Certified Associate in Software Testing (CAST) Practice Test

During which step are requirements and system specifications transformed into code?

1. System Design

2. System Analysis

3. Code

4. Testing

The correct answer is: Code

The transformation of requirements and system specifications into code occurs during the coding phase of the software development lifecycle. This process involves developers taking the designed specifications and requirements — which outline what the system should do — and translating them into programming languages that the computer can execute. Essentially, this step focuses on building the actual software product according to the defined plans and designs, which includes implementing algorithms, data structures, and interfaces as per the requirements. In contrast, system design involves creating the architecture of the system based on the analyzed requirements, while system analysis is about understanding and documenting needs and specifications before they are designed or coded. Testing, on the other hand, is focused on verifying and validating that the code meets the requirements and functions as intended, rather than producing the actual code itself. Thus, the coding phase is where the actual written software is developed from the analyzed requirements and specifications.