In software development, what does the term ‘verification’ primarily relate to?

Verification in software development is primarily concerned with confirming that the software meets the specified requirements. This process entails a series of activities intended to ensure that the product aligns with the initial design specifications and requirements set forth prior to development. It involves checking whether the software is built correctly and adheres to the defined criteria, including functionality, performance, and reliability.

The focus on verification distinguishes it from validation, which assesses whether the software fulfills its intended use and meets user needs. By ensuring that the requirements are satisfied during verification, organizations can reduce the risk of defects and quality issues before the software is tested in real-world scenarios or handed over for validation purposes. This systematic evaluation helps in identifying discrepancies early in the development process, thereby saving time and resources in fixing problems later on.

In contrast, performance efficiency, user satisfaction surveys, and security feature integration, while related to software quality and overall assessment, do not specifically encapsulate the core definition of verification. Performance efficiency deals with how well the software operates under various conditions, user satisfaction surveys reflect user opinions post-release, and security features integration focuses on embedding security measures within the software architecture.