What if your project is being tested for errors and issues in an automated mode whenever you change it? Would it help you focus on the creative part of the software development process? A CI/CD workflow allows you to do all that, but only if it has a properly set up pipeline and all processes in it are carefully tuned. Even the smallest inaccuracy in CI/CD workflow can turn testing automation into errors’ generation that will accumulate release after release.
Do note that a proper CI/CD process allows 200x more frequent code deployments.
Just consider how much time you could save by using a suitable QA automation solution, such as a CI/CD pipeline, during the software development process. So, before answering the question of how to set the process right, let’s briefly explore what CI, CD(s), and pipeline are to make sure we are on the same page.
What is CI?
CI refers to Continuous Integration, the practice that allows programmers to push the updated or new code to a repository, build the current version of a software or an application, and test it automatically, using scripts. Such an approach accelerates the process of software development and reduces the risk of errors in previously generated code. Programmers implement changes continuously, every day, or several times per day so automation of testing procedures speeds up the development process significantly.
What is CD?
CD refers to Continuous Delivery and Continuous Deployment. These practices are very similar: they continuously deploy the software or application built during the CI stage. The only difference between them is the method of deployment:
- Continuous Delivery – the code is automatically released to the repository, but you need to deploy it to production manually.
- Continuous Deployment – your intervention is not required, the deployment is automated.
How Does CI/CD Work?
CI/CD facilitates the project development process and speeds it up tremendously. However, note that not every software development approach is suitable to build CI/CD successfully. To make CI/CD possible for your project, the process should be organized according to the following principles:
- Iterative releases
Your project has a modular structure. Each component, in this case, can be tested autonomously over and over again if necessary to detect any issues early so they could be fixed before the next stage of development is initiated.
- Test-driven development
Each module has to be in a deployable state so it can be tested in automated mode. Moreover, your test suit must be comprehensive: it must include procedures to test all features coded in each module.
- Small iterations
You need to focus on developing the software in small parts to facilitate the testing process. If a developing feature requires more time than expected (more than a day, for instance), developers use feature flags to break the testing process into a few stages. It is easier to detect and fix bugs in features, for example, one by one, rather than test nearly a ready-to-go product and manage numerous issues that cause other issues.
- Environment to test releases
Each module must be tested in an environment similar to the production one to make sure that it will work correctly in the hands of end-users. You need to see what your customers will see when the product is ready.
- On-demand deployment
Any module must be ready to be deployed on demand, any version of it, in any required environment, at any given moment of time, and by anyone. Such an approach helps speed up both testing and development processes by DevOps.
What Are the Typical Stages in a CI/CD Pipeline?
A CI/CD pipeline is a set of automated sequential steps that a developer performs to deliver a new version of a product or an application. The pipeline has three typical stages:
- Continuous Integration: automated scripts test the new code and if no issues arise, it merges seamlessly with the existing codebase. These sequential steps are called build test, and merge.
- Continuous Delivery: the updated and issues-free version of the product automatically releases to the repository.
- and Continuous Deployment: the product (at the current stage of development) deploys to production.
Using a CI/CD pipeline is usually very advantageous for the software development process. The speed of releases’ delivery, automated tests of the code, and continuous automated and seamless integration of the new code into the existing one are only a few benefits to mention. Netflix, for example, is capable of completing integration, testing procedures, and delivery of a ready-to-go product within a few hours. It is one of the market’s leaders that knows much about automation.
If you want to find out more about the benefits of CI/CD to software development, you can check the other article about CI/CD advantages.
When Does CI/CD Not Work?
Setting up an appropriate CI/CD pipeline for your project may not be an easy task. Companies changing their current software development lifecycle to CI/CD may experience issues due to the mistakes that may occur in the process:
- Automating the wrong processes first
The lack of experience in establishing CI/CD and DevOps cooperation makes developers prioritise wrong processes for automation. They start integrating scenarios and processes into continuous stages that do not repeat often enough – code changes once per week, for example. Or a process does not require automation at all. In any case, this mistake negates the major benefit of CI/CD pipeline – the speed of product development.
- Deploying instead of Delivering
In some cases, developers think that if they do not deploy a product to production, they do not continuously deploy. So they omit the Continuous Delivery stage and go through to Continuous Deployment. This mistake results in delivery of a not-ready product to the end-users.
- Missing appropriate metrics
Metrics created by the Scrum team (the team of three to nine experienced business analysts, developers, UX designers, Scrum master, and so on working on the incremental project’s changes) are not always correct and suitable for CI/CD in the long run. Introducing it to executives unfamiliar with DevOps procedures could be misleading and disrupt setting up a productive CI/CD pipeline.
- Lack of coordination
The lack of coordination between DevOps, QA, Scrum masters, and other members of the team working on a project disrupts the CI/CD workflow. It happens when one or several parties have no clear understanding of the required level of collaboration during the automation of software development process using CI/CD.
- Unnecessary CI
In some cases, developers begin to automate even the smallest processes, like minor changes in the code, for example. Such an approach to Continuous Integration causes extensive overuse of company’s resources and waste of time and money.
To avoid making such mistakes, you should be ready to set up an efficient CI/CD in your environment. It takes months before everything works perfectly. However, you can save time and money and hire a professional QA company that will provide you with the necessary expertise and professionals with rich experience in this area.
How to Set Up an Efficient CI/CD Workflow?
In UTOR, we know how to set up CI/CD effectively. Every project is unique and may require a specific approach, but, in most cases, our CI/CD workflow looks like this:
- The current version of the project builds from the repository.
- It is delivered to the DevelopmentSmoke server to check if the new code compiles and builds without errors.
- Then, the newly built project deploys to a QA server to check the available functionality using either automated or manual tests (or both) depending on the task. If the project is large, it can be distributed between a few servers to speed up the process.
- At the Delivery stage, the project is being tested using various approaches, from ethical hacking, penetration testing, and accessibility testing, to performance tests, security tests, and so on. This stage allows us to check if the project is ready for deployment to production.
- If all tests are okay, the project is deployed to production.
Such an approach is applied to every project we work on. We know exactly what to do at every stage from the moment the code is pushed to a repository to the deployment to production.
Ready to Organize Your CI/CD Workflow?
CI/CD has numerous benefits for software development. If you’re confident in your expertise in this area, do not hesitate to use CI/CD pipelines wherever necessary – it will boost your business greatly. However, if you have doubts, let professionals help you. Such a decision will not only save your time and money but will not let your business make unnecessary and costly mistakes.
UTOR is a professional QA team with 5 years of experience and 40+ completed projects. We do know how to speed up the development of your project using CI/CD. If you have any questions or need assistance, feel free to contact us at your earliest convenience.
