What is Top-down design?

Top-down design is a method used in software development where a system is divided into smaller, more manageable components starting from the general structure and progressively breaking it down into finer details. This approach begins with the system as a whole, identifying the major functions or modules, and then systematically decomposing these into smaller parts until each component can be individually developed or implemented.

The advantage of using top-down design lies in its organized and hierarchical approach, which helps maintain a clear overview of the system architecture while ensuring that all parts align with the overall goals and requirements. This method enables developers to understand the big picture first before delving into the specifics, facilitating better planning and integration of different components.

The other choices do not accurately describe top-down design. Focusing on coding from the beginning is indicative of a bottom-up approach instead, while prioritizing user feedback reflects an agile or iterative design philosophy rather than a structured design method. Lastly, avoiding complex designs in favor of simplicity is not a characteristic of top-down design, which may indeed lead to complex architectures as the details are fleshed out.