Software Maintenance Process

A Software Maintenance Process is a maintenance process that modifies and updates software systems to correct defects, improve performance, or adapt to environmental changes.

• AKA: Software Support Process, Software Upkeep Process, Code Maintenance Process, Application Maintenance Process.
• Context:
  • It can typically involve defect correction, performance optimization, and feature enhancement.
  • It can typically follow maintenance standards and best practices.
  • It can often consume significant development resources in software lifecycle.
  • It can often require impact analysis before change implementation.
  • It can range from being a Corrective Software Maintenance Process to being a Preventive Software Maintenance Process, depending on its maintenance timing.
  • It can range from being an Emergency Software Maintenance Process to being a Scheduled Software Maintenance Process, depending on its urgency level.
  • It can range from being a Manual Software Maintenance Process to being an Automated Software Maintenance Process, depending on its automation degree.
  • It can range from being a Minor Software Maintenance Process to being a Major Software Maintenance Process, depending on its change magnitude.
  • It can utilize maintenance tools for efficient execution.
  • It can generate maintenance documentation for knowledge preservation.
  • ...
• Examples:
  • Type-Based Software Maintenance Processes, such as:
    • Preventive Code Maintenance Process for proactive defect prevention.
    • Corrective Software Maintenance Process for bug fixing.
    • Adaptive Software Maintenance Process for environment adaptation.
    • Perfective Software Maintenance Process for functionality enhancement.
  • Domain-Specific Software Maintenance Processes, such as:
    • Database Maintenance Process for data system upkeep.
    • Web Application Maintenance Process for online service maintenance.
    • Mobile App Maintenance Process for mobile platform updates.
  • ...
• Counter-Examples:
  • Software Development Process, which creates new software rather than maintains existing systems.
  • Software Testing Process, which validates software quality rather than modifies software.
  • Software Deployment Process, which releases software rather than maintains it.
• See: Maintenance Process, Preventive Code Maintenance Process, Software Lifecycle, Software Support, Change Management, Software Evolution, Technical Debt Management, Software Quality Assurance, Configuration Management.

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