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FC0-U71 Practice Question: During the software development life cycle, which…
During the software development life cycle, which phase directly follows the coding phase?
⚠ Common exam trap
A common mix-up: candidates confuse the order of phases, mistakenly thinking deployment follows coding directly, but the SDLC mandates testing as a gate before any code can be released to users.
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Testing
In the software development life cycle (SDLC), the coding phase produces the actual source code. The testing phase directly follows coding to verify that the code functions correctly, meets requirements, and is free of defects before it can be deployed. This sequential order ensures that errors are caught early and do not propagate to later stages.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
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Maintenance
Why it's wrong here
Maintenance occurs after deployment, not immediately after coding; testing and debugging must validate the code first. It is tempting because maintenance is a genuine SDLC phase that follows release, and would be correct if the question asked what happens after a system is deployed and operating in production.
- ✓
Testing
Why this is correct
Testing follows coding because it validates the implemented code against the requirements defined earlier, satisfying the SDLC's sequential dependency. Unit, integration and system tests execute the compiled artefacts, exposing defects before deployment. This verification stage is distinct from design, which precedes coding, and from maintenance, which begins only after release.
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Deployment
Why it's wrong here
Deployment follows testing, not coding; code must be verified before release. It tempts because deployment is the next visible milestone after code is written, and it is correct only where the SDLC omits a distinct testing phase.
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Requirements gathering
Why it's wrong here
Requirements gathering precedes design and coding, so it cannot follow coding. It is tempting because it is a genuine SDLC phase and the natural starting point of a project, but in this sequence the phase directly after coding is testing.
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Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
This FC0-U71 practice question is part of Courseiva's free CompTIA certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the FC0-U71 exam.