Ever since the advent of DevOps, it has bridged the gap between the development, operations and IT teams seamlessly to quite an extent. With the right set of tools and strategies, it has revolutionised the game of software development and testing.
One of the key reasons for this is the integration of CI/CD (Continuous Integration/ Continuous Delivery) DevOps approach in the software testing environment. Here, we add another CD, Continuous Deployment into the mix to give you a better understanding of this approach.
Let us take you through the basic definitions of the terminologies, benefits of integrating such a methodology in your software testing and the different stages involved in it.
Important definitions of the terminologies
Continuous Integration: This is a process that is built around the concept of the early detection of bugs, where the developers and coders integrate the new codes into a shared repository as and when they create it. It is unlike the traditional method, where the coder creates all the codes in one go and only integrates with the main system at the end of project cycle. In the CI approach, there are several test cases that test the new codes as and when they are uploaded in the system and check for any breakages or loopholes.
Continuous Delivery: As soon as the CI is finished, CD joins the play by delivering the integrated codes into the production stage. All the codes are free of bugs and are delivered without any delays, thanks to an efficient automation system. As a result, the developers can now merge the integrated codes into the main branch, resulting in creating an instant software-ready product. The CD process basically checks whether the integrated codes are safe enough to be released in the production environment.
Continuous Deployment: In this whole automation process of CI/CD, the most important part comes in at the stage of continuous deployment. In this approach, the build and deployment occur simultaneously, as and when there is a major change in the codes. In here, there is no manual intervention in the whole process. The process performs live deployment changes as and when any modified code passes through the CI stage.
What are the top benefits of integrating CI/CD DevOps?
Get faster results: One of the best benefits of such integration is the speed with which you can get results. The efficient CI tools give feedback as and when the new codes are integrated. Since all the tests are run simultaneously, bugs are fixed early on in the development cycle and hence you have the capability of getting the results on a weekly basis. By this, you can most certainly provide application updates with minor bug fixes every week, so that the user has top-notch experience all the time.
Improved visibility of the development: An incredibly developer-friendly benefit of the CI/CD pipeline is that it is transparent, enabling the developers to analyse the whole process of new builds, test cases and execution phase and identify the codes that led to breakage. This helps them in avoiding similar mistakes in future.
Early detection of bugs: Thanks to continuous testing, you will not be in for any last-minute surprises. Since most of the tests are automated in such an approach, you get faster results. Certain manual tests are also performed to ensure the overall quality of the software by keeping the new codes in mind.
What are the different stages of integrating CI/CD DevOps into Software Testing?
| Commit | Build | Test | Production Deployment |
| 1) All the new features and new codes are integrated with the base codes.
2) Continuous feedback helps in checking the quality of the codes. 3) Different CI/CD tools help in performing various Unit and Sanity tests. |
1) Once the code is tested and integrated, the developers push the artefacts into the registry. | 1) During this stage, all the Alpha and Beta deployments take place.
2) In Alpha deployments, the performance of the new builds is checked in accordance with the interactions between the builds. 3) In Beta deployment stage, everything is checked manually once again before the applications goes into production. |
1) In this final stage, the application goes live.
2) Here, the whole build has gone through various test scenarios successfully and ensures that the application is ready for the real world user. |
Integrating the CI/CD strategy into Software Testing only has perks attached to it and therefore is the future. However, addition of newer codes can result in slower overall builds and it requires a disciplined strategy to address the quick feedback that comes by your way.
One of the common challenges faced in the CI/CD DevOps strategy is the lack of knowledge for resources. It is not a job for an average developer and instead needs a set of highly-skilled developers and testers who are capable of making changes on the go. At TestUnity, you get experienced professionals who are well-versed with all the technical know-hows of this strategy. Get in touch with us to know more.
Testunity is a SaaS-based technology platform driven by a vast community of testers & QAs spread around the world, powered by technology & testing experts to create the dedicated testing hub. Which is capable of providing almost all kind of testing services for almost all the platforms exists in software word.
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