Continuous Integration - Improve the development phase
Continuous Integration is a software development practice where members of a team integrate their work frequently. Each integration is verified by an automated build which detect integration errors and test errors as quickly as possible.
This solution helps team discover the problem not in the final phase but during the development.
Usually the continues Integration software monitor the source control software and for each check-in (Someone enter new code to the source control) run the automated build and verify that no one caused the application not to compile or ruined other components (by test).
By running the automated build each developer can get immediate input about the new code that was entered. The information can be:
- Files that were entered and by who
- Did it cause the application not to be compiled
- Did it passed the application test
- Which components changed during the last build
When developer getting such immediate input , he can fix easily the problem that may occur easily because he still remember what he did.
Continues Integration Software
CruiseControl , CruiseControl.NET,Apache Continuum, CABIE, Build Forge and Parabuild
Advantages of Using Continues Integration
- Reduce Risk - Find the problem during development time and not afterward.
- Reduce Bugs - If you system run automated build that contains test , you will be able to reduce dramatically your bugs.
- Reduce the Integration time - The Integration time is done all the time due to the fact that everyone check in all the time and we make sure the system is stable
- Reduce software Development phase - Due to the fact that there are less bugs and the integration time is shorter, companies that use this technique are able to deliver version much more quickly.
Tags: Apache Continuum, Continuous Integration, CruiseControl, CruiseControl.NET, MSBuild