Software Engineering Reviewer

1. Software Engineering: Definition & Importance

• Definition: Software Engineering is the application of engineering principles to

software development. It involves the design, development, maintenance, testing,
and evaluation of software and systems.

• Importance: Ensures software is reliable, scalable, maintainable, and meets user

requirements. It focuses on creating high-quality software within time and cost
constraints.

2. Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC)

• Phases of SDLC:

o Requirements Analysis: Gathering and defining what the software should

do.

o Design: Structuring the software, including architecture and user interface.

o Implementation/Development: Writing the actual code.

o Testing: Checking the software for errors and verifying it meets

requirements.

o Deployment: Releasing the software for use.

o Maintenance: Updating and fixing issues post-deployment.

• SDLC Models:

o Waterfall: A sequential, step-by-step process.

o Agile: An iterative, incremental approach with frequent updates.

o V-Model: Each development phase is directly associated with a testing

phase.

o Spiral: A risk-driven model that combines iterative development with a focus

on risk assessment.

• Advantages and Disadvantages of SDLC Models:

o Waterfall: Simple and straightforward but inflexible.

o Agile: Flexible and customer-focused but can be chaotic without proper

management.
3. Core Software Engineering Concepts

a. Software Requirements

• Functional Requirements: What the system must do (e.g., login functionality).

• Non-Functional Requirements: System qualities like performance, security,

scalability, etc.

• Requirement Gathering Techniques:

o Interviews

o Surveys

o Observation

o Document Analysis

• Use Case Diagrams: Visual representation of system interactions with users or

other systems.

b. Software Design

• Key Design Principles:

o Modularity: Dividing software into separate, interchangeable components.

o Abstraction: Hiding complex details behind simple interfaces.

o Encapsulation: Grouping related data and functions together in a single unit

(like classes in OOP).

o Separation of Concerns: Dividing a system into distinct features that

overlap in functionality as little as possible.

• Design Patterns: Reusable solutions to common software design problems.

o Singleton: Ensures a class has only one instance.

o Factory: Creates objects without specifying the exact class of object that will
be created.

o Observer: Allows objects to notify others of changes in state.

c. Software Architecture
 • Definition: High-level structure of a software system.

• Architectural Patterns:

o Layered Architecture: Divides the system into layers, such as presentation,

business logic, and data layers.

o Client-Server Architecture: Divides the system into clients (request

services) and servers (provide services).

o Microservices: Decomposes applications into loosely coupled services.

o MVC (Model-View-Controller): Separates data (Model), user interface

(View), and control flow (Controller).

4. Software Development Fundamentals

a. Programming Paradigms

• Procedural Programming: Based on a sequence of steps or procedures (e.g., C).

• Object-Oriented Programming (OOP): Organizes software as objects that

represent both data and behavior (e.g., Java, C++).

o Key concepts: Inheritance, Polymorphism, Encapsulation, Abstraction.

• Functional Programming: Focuses on pure functions and immutability (e.g.,

Haskell, Scala).

• Logic Programming: Based on formal logic (e.g., Prolog).

b. Version Control Systems (VCS)

• Git: A distributed version control system.

o Common Git commands: git init, git clone, git commit, git push, git pull, git
merge.

• Branching: Allows different versions of code to be worked on simultaneously.

• Merging: Combines changes from different branches.

c. Testing & Debugging

• Testing Levels:

o Unit Testing: Testing individual units or components of software.

 o Integration Testing: Testing interactions between components.

o System Testing: Testing the complete system.

o Acceptance Testing: Verifying if the software meets the user’s requirements.

• Black-box Testing: Focuses on input-output behavior without knowing the internal

workings.

• White-box Testing: Focuses on the internal structure and logic of the code.

5. Software Engineering Applications & Use-Cases

a. Agile Methodology

• Agile Principles: Flexibility, customer collaboration, and responding to change.

• Scrum: An Agile framework that organizes work in 2-4 week sprints, with roles like
Product Owner, Scrum Master, and Development Team.

• Kanban: A visual workflow management method for tracking tasks.

b. DevOps

• Definition: A set of practices combining software development (Dev) and IT

operations (Ops) to shorten the software development lifecycle.

• Continuous Integration (CI): The practice of frequently integrating code into a

shared repository.

• Continuous Delivery (CD): Automating the release process so that software can be
deployed at any time.

c. Software Project Management

• Key Project Management Elements:

o Scope: What the project will and will not deliver.

o Time: Project schedule and deadlines.

o Cost: Budget constraints.

o Quality: Meeting user requirements and industry standards.

• Risk Management: Identifying, assessing, and mitigating risks.

6. Sample Quiz Questions

Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs)

1. Which of the following is NOT a phase in the SDLC?

o A) Requirements Analysis

o B) Design

o C) Marketing

o D) Deployment

2. What does OOP stand for in software design?

o A) Open Object Programming

o B) Object-Oriented Programming

o C) Optimal Object Performance

o D) Organized Object Programming

3. In Agile, what is the role of the Scrum Master?

o A) To develop code

o B) To ensure the team follows Agile principles and removes impediments

o C) To manage the product backlog

o D) To set deadlines for the project

4. Which design pattern ensures that a class has only one instance?

o A) Factory

o B) Singleton

o C) Observer

o D) Strategy

5. In DevOps, CI/CD stands for:

o A) Constant Integration/Continuous Development

o B) Continuous Integration/Continuous Delivery

 o C) Correct Integration/Correct Development

o D) Controlled Integration/Controlled Delivery

True or False Questions

1. The Waterfall model is an iterative approach to software development.

o True

o False

2. The Factory design pattern is used to create objects without specifying the
exact class of object that will be created.

o True

o False

3. In Agile, the development process is broken into short, time-boxed iterations

called sprints.

o True

o False

4. Git is a centralized version control system.

o True

o False

5. DevOps practices focus on reducing the time between writing code and
deploying it to production.

o True

o False