Agile Programming (OCR A Level Computer Science)

Agile (Extreme Programming)

Extreme Programming (XP) is a type of Agile software development methodology that promotes adaptability and high customer involvement.

Steps in the model:

1. Planning: Customers and developers define the scope and priorities, including writing user stories

2. Design: Developers create a simple design for the system that can evolve over time

3. Coding: Coding is done in small increments with frequent integration and pair programming to ensure quality

4. Testing: Continuous testing throughout the coding process, with automated tests developed before or alongside the code

5. Integration: Regular and frequent integration of code, with continuous integration tools ensuring that the system works as a whole

6. Feedback and Iteration: Constant feedback from stakeholders is used to guide future development cycles, leading to iterative and incremental development

The Extreme Programming (Agile) Model

Benefits:

• Highly adaptable: Can quickly respond to changes in requirements, even late in development

• Frequent communication: Encourages constant communication between team members and stakeholders

• Quality focus: Emphasizes technical excellence and good design, with continuous testing throughout the development cycle

• Customer collaboration: Encourages working closely with customers to ensure the developed product meets their needs

Drawbacks:

• Requires experienced team members: Can be challenging to implement without knowledgeable and skilled developers

• Intensive collaboration can lead to burnout: The constant communication and collaboration can be tiring for team members

• May lack documentation: The focus on adaptability and immediate coding may result in insufficient documentation

• Scope creep: The flexible nature may lead to uncontrolled changes in requirements

Suitability:

• Extreme Programming is most suitable for small to medium-sized projects where requirements can change and customer involvement is high