Fast revision: can you explain these?
On this page 1 headings
| Term | In one easy sentence |
|---|---|
| Software engineering | Build software through organized activities and practices. |
| Component / module | One manageable part of a larger system. |
| Interface | Agreement on available actions, requests and responses. |
| Requirement | A goal or condition needed by a client. |
| Design | Big-picture structure before implementation. |
| Development | Code the features according to design and requirements. |
| Unit / Integration / Acceptance | One unit / linked units / user requirements. |
| Maintenance | Monitor, repair, upgrade, extend after release. |
| Build and Fix | Code first; patch whatever is wrong. |
| Waterfall | Sequential, planned and documented development. |
| Prototype | Limited working sample for early feedback. |
| Spiral | Combines waterfall + prototyping; iterations with risk evaluation and customer feedback (6–24 months each). |
| Agile | Working increments, collaboration and response to change. |
| XP / Scrum / Kanban | XP: behavior driven design, TDD, pair programming / Scrum: 1–2 week sprints / Kanban: board showing state of every work item. |
| Software lifecycle / SDLC | Stages, phases and activities from the initial customer request to fully developed software; Software Development Life Cycle. |
| Plan and Document perspective | Waterfall, Prototype, Spiral |
| Client types | External user / internal to company / another software |
| Alpha vs Beta testing | Alpha: internal employees in a lab/staging environment; Beta: actual users in a real-live setting. |
| Agile Manifesto | 4 key principles: individuals and interactions; working software; customer collaboration; responding to change. |
| Agile practices | User stories, sprints, stand-ups, TDD |
Eight quick concept checks
1. A payment function works alone but fails when called by the shopping cart. Which testing level is needed? Answer: Integration testing.
2. An employee portal is built for a company’s HR department. Is the client external? Answer: No, internal.
3. A developer changes a function’s input and another module breaks. Which agreement was changed? Answer: Its interface.
4. A client cannot describe the screens they want. What can help them respond early? Answer: A working prototype.
5. An iteration begins by listing options and evaluating possible failures. Which model makes risk evaluation explicit? Answer: Spiral.
6. Which models belong to the Plan and Document perspective? → Waterfall, Prototype, Spiral.
7. Who conducts alpha testing, and where? → Internal employees, in a lab/staging environment.
8. Mostly 'yes' answers to Sommerville's 10 questions suggest which approach? → Plan and Document.