I've been saying that to friends, family, and colleagues for a while now, and I think maybe I should just write it down and refer to it instead of rehashing it every time. In the last few dozen explanations, it hasn't actually changed, so I think it's pretty stable. Of course, the community will have something to say, and that's expected!
There are more or less seven states to a new (software) project:
- Figment. That's when it's just an idea, and maybe you've written something down on a paper napkin, or discussed it over coffee with a friend.
- Planning. You're actually putting more thought into it, doing the initial research, hopefully consolidating the idea into something manageable.
- Prototype. Not necessarily code. Sometimes a prototype can just be rectangles of paper under magnets on a whiteboard, and a few arrows here and there to represent dynamics. Also known (in the case of code) as pre-alpha.
- Alpha. Finally! Code. You've probably pulled a directory structure o