Waterfall (cascade model)

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In this case, the development is carried out in several stages. And each next stage can begin only after the completion of the previous one. If used correctly, the cascade model is the fastest and simplest. It began to be used back in the 1970s.

Advantages:

Ease of control. The customer will always understand what executors are doing at the moment, can adjust terms and budget.
The ability to calculate the cost of the project at the initial stage. Every nuance is defined during contract negotiation.
There is no need to involve very experienced testers. Specialists will be able to base on detailed technical documentation.

Disadvantages:

Testing is carried out only on the final stages of software development. On this basis, if mistakes were made in the development, their removal can take a lot of time and money. The fact is that the problems will be detected after the code and documentation is written.
The customer can consider the product only at the final stages of its creation. Thus, the feedback is realized only at the end of the development process. It is likely that the customer will remain dissatisfied.
The model involves the writing of a large amount of technical documentation. This reduces the speed of work, because developers have to make and agree on many decisions.
Waterfall is designed to create projects in the medical and space spheres. These areas already have a large database (including SNiPs and specifications). Thanks to these documents, it is possible to form requirements for a future product much faster.

The most important goal in the process of working with the “waterfall” is a scrupulous description of the requirements for the development. It is necessary to avoid a situation in which a serious error will be detected at the testing stage.