What is Classical Waterfall Model

What is classical waterfall model

The classical waterfall model is a sequential and linear software development methodology. It is one of the earliest and most traditional approaches to software development, and it follows a step-by-step process in which progress is seen as flowing steadily downwards (like a waterfall) through several phases. Each phase must be completed before the next one begins, and there is minimal overlapping or iteration between the phases.

classical waterfall model
classical waterfall model

The classical waterfall model typically consists of the following phases:

  1. Requirements Gathering and Analysis: In this phase, the requirements for the software system are collected and analyzed. This involves understanding the needs of the end-users and defining the system’s functionality and constraints.
  2. System Design: Once the requirements are gathered, the system design phase involves creating a high-level design of the entire system. This includes defining the architecture, components, modules, and their relationships.
  3. Implementation: The actual coding or programming of the software is done in this phase. The design specifications are turned into source code, and the development team works on building the system.
  4. Testing: The software undergoes testing to identify and fix any defects or bugs. This phase ensures that the software meets the specified requirements and functions as intended.
  5. Deployment: After successful testing, the software is deployed or released to the end-users.
  6. Maintenance: This phase involves ongoing maintenance and support for the software. If any issues or changes are identified post-deployment, they are addressed in this phase.

One of the key characteristics of the waterfall model is its inflexibility once a phase is completed. Changes in requirements or design are not easily accommodated without going back to the beginning of the process. This linear and sequential nature can be a limitation, especially in dynamic environments where requirements may evolve.

While the classical waterfall model has been criticized for its lack of flexibility and adaptability, it can still be suitable for certain projects with well-defined and stable requirements, where changes are unlikely to occur once the project is underway. However, in many modern software development environments, iterative and agile methodologies are often favored over the waterfall model.

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Pallavi

Author: Pallavi

Business Analyst , Functional Consultant, Provide Training on Business Analysis and SDLC Methodologies.

8 thoughts on “What is Classical Waterfall Model”

  1. Its like you read my mind You appear to know a lot about this like you wrote the book in it or something I think that you could do with some pics to drive the message home a little bit but instead of that this is fantastic blog An excellent read I will certainly be back

  2. Great post! I always found the classical waterfall model confusing, but your explanation made it much clearer. I can see how it can be beneficial for projects with rigid requirements. Do you have any information on where it falls short, and when Agile development might be a better fit?

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