{"id":29664,"date":"2026-10-30T10:38:37","date_gmt":"2026-10-30T10:38:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.tekrevol.com\/blogs\/?p=29664"},"modified":"2026-11-06T10:02:45","modified_gmt":"2026-11-06T10:02:45","slug":"sdlc-7-phases","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.tekrevol.com\/blogs\/sdlc-7-phases\/","title":{"rendered":"SDLC Phases With Deliverables and Exit Criteria"},"content":{"rendered":"

The SDLC phases are planning, requirements analysis, design, development, testing, deployment, and maintenance. Each phase produces a deliverable that must exist before the next phase starts, and this guide names the deliverable and the exit check for all seven. The order holds whether a team runs the phases once in sequence or repeats them every two weeks.<\/p>\n

What is the software development life cycle?<\/h2>\n

The software development life cycle (SDLC) is a framework that breaks software delivery into defined phases, each with its own deliverable and sign-off point. It tells a team what happens next and who owns it. It also defines what “done” means at each step.<\/p>\n

The SDLC describes the phases. Models such as Waterfall and Agile decide how a team sequences or repeats them, which is why SDLC is neither Waterfall nor Agile. For in-depth details, see our software development lifecycle guide<\/a>.<\/p>\n

What are the 7 phases of the SDLC?<\/h2>\n

The seven SDLC phases are planning, requirements analysis, design, development, testing, deployment, and maintenance. The table gives the deliverable and exit criteria for each, and the sections below explain the work inside every phase.<\/p>\n

\"Seven<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Phase<\/td>\nKey deliverable<\/td>\nExit criteria<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Planning<\/td>\nProject charter, budget, feasibility assessment<\/td>\nScope and budget approved by the sponsor<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Requirement analysis<\/td>\nRequirements specification, acceptance criteria<\/td>\nRequirements signed off and traceable<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Design<\/td>\nArchitecture document, data model, API contracts, UI designs<\/td>\nDesign reviewed; threat model complete<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Development<\/td>\nWorking code in version control<\/td>\nCode merged and peer-reviewed<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Testing<\/td>\nTest results, defect log, UAT sign-off<\/td>\nCoverage target met; no open critical defects<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Deployment<\/td>\nReleased build, rollback plan, runbook<\/td>\nLive in production; smoke tests pass<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Maintenance<\/td>\nPatches, updates, support tickets<\/td>\nOngoing \u2014 reviewed at each release<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

This table is TekRevol’s summary of the phases, deliverables, and exit criteria.<\/p>\n

Phase 1: Planning<\/h3>\n

Planning decides whether the project should happen and what it will cost. The team defines the problem and the scope, then runs a feasibility study that covers technical and financial risk. Project managers, product managers, and business sponsors own this phase.<\/p>\n