Rules and Tools for Software Evolution Planning and Management
: Determining which changes (bug fixes, new features, or adaptations) will be included in the next version. Software Evolution
First formulated by Meir Lehman in the 1970s, these "laws" describe the fundamental behavior of large software systems over time: Rules and Tools for Software Evolution Planning and
: Evaluating how proposed changes will affect the system’s performance, architecture, and cost. Lehman’s Laws of Software Evolution The evolution cycle
: An iterative phase where updates are designed, coded, and tested before being released to users. Lehman’s Laws of Software Evolution
The evolution cycle is typically triggered by change requests from customers or users. It follows a structured path:
Software evolution is the ongoing process of developing and continuously updating software after its initial release to ensure it remains useful, secure, and aligned with user needs. Organizations often invest significantly more in evolving existing systems than in developing new ones, as software must adapt to changing business environments, new hardware, and emerging technologies.