Agile software development

Agile software development is a software development methodology that focuses on rapid delivery of incremental developments, emphasizing collaboration between developers and stakeholders. It is based on an iterative and incremental approach that values feedback, communication, and team collaboration. The agile methodology was created by a group of software developers in 2001 as an alternative to traditional software development methodologies which rely heavily on lengthy documents and time-consuming processes.

Agile software development recognizes that software development is a highly dynamic process and as such, requires constant adaptation to the ever-changing needs of the stakeholders and the market. It encourages an iterative approach which is based on adjusting the development plan after each iteration and continually refining it to deliver the best possible outcome. By allowing changes to be made during the software development life cycle, agile software development allows for more flexibility and faster reaction to changes.

The main pillars of agile software development are customers, stakeholders, and developers. Stakeholders should be involved and provide feedback from the beginning of development, while customers should be given priority as they are the ultimate decision makers. The developers should be involved throughout every step of the process to ensure that the code written is as robust as possible and the product released meets all the requirements.

Agile software development encourages an iterative approach, in which developers focus on delivering small chunks of capabilities throughout the development life cycle. This allows for quicker reaction to customer feedback and more efficient development. Quality assurance is an important part of Agile, with automated tests and bug tracking software integrated into the development process.

By its nature, Agile software development is never really finished. The software is constantly evolving and being refined with each iteration. This allows the developers to focus on delivering the best possible software product in the shortest time frame. It also keeps stakeholders engaged and customer feedback high, which translates to a successful product launch.