Continuous Integration (CI) and Continuous Deployment (CD) are practices aimed at improving software development efficiency and quality by automating the integration and delivery processes.
Continuous Integration (CI) involves automatically integrating code changes from multiple contributors into a shared repository several times a day. Each integration is verified by an automated build, allowing teams to detect and address issues early. CI tools like Jenkins, GitHub Actions, and Travis CI run automated tests and ensure that new code commits do not break the existing functionality.
Continuous Deployment (CD) extends CI by automating the release of validated changes to production. Every change that passes the automated tests is automatically deployed to the production environment, ensuring that the software is always in a release-ready state. This practice reduces the time between development and release, allowing for faster delivery of features and updates.
Together, CI/CD practices help teams achieve rapid, reliable, and repeatable software delivery, fostering a culture of continuous improvement and agility.