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Open Source Development Model | Free and open-source software

In this article, we are going to learn about the different Open Source Development Models.
Submitted by Monika Sharma, on February 17, 2020

Open Source Development Model

The Open Source Development Model also involves an interconnected OSS Community Development Process in which each stage or phase plays a vital role in building the ethics of the community, keeping contributions of each developer in mind, working with the latest technologies, keeping a track on the version control system and fixing the bugs in the software.

Let's Discuss the role of each phase in an OSS Community Development Process,

• Assert Requirements Design
  This phase is all about the need for the software that is being proposed to the community for development and also the requirements during the development process are kept in mind in this phase. Along with it the design or the approach to be followed during the development is also a part of this phase.
• Develop OSS Code
  The requirements are fulfilled; the need has been understood and the design is ready. Now, it’s time for the contributors to start developing the backbone or the skeleton of the software by the means of Coding.
• Manage Configuration
  Once the basic OSS Code is developed it is necessary to provide an initial configuration too is that its integration works perfectly fine along with all the features provided with that particular version.
• Download and Install
  Once the initial version is ready and configured properly it is ready to go in the markets for general use.
• End-Use
  The users who require the software to fall into this phase and use the OSS daily to provide experience and feedback to the developers or for personal benefits.
• Communicate Experience
  Once it is deployed in the market, the users share their experience with the OSS and give feedback, suggestions, and reviews on the functions that are good to be intact and also on the features that could be enhanced or added in the later versions of the software.
• Read, Analyze and Redesign
  Once the feedbacks are registered, it all comes back to the developers to work on the feedbacks, keep updating their Software and also track control of version.

Here comes the Open Source Project Development Model, this model is followed when a request is made to the developers to build a product to best suit their needs to which the developers keep in mind certain factors and phases to deliver a fully functional and a product with no compromises to the client.

The Phases involved here are,

• Requirements: Which as discussed earlier in the same document, is the needs and features requested by the client in the particular product to utilize their organizational needs to the best of purpose.
• Design: Again, the basic agenda after knowing the client requires to prepare a design in which development will take place along with the successful integration factor keeping in mind.
• Implementation: The phase where the design is implemented or we can generalize this term also the CODING PHASE.
• Test/Integration: Once Developed, the code or the product is integrated and tested with various tools to provide the user with a 100% satisfactory product with the least chances of failures.
• Deployment: Deployment is the phase when your product is ready and you deliver it to the clients.
• Maintenance: After the successful deployment, it is the duty of the developers as per the contract to provide the clients with proper maintenance to the product in which security enhancements, bug fixes, and add-ons can be carried out.