Continuous integration in software development: An overview

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Continuous integration is a DevOps software development practice that leads to improved efficiency in identifying and removing bugs.

While continuous integration won’t eliminate all bugs, the process will dramatically make it easier to find bugs and remove them. In this post, we will talk at length about continuous integration (CI) and how it leads to agile and efficient software development teams.

What Is Continuous Integration?

Continuous integration, or CI, is a part of the DevOps methodology that represents an interdigitation of software development and IT operations.

The main objective of DevOps is to reduce the software development lifecycle so that fixes, features, and updates are delivered more quickly. CI works toward this aim by frequent integration of codes into a shared central repository that helps in detecting problems early on.

The development team receives more frequent feedback with CI. Every new code that is added to the central repository is thoroughly checked to ensure that there are no errors. This ensures that the consistency of the program is maintained whenever new codes are added.

The agile method allows developers to respond quickly to errors. It saves time and effort involved in testing the software. The team members work efficiently and focus on improving functionality instead of removing issues.

The contributions of the team are integrated and aggregated, which results in a more streamlined development process.

Why Is Continuous Integration Important?

CI is part of an agile software development approach that aims to deliver high quality-codes and quick deployment. The techniques help in finding problems quickly and resolving them on a timely basis.

CI provides rapid feedback to the team. They are able to learn about defective codes and make corrections on the spot. This allows the team members to develop and deploy software more quickly.

With CI, members of a software development team integrate their work more quickly. All integrations are verified by an automated program and any errors that are detected are highlighted so that the necessary corrections can be made.

Let’s look at just some of the benefits of implementing CI for software development teams.

1. Increase Accountability

CI can help increase accountability among the team members. Every time a coder commits changes, the system will check the code for any errors. The results are displayed on the build pipeline that can be seen by everyone. This motivates the team members to take extra care when submitting codes.

The result is improved efficiency for the entire team since less time is incurred in resolving issues.

2. Higher Quality Work

Another benefit of implementing CI is that it results in improved efficiency. Automating parts of the software development workflow free up time that can be better utilized in improving the functionality of the software.

3. Reduced Overhead

Implementing CI can also lead to lower overheads. Since less time is spent on debugging problems, the billable hours will reduce, which will benefit both the company and the client.

Continuous Integration

Continuous integration means that new codes are thoroughly checked and merged only when they pass the test.

4. Consistent Software Development

CI results in a more streamlined software development process. Increased consistency reduces the risk of major errors during the development stage.

The automated systems will ensure that no step is overlooked during the test phase. The consistent process leads to a significantly improved outcome.

5. Risk Mitigation

CI means that new codes are thoroughly checked and merged only when they pass the test. This reduces the likelihood of broken code and defective functionality when a product is sent to the client.

The automated system will raise a red flag in case the master build is broken. This ensures that the final product is completely free of any defect, making it an effective risk mitigation strategy.

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Is CI and Continuous Deployment (CD) the Same?

A lot of people get confused when they hear CI and continuous deployment (CD). Both are part of the DevOps agile process and the principles of both techniques are the same.

All of the processes involved with both CI and CD are automated and no manual intervention is required.

However, the CD goes a step further in that it also includes deployment stage.

The project is deployed continuously after correcting any errors. This ensures that the users always have the most recent version of the software.

Summing It All Up

CI optimizes the software development process by quickly identifying and resolving errors. New codes are checked and any errors, if identified, are resolved.

Being a part of the DevOps methodology, CI results in an efficient and effective software development process. Projects are deployed faster so that customers have the latest version of the software.

Implementing CI can result in quick deployment, reduced overheads, and improved quality work. The entire process is automated that saves time and effort of the programmers in identifying and resolving issues. The process can reduce risk and enhance efficiency in the deployment of feature-rich products.

Last Updated on February 3, 2021.

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