SDLC Capstone Project

Step 1: Pick a project to build.

For example, a simple task management app where users can sign up, create tasks, and mark them complete.

Step 2: Look at how clear and stable your requirements already are.

If the scope is small and well defined, that points toward Incremental or Waterfall. If you expect the requirements to shift as you go, that points toward Agile or Iterative instead.

Step 3: Choose the right SDLC model.

For this task app, since the core idea is simple and well understood, go with an Incremental approach. Build the core login and task features first, then plan to add extras like reminders or categories in later rounds.

Step 4: Write down why you picked this model.

Write down why you picked this model in a line or two. This becomes useful later when you review the project at the end.

Step 5: Write your requirements.

Write out your requirements, and split them clearly into two types: functional, like "users can create a task," and non-functional, like "the app should load within two seconds."

Step 6: Create a high-level design.

Sketch a simple high-level design showing how the frontend, backend, and database talk to each other.

Step 7: Design the database.

Design your database structure next, in this case, tables for users and tasks.

Step 8: Start coding.

Start coding one feature at a time instead of building everything at once. Begin with login and signup, then move to task creation.

Step 9: Follow coding principles.

While coding, keep two principles in mind: KISS, to keep each piece of code as simple as possible, and DRY, to avoid repeating the same logic in multiple places.

Step 10: Write unit tests.

After finishing each feature, write a unit test for it to confirm it works correctly on its own.

Step 11: Write integration tests.

Once a few features are done, write integration tests to check they work together properly, for example, confirming a newly created task actually shows up when the user logs back in.

Step 12: Deploy the application.

Once testing looks solid, deploy the app to a live environment, this could be a free hosting platform for a student project or a proper staging and production setup for something more advanced.

Step 13: Write documentation.

Write documentation covering how the app works, how to set it up, and any key decisions you made during the build, so anyone else picking up the project later is not left guessing.

Step 14: Review the project.

Run a short review of the whole process, similar to a sprint retrospective. Ask yourself what took longer than expected, what you would plan differently next time, and whether the SDLC model you picked back in step 3 actually helped or felt like unnecessary overhead.

Step 15: Summarize your project.

Wrap up with a short summary of what you built and what you learned. This is what turns the capstone into real, practical experience of running a project through the full SDLC, not just a finished app sitting on your laptop.