What is the main goal of the development phase in the software development lifecycle (SDLC)?

The main goal of the development phase in the software development lifecycle (SDLC) is to transform a product into a new system. This phase is where actual coding and building of the software take place, turning design specifications and requirements into a functional system. It involves implementing the functionalities as defined in the requirements documents, assembling the individual components, and creating a working software application.

During this phase, developers write code, integrate various components, and perform initial development testing to ensure that the system operates as intended. This is crucial because the effectiveness of a software solution significantly relies on how well the development phase is executed, representing a tangible realization of the planning and design efforts that occurred during earlier phases.

In contrast, designing user interfaces, testing system compatibility, and creating system requirements are important activities in their respective phases of the SDLC but do not capture the essence of the development phase itself. These activities may happen in the design phase or during testing, but they do not reflect the primary objective of transforming a conceptual design into a working software system.