What does the Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC) define in the software development process?

The Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC) is essential in defining the structured process that software development follows, consisting of clearly defined phases. Each phase represents a specific step in the development process, which typically includes requirements analysis, design, implementation, testing, deployment, and maintenance. By outlining these phases, the SDLC provides a framework that helps teams manage and optimize the development workflow, ensuring that the final product is delivered efficiently and meets the necessary quality standards.

While models, theories, and tasks are relevant to software development, they do not encapsulate the comprehensive and sequential nature of the phases that the SDLC outlines. Models may refer to different methodologies or approaches used within the SDLC, theories could relate to broader principles in software development, and tasks refer to specific actions carried out within those phases. However, it is the phases themselves that define the overall cycle that guides the entire software development process.