What is functional and non-functional requirements?

Hey There, I'm Anand Mohan, A Software Developer and a DevSecOps Enthusiast from India. I love to explore new technologies and always try to share with you. Today I'm gonna share you about the basic difference between Functional and Non Functional requirements in Software Development.

Functional requirements and non-functional requirements are two important components of software requirements specification.

Functional requirements are the specific features and capabilities that the software system must have in order to meet the needs of the users. They describe what the system should do, and typically include specific tasks, functions, and behaviors. For example, a functional requirement for an e-commerce website might be the ability for customers to add items to a shopping cart and make online payments.

Non-functional requirements, on the other hand, describe the qualities and characteristics that the software system must have in order to be considered successful. They define how well the system must perform, rather than what it must do. Non-functional requirements can include things such as performance, scalability, reliability, security, and usability. For example, a non-functional requirement for an e-commerce website might be that it should load within 2 seconds or less on a typical broadband connection.

It's important to clearly define both functional and non-functional requirements in the software requirements specification document, as this will ensure that the development team has a clear understanding of what is expected from the software system and can build it accordingly.