What does "software lifecycle" refer to?

The term "software lifecycle" refers specifically to the various stages that a software application goes through from concept to development, deployment, maintenance, and eventual retirement. This concept encompasses all activities related to the software's existence, including requirements gathering, design, implementation, testing, deployment, and ongoing support.

Understanding the software lifecycle is crucial for software engineers and project managers as it helps them plan, manage, and evaluate software projects effectively. Each phase of the lifecycle has distinct objectives and processes, ensuring that the software evolves according to user needs and technological advancements.

The other options pertain to different concepts: the manufacturing process of hardware does not relate to software development, the deployment timeline for network solutions is specific to networking rather than general software development, and data migration techniques focus on transferring data rather than managing a software application's development and usage.