Web-based application software is usually distributed

hypeimedia

autonomous and cooperative.Its life-cycle is more dynamic than traditional applications. These features impose tremendous challenges to the existing theories and methods of software development. This paper proposes an evolutionary process model called growth model for developing web-based software and discusses different possible strategies in life-cycle planning for such software.It also proposes a novel type of software environment

called software growth environment

to support the growth process. A meta-system of growth environments for testing and quality management of web-based information systems is presented

which is also being developed in growth strategy.