Which phase of the SDLC is focused primarily on ensuring the final product is functional and meets user requirements?

The Testing phase of the Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC) is essential for verifying that the final product is both functional and meets the established user requirements. During this phase, various testing strategies are utilized to identify defects, assess performance, and confirm that the software operates as intended. Testing typically includes unit testing, integration testing, system testing, and user acceptance testing, each focusing on different aspects of the application.

The primary goal during this phase is to ensure that the software is reliable, meets the specifications laid out in earlier phases, and fulfills the needs of end-users. By systematically evaluating the product, developers and testers can catch issues before the software is deployed, ultimately leading to a higher quality and user-satisfactory product.

In contrast, the other phases like Planning, Deployment, and Defining focus on different objectives. Planning and Defining are more about understanding requirements and preparing the project for development, while Deployment deals with releasing the product into a live environment. Thus, Testing stands out as the phase specifically dedicated to ensuring functional correctness and user satisfaction.