Software Engineering Overview

Software Overview

• Software engineering is about building and maintaining software systems.

Definitions

• Software is a set of instructions and data that tells a computer what to do.
• Software engineering is the application of engineering principles to the design and development of software.

Software Evolution

• Software systems evolve over time as their requirements change.

Software Evolution Laws

• Brooks’ Law: Adding more programmers to a late project makes it later.
• Second System Effect: Over-engineered, overly ambitious second systems fail to adequately address requirements.
• Law of Continuing Change: Software systems will continue to change for as long as they are in use.

E-Type Software Evolution

• E-type software evolution involves evolutionary changes to existing software systems.

E-Type Software Evolution

• E-type software evolution involves evolutionary changes to existing software systems.

Software Paradigms

• There are different paradigms for developing software, such as object-oriented programming, and agile methodologies.

Software Development Paradigm

• A software development paradigm defines the way software is developed.

Need of Software Engineering

• Software is complex and requires a systematic approach to development.
• Software projects often fail to meet their goals.

Software Does Not Wear Out

• Software does not wear out like physical systems.

Maintenance

• Software requires ongoing maintenance to fix bugs, improve performance, and adapt to new requirements.
• According to studies, more than 70% of the software lifecycle costs are spent on maintenance.

Software Characteristics

• Software is typically custom-built, not assembled from existing components.
• However, reusable components are becoming increasingly popular for building new software applications.
• Modern reusable components can encapsulate both data and processing, making software development more efficient.
• Examples of reusable components include GUI libraries which enable the creation of user interfaces for applications.
• Software is developed or engineered, rather than manufactured in the traditional sense.

This quiz covers the fundamental concepts of software engineering, including definitions, evolution, and various laws related to software development. Understand key principles like Brooks' Law and the E-type software evolution to grasp how software systems are designed and maintained over time.