Continuous delivery (CD) is a software development approach based on automated testing that relies on fast deployment of code into production as soon as it's ready, creating a rapid feedback loop to assist developers with constant improvements to software quality while expediting delivery of features and functionality more rapidly than with traditional waterfall-style development methods.
Continuous delivery is an integral component of DevOps. While it requires an effective version control system to protect and preserve software, its primary focus should be to shorten development cycles, accelerate deployment cycles and foster greater collaboration among software teams.
The CD pipeline involves code check-in, compilation and building processes, running automated unit tests and acceptance testing before deployment to target environments. This "Automated Deployment Pipeline" also incorporates various manual approval gates as production environments near.
There are various programs designed to aid organizations transition to CD. But it's essential to remember that successful CD processes involve more than simply technical practices; they require changing your mindset too.
As part of a continuous delivery strategy, companies should establish an orchestration framework that unifies all the tools. This should include repeatable templates for both development and operations team members that facilitate automation required to build, test, deploy applications. Furthermore, developers should integrate error reporting tools that track unexpected errors post-deployment as well as ticketing systems so they can monitor them effectively and alert users if problems arise.
