Supportsoft Glossary

Continuous Integration for Faster, Safer Deployments

Continuous integration (CI) is a best practice that encourages development teams to regularly merge changes to the codebase into a single repository multiple times a day. For every integration made, the CI system immediately performs an automated build and test of the application. This creates an opportunity for teams to continuously validate and verify early on, allowing for the rapid identification of problems that may lead to serious defects occurring later in a project.

CI allows for a smoother path through development and a higher level of safety throughout the process due to the elimination of long, unpredictable periods of integration. When developers are waiting weeks for their changes to be merged into a common code repository, they receive immediate feedback from CI when something is broken. This results in decreased time between development cycles, increased levels of collaboration, and keeps the software in a deployable state.

Automation is an essential element of CI since build processes, test suites, security checks, and quality assurance tools operate automatically, providing consistent execution and reducing the need for manual effort. Therefore, CI enables teams to move quickly without sacrificing reliability.

For companies, the benefits of CI include faster implementation of releases, fewer issues during production, and the development process becoming more predictable. CI also supports development team scalability and enhances the overall product's stability.