The software certification process has evolved from the need to promote quality across all software systems being developed. By outlining a specific software practice, a standard can be created in process management. There are two major certifications: Software Capability Maturity Model (CMM or SW-CMM) and ISO 9000 series.

The CMM can be used as a guide to improve a company's software processes. CMM is a model that has 5 levels of certification. These five levels are outlined below:

The ISO 9000 series of certifications is an external quality assurance process. An outside auditor determines if a software development team or company complies to the ISO 9000 standard, by looking at the company's software process and comparing it to the 'ideal' ISO process. An ISO 9001 certification is a promise that a company produces software at a certain level of quality.

These two certifications are contrasted in an article by Mark C. Paulk, A Comparison of ISO 9001 and the Capability Maturity Model for Software.