Introduction to Software Engineering

Vocabulary flashcards for key terms and concepts from the lecture notes on Software Engineering.

Hardware Components

Physical components of a computer that can be touched, such as input devices, output devices, processor (CPU), memory, storage devices, and communication devices.

Software / Program

An instruction or sequence of instructions that tells the computer what tasks it needs to perform and how to perform them.

Application Software

Software intended to operate one or more applications such as database programs, word processors, video editors, or web browsers.

System Software

Software that deals with operating or maintaining either the computers or the devices connected to the computers; acts as an interface between hardware, user, and application software.

Hardware Engineers

Individuals who design and create hardware parts of a computer.

Software Engineers

Professionals who develop software products or applications.

Software Engineering

The study and application of engineering to the design, development, and maintenance of software products, involving detailed design and a methodical approach.

Software Maintenance

Correcting errors, enhancing capabilities, and removing outdated features from existing software products.

Time Factors (in Software Engineering)

Ensuring a software product is built within accepted time limits to allow for timely market launch and expected profits.

Quality Factors (in Software Engineering)

Ensuring a software product meets quality standards for effective user use and avoiding heavy support costs due to defects.

Reduction of Development Costs

Using more productive processes, reducing waste, and reusing existing code to lower the cost of building software products.

Reduction of Development Time

Using better development tools, mature programming languages, and ready-made libraries to speed up software product development.

Increasing the Quality

Using better software engineering methodologies, tools, and quality assurance processes to create superior software products.

Software Project

A structured set of activities designed for planning, executing, and closing a software project in a controlled and managed way.

Software Engineering Methodologies

Models or approaches used for developing a software product, ranging from big project planning models like the Waterfall model to incremental models like Agile methodologies.

Software Testing

A career focused on identifying defects or shortcomings in software products.

Web Designers

The user interface creation for web-based software products that requires specialized skills.

Database Administrators

Professionals needed to manage the databases associated with software products.

Code of Ethics (in Software Engineering)

The ethical principles that software engineers should follow to ensure their creations are used for the betterment of humanity and not to cause harm.