CI/CD stands for continuous integration and continuous delivery or deployments. It is a software development process that automates building, testing, merging, and releasing to source repository or deploying to production. 😅 that was long but let me break it down! CI automatically builds the software, tests it, and merges it to the repository in the build pipeline. It is then moved to the release pipeline where CD happens.
CD can either be continuous delivery or continuous deployment. Continuous delivery means the software is ready to be deployed to production at any time but it requires manual intervention for deployment to occur. Remember all of this is automated except the deployment to production.
Unlike continuous delivery, continuous deployment is fully automated and software is automatically deployed to production all the time. It doesn’t require any form of manual intervention whatsoever. Depending on the companies needs and requirements they might choose to go with either releasing the software to the customers when it’s ready or at a given time. CI/CD
Benefits Of CI/CD
Below are the benefits of continuous integration and continuous delivery or deployments.
Reduces time to market
Most of the manual work is now automated which helps companies release products more often. Companies now decide when to release their product to the customers.
High code quality
Quality is always better than quantity and with the help of automated testing CI/CD, fewer bugs don’t make it to production as things are now automated.
Cost reduction
The cost of production of products is legally reduced
In conclusion, CI/CD ( continuous integration and continuous delivery or deployment ) helps make the software delivery process less of a hassle.