Continuous Delivery vs Continuous Deployment
Software development requires agility to manage quick and frequent updates, bug fixes, and releases. With Agile methodologies, teams work collaboratively to develop, test, and deliver quality software components that match customer requirements. Continuous integration and continuous delivery techniques facilitate faster software delivery, and they have become increasingly important in software development.
Continuous delivery and continuous deployment are the two most common strategies for software deployment in Agile development. Both approaches automate the software release process, but there are significant differences between the two.
Continuous Delivery
In continuous delivery, the code changes are built, tested, and released to the production environment for further manual testing and release. The process is automated, involving continuous integration and testing, but it does not involve automatic deployment to the production environment.
Continuous delivery offers several advantages, such as reducing human error, delivering faster, and ensuring software quality. With continuous delivery, teams can perform user acceptance testing to make sure that their software meets customer needs before it's released to the production environment.
Continuous Deployment
Continuous deployment automates the entire process from building codes to testing and deployment. The code changes are automatically pushed to the production environment for release, without manual intervention or approvals. The approach offers the advantage of faster software delivery with minimal human involvement.
However, continuous deployment can lead to potential issues, such as running untested code on the production environment or unexpectedly breaking the functionality.
Which deployment strategy is best for Agile development?
The answer is not straightforward because both approaches have their pros and cons. For some teams, continuous delivery is the best option because it offers greater control and testing of the code changes before deployment. It also reduces the risk of deploying broken code.
On the other hand, continuous deployment helps teams save time and increase efficiency by automating the deployment process. It allows for faster delivery and quicker feedback.
The choice between continuous delivery or continuous deployment depends on a team's comfort level with automation and how fast they want to deliver software components.
Here's a quick rundown of the main differences between the two approaches:
| Feature | Continuous Delivery | Continuous Deployment |
|---|---|---|
| Code Deployment | Manual Approval is required | Automatic Approval is required |
| Speed | Slower delivery, human approvals | Faster Delivery, no approvals required |
| Risk of failures | Less risk of failures | Greater risk of failures |
Conclusion
Both continuous delivery and continuous deployment are effective approaches to deploy software applications in Agile development. Choosing the right approach depends on the team's willingness to automate and how fast they want to deploy software components.
At Flare, our team understands the importance of agility in software development, and we can help you choose the approach that works best for your team. Why not talk to us about your requirements today?