Build/Deployment Automation


Introduction:-
•        Many of the problems encountered in software application deployments can be traced to reliance on manual processes to build, test, and package release targets.
•        Modern software development practices such as continuous integration (CI) focus on executing integration builds early and often, rather than waiting until the software product is almost ready to deliver.
Architecture:-

Benefits Of CI:-
•        Increased productivity
•        Enables shorter feedback cycle when changes are made
•        Code is kept in a “releasable” state
•        Code gets back into the hands of testers quickly
•        Frees the team to do more interesting and valuable work
•        Improves morale, making it easier to retain good developers
•        Enables more frequent releases with new features
•        Improved quality
•        Makes it easier to find and remove defects because frequent integration and testing identifies bugs as they are introduced.
•        Multi-platform builds help in finding problems that may arise on some, but not all, versions of the supported platform.
•        Reduced Risk
Reduces uncertainty greatly because at all times the team knows what works, what does not, and what the major issues are

How It Builds:-
    • The build is completely automated, usually through the execution of a single script.
    • No matter how triggered or how often run, a build always begins by retrieving code from the source code repository.
    • Unless terminated prematurely, the end product of a build is always executable code.
    • Notification of build status always occurs through a feedback mechanism.
Continuous Deployment:-
 Continuous deployment is “Set of practices and steps that enable us to release working software any time, in any place, with as little effort as possible.” 
•        The build includes compilation, running all tests and inspections, packaging, and deployment.
•        “Any place” implies not only developer servers, but also QA and production servers.
Important Factors:-
•        Code coverage by automated tests.
•        Security & Load testing to cope up production environment.
•        Quantifiable measures once deployed to production.


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