How is a baseline defined in software engineering?

A baseline in software engineering is specifically defined as a definition of specific system component versions. It serves as a reference point for subsequent development and changes, establishing a snapshot of the current state of a project at a given time. This allows teams to track changes, manage project progress, and ensure that any modifications made later can be compared against this established point.

The baseline plays a crucial role during various phases of the software development lifecycle, enabling teams to ensure that everyone is working with the same version of the software components, documentation, and requirements. By having this reference, it also facilitates better communication and coordination among team members, as they can all refer back to the same baseline for alignment on project goals and changes.

The other options do not encapsulate the definition of a baseline. For instance, coding guidelines refer to best practices for writing code, measures of code quality pertain to criteria for evaluating how well the code is written, and testing protocols are procedures for validating software functionalities. Each of these aspects contributes to software quality but does not define the concept of a baseline in the same way that specific component versions do.