The Nature of Software and Software Engineering

These flashcards cover the key concepts and definitions related to Software Engineering as discussed in the lecture.

Software Engineering

The application of a systematic, disciplined, quantifiable approach to the development, operation, and maintenance of software.

Vasa Syndrome

A situation where constant modifications and unstable designs lead to project failure, exemplified by the sinking of the Swedish warship Vasa.

Embedded Software

Software that resides within a product or system and is used to implement and control features and functions for the end user and the system.

Trade-offs in Software Development

Decisions made in software development that impact costs, resources, opportunities, and societal effects.

Hyrum’s Law

With a sufficient number of users of an API, all observable behaviors of your system will be depended on by somebody, regardless of contractual promises.

Software Application Domains

Categories of software including system software, application software, embedded software, product-line software, and artificial intelligence software.

Quality Assurance (QA) Engineer

A role responsible for testing software, developing test plans, and establishing quality standards.

Project Sustainability

The ability to reliably stay current and manage changes over the long term for software projects.

Core Characteristics of Software Systems

Includes complexity, changeability, and the need for maintenance over time.

Career Paths in Software Engineering

Various specializations including frontend development, backend development, DevOps, and machine learning engineering.