Software development has taken over much of the economic activities worldwide. It is one of the fastest-growing industries in the world right now. Along with growth, this industry is also the most profitable. You can imagine its profits from the salaries of its employees. However, the salaries are not our topic of discussion. It is just to focus on the importance of its industry. Today’s article is all about discussing two approaches to software development. One is Greenfield software development, while the other is Brownfield software development. There will be a mention of all the advantages and disadvantages of these software development tools. So, let’s start our discussion with the following question;
What Is The Difference Between Greenfield Development And Brownfield Development?
The first difference is that both are different software development tools. Do not take it as a joke; it is a difference. However, the major difference lies in their definitions. Greenfield software development is all about developing software from scratch. It requires the developers to start the development from a totally new state. Remember that it does not involve modifications in any previously developed software. In simple words, you can say that there is no legacy code around this software development.
On the other hand, Brownfield software development can go either way. It can be the development of software based on legacy code or the absence of legacy code. This software development occurs when developers want to modify the software or improve on an existing application. This thing compels you to work with previous code. A brief description of some other main differences is as follows as shared by The Academic Papers UK;
The direction of the project
The direction of the project is very vague and unclear in the case of greenfield development. It is because you have to start the project on a clean slate. You do not have any legacy code to assist you in your development process. In contrast, brownfield development’s direction is very clear. You know what changes you have to make and what new codes you have to develop.
Development effort
The major difference lies in the development effort of both types of development. Being a completely new development, greenfield requires more effort and time. At the same time, Brownfield software development demands less work. It is because the foundation is already built on the legacy code. All you need to do is make some changes to it, and that is it.
Degree of risk
The degree of risk is also a major difference. The risk is very high in the case of greenfield software development. You will be working on a completely new project. You do not know what might happen in the end after spending a lot of time and effort on the code. In the meantime, the degree of risk is very low in brownfield development. You already know what you have to do.
Pros and Cons of Greenfield sites
Like every other software development, Greenfield software development also has its pros and cons. Below you can find a complete description of those;
Pros
- This software development allows you to go deep into the technology. To develop something from scratch, you study each code and everything that is relevant. Therefore, it gives you an opportunity to learn things in detail.
- It provides you with hands-on experience in developing different modules for your software.
- It allows you to get a detailed overview of the software infrastructure. You also identify the limitations in the system also.
- There are no limitations tied to the system you are developing. You can follow any path to develop the software and mitigate the risks.
Cons
- Although you have started the development, there is still no clear roadmap to follow. This poses a major difficulty in Greenfield software development.
- The risk in the development is very high as you do not know whether your code will work or not. It is a significant disadvantage of this software development path.
- It requires more time and effort to dig deep into the development issues and mitigation. Also, it requires spending a lot of time making a development plan.
- There are so many ways available to work on your project. It is hard to decide on one method, which is a potential drawback.
Pros and Cons of Brownfield sites
Likewise, the greenfield development, let’s talk about the pros and cons of Brownfield software development, especially with the aspect of computer science dissertation. The major points are mentioned below;
Pros
- You already have a sample at hand to use during the software development. This advantage makes it easy to work on the project as you already know the older work.
- It gives you a clear idea about the scope, audience, competition, and the position of the project.
- Also, it gives you an opportunity to contribute to the new software development by making some changes.
- It also allows you to use existing code to produce a market-leading product.
Cons
- It does not give you any information about the technology that has been previously used in the development of the code.
- It may require you to reengineer the whole code.
- The technology you are using and the code built might not be the same. Therefore, it may require you to change the technology.
- The development cost also becomes high while working on legacy code systems.
Is Greenfield Better Than Brownfield? Why Do Developers Prefer Greenfield Sites?
Every software development site has its own uses. The choice of which is best depends on the project requirement and the developer’s liking. Some people like to work on greenfield sites as they offer clean development. The developer has to develop codes from scratch. Many developers prefer greenfield over brownfield. The reason behind this is also the same that is, it provides an opportunity to developers to produce cutting-edge software.
Conclusion
Both Greenfield software development and Brownfield software development have their own pros and cons. Some of them are mentioned above for your ease so that you can easily know which is best for your project. However, many developers like to use Greenfield development.
