Notes 1, Software engineering

Software (Definition)

Code + Data + Documents. Includes programs, data structures/files, and documentation.

Software Engineering

Disciplined application of engineering principles to design, develop, test, and maintain software. Goal: High-quality, cost-effective software.

Two Methodologies of Software Engineering

1. Software Lifecycle (Technical "how-to" of development). 2. Project Management (Ensures effective execution).

Business Requirements Document

Describes business goals/objectives from stakeholder perspective. Output of conceptualization.

Requirements Analysis

Negotiation with stakeholders to define system inputs, outputs, data formats, computations, etc.

System Requirement Specification (SRS)

Outlines hardware/software requirements, interfaces, performance, security, compliance.

Functional Requirements

What the software must do (e.g., "User can save a file").

Non-Functional Requirements

How the software behaves (e.g., performance, usability, security).

Architectural Design (High-Level)

Defines system structure, components, interactions, technologies. Documented in System Architecture Document.

Component Design (Low-Level)

Modular elements with high-cohesion (related responsibilities) and low-coupling (minimal dependencies).

API Design

Rules for how components communicate (internal/external). Must be unambiguous.

UI Design

Focuses on user-friendly layouts, aesthetics, and interaction flow.

Database Design

Organizes data storage (e.g., relational/NoSQL), ensures integrity, security, and efficiency.

Implementation Documents

Includes code comments, version control logs, and embedded documentation.

Unit Testing

Tests individual statements/modules.

Integration Testing

Verifies subsystems work together.

System Testing

Validates the complete implementation.

Acceptance Testing

Demonstrates software meets customer needs.

Traceability Matrix

Maps test cases to requirements to ensure all are tested.

Deployment Plan

Strategy (manual/automated) to move software to production.

User Manual

Instructions for end-users.

Maintenance Phase

Fix defects or add enhancements post-deployment.

High-Cohesion

Components have closely related responsibilities.

Low-Coupling

Components have minimal dependencies on each other.

Reusability

Designing components to be reused in other systems/parts.