lifecycle

A lifecycle is the sequence of stages through which an entity passes from its origin to its end, often including transformation and renewal. The concept is used across disciplines to model development, aging, reproduction, and eventual decline, with emphasis on transitions, feedback, and dependencies among stages.

In biology, life cycle refers to the series of stages in an organism's life from birth or germination to reproduction and death. Many organisms alternate between immature and mature forms, such as metamorphosis in butterflies or the alternation of generations in plants, where haploid and diploid phases alternate.

In technology and business, lifecycles describe how products, services, or systems evolve over time. The product lifecycle typically includes introduction, growth, maturity, and decline, affecting investment, marketing, and discontinuation decisions. The software development life cycle (SDLC) outlines phases from requirements to maintenance.

Lifecycle models provide frameworks for planning and evaluation, including linear (waterfall), iterative, and agile or continuous approaches. Lifecycle assessment and sustainability consider environmental impacts across stages. Understanding lifecycles supports risk management, resource allocation, and strategic forecasting.