What is software maintenance, and how is it different from software development?

Software maintenance refers to the process of modifying, updating, and improving existing software after it has been released. Maintenance activities are performed to correct defects, improve performance, and enhance functionality.

On the other hand, software development is the process of creating new software from scratch. Development activities include requirements gathering, designing, coding, testing, and deployment.

The primary difference between software maintenance and software development is that maintenance is focused on improving and updating existing software, while development is focused on creating new software. Maintenance activities are typically less complex and require less time and resources than development activities.

Another key difference is that maintenance is often performed after the software has been released to users, while development occurs before release. This means that maintenance activities must be carefully planned and executed to minimize disruption to users, while development activities can be more iterative and experimental.

In summary, software maintenance and software development are two distinct processes with different goals and activities. Maintenance is focused on improving existing software, while development is focused on creating new software.