before you can fully understand how they operate together. It can be difficult to understand, even though it does seem straightforward. That is because the pieces are more complicated than many believe - and working with software engineering for an application is difficult and time-consuming.

Software engineering has two parts: software and engineering

Software is a collection of codes, documents, and triggers that does a specific job and fills a specific requirement.

Engineering is the development of products using best practices, principles, and methods.

What is software engineering? It is a branch of engineering that deals with the development of software products. It operates within a set of principles, best practices, and methods that have been carefully honed throughout the years, changing as software and technology change.

Software engineering leads to a product that is reliable, efficient, and effective at what it does. While software engineering can lead to products that do not do this, the product will almost always go back into the production stage.

Getting Started#

Software engineering starts when there is a demand for a specific result or output for a company, from an application. From somewhere on the IT team, typically the CIO, there is a request put into the developer to create some sort of software. The software development team breaks down the project into the requirements and steps. Sometimes, this work will be farmed out to independent contractors, vendors, and freelancers. When this is the case, software engineering tools help to ensure that all of the work done is congruent and follows best practices.

How do developers know what to put into their software? They break it down into specific needs after conducting interviews, collecting information, looking into the existing application portfolio, and talking to IT leaders. Then, they will build a roadmap of how to build the software. This is one of the most important parts because much of the “work” is completed during this stage - which also means that any problems typically occur here as well.

The true starting point is when developers begin to write code for the software. This is the longest part of the process in many cases as the code needs to be congruent with current systems and the language used in them. Unfortunately, these problems often aren’t noticed until much later on in the project and then rework needs to be completed.

The code should be tested as it is written and once it has been completed – at all parts of the life cycle. With software engineering tools, you will be able to continuously test and monitor

Software Engineering Basics The true work of software engineering begins before the product has even been designed – and the software engineering basics dictate that it continues long after the “work” has been completed. It all begins with a thorough and complete understanding of what your software needs to have – this includes what the software needs to do, the system in which it needs to operate, and all of the security that it entails. Security is one of the software engineering basics because it is so essential to all aspects of development. Without tools to help you better understand how your code is being built and where any security problems may fall, your team can easily become lost in the development stage.

Software engineering design basics require creating the instructions for the computer and the systems. Much of this will take place at the coding level by professionals who have comprehensive training. Still, it is important to understanding that software engineering isn’t always a linear process, which means that it requires thorough vetting once it has been completed.

Does All Software Require Software Engineering? Not all software requires software engineering. Simplistic games or programs that are used by consumers may not need engineering, depending on the risks associated with them. Almost all companies do require software engineering because of the high-risk information that they store and security risks that they pose.

Software engineering helps to create customized, personalized software that should look into vulnerabilities and risks before they even emerge. Even when the software engineering principles of safety aren’t required, it can also help to reduce costs and improve customer experience.

Types of Software Engineering Software engineering studies the design, development, and maintenance of software as an umbrella definition. Still, there are different types of software engineering that a company or product may need. Problems tend to emerge when software is low-quality or isn’t properly vetted before deployment.

There has been a lot of demand for software engineers because of the rate of change in user requirements, statutes, and the platforms we use.

Software engineering works on a few different levels:

Operational Software Engineering:

Software engineering on the operational level focuses on how the software interacts with the system, whether or not it is on a budget, the usability, the functionality, the dependability, and the security.

Transitional Software Engineering:

This type focuses on how software will react when it is changed from one environment to another. It typically takes some scalability or flexibility in the development.

Software Engineering Maintenance:

Recurrent software engineering focuses on how the software functions within the existing system, as all parts of it change.

Software engineering functions at all parts of the software development lifecycle, including analysis, design, development, testing, integration, implementation, maintenance, and even retirement.

It is important to understand that software engineering isn’t a new practice, but it is constantly changing and can feel new on a regular basis. As our scientific and technical knowledge grows, so does the skill set required for software engineering. Software engineering is different from other branches of engineering in that professionals are working, at least at the start, in theory instead of with something real. Software is used in everything around us, so it is important to ensure that all software is working properly. If it does not, it can result in loss of money, loss of reputation, and even in some cases, loss of life.