In simple words, anyone having any type of relation/interest in the project is known as a stakeholder. The term Software Project Stakeholder refers to, “a person, group or company that is directly or indirectly involved in the project and who may affect or get affected by the outcome of the project”. 

What is Stakeholder Identification? 
It is the process of a company that can affect or get affected by a decision, activity, or the outcome of the software project. It is important to identify the exact requirements of the project and what various stakeholders are expecting from the project outcome. 

Type of Stakeholders: 

1. Internal Stakeholder: 
An internal stakeholder is a person, group, or company that is directly involved in the project. 
For example, 
 

1. Project Manager: 
   Responsible for managing the whole project. The project Manager is generally never involved in producing the end product but he/she controls, monitors, and manages the activities involved in the production.
2. Project Team: 
   Performs the actual work of the project under the Project Manager including development, testing, etc.
3. Company: 
   An organization that has taken up the project and whose employees are directly involved in the development of the project.
4. Funders: 
   Provides funds and resources for the successful completion of the project.

2. External Stakeholder: 
An external stakeholder is linked indirectly to the project but has a significant contribution to the successful completion of the project. 
For example, 
 

1. Customer: 
   Specifies the requirements of the project and helps in the elicitation process of the requirement-gathering phase. The customer is the one for whom the project is being developed.
2. Supplier: 
   Supplies essential services and equipment for the project.
3. Government: 
   Makes policies that help in better working of the organization.