Continuous Integration

Continuous integration (CI) implements code changes from multiple contributors into a solitary software project. It is one of the top DevOps best practices, allowing developers to frequently merge code changes into a dominant repository where builds and tests are run. Automated tools verify that the new code is correct before integration. A source code version control scheme is the critical point of the CI process. The version control system is also complemented by other checks such as automated code quality tests, syntax style checking tools, and much more.

What is Continuous Integration?

Continuous integration is a solution for scenarios such as the following: a company is working on a large-scale project which consists of developing complex software for a client. The teams design partial aspects of the application, and the developers program the different functions. After several months or even years of work, all the software has to be assembled and compiled, and this is where the problems appear. In these cases, it could take months to find and iron out all the bugs, put all the code snippets together, and get the software through testing and deployment.

Benefits of Continuous Integration

Here are some specific benefits of continuous integration:

• Reduce integration problems.
• Improve visibility of software product status.
• Speed ​​up fault detection.
• Decrease the time spent debugging bugs.
• Avoid waiting to find out if a code works.

In short, the benefits of continuous integration are “quick problem solving”. Since the software is integrated frequently, it is typically not necessary to go back very far to discover where the bug was introduced when a bug is found. In comparison, when a team does not follow a continuous integration strategy, the periods between integrations are long, and the code base is very different between each integration, so when errors are found, much more code has to be reviewed, which requires more time. And effort.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Continuous Integration

Despite its positive aspects, continuous integration has proven to not only bring advantages. It certainly avoids a long and challenging integration phase at the end of the project. In addition, it offers the possibility of detecting errors in time, but it can be tough to apply for teams used to other methods, in which case it could even waste more time than it would save.

Advantage

• Early error detection
• Constant communication
• Avoid a sizeable final integration
• An accurate record of changes in code at the same time
• Constant availability of a functional and updated version.

Disadvantages

• Change of usual processes
• Requires additional servers and environments
• Development of your test plan
• This can lead to delays when multiple developers try to integrate their code at the same time
• Encourages thorough work.

Selection of Continuous Integration Tools

In principle, continuous integration can implement without specific tools since all phases can carry out manually, but this would require a lot of time and discipline. However, with the help of the right tools, the job can be made more accessible. These tools usually provide a server and help with project build and version control.

Jenkins: This popular Java program is a fork of Hudson, which is no longer updated. Open-source software works with a variety of build tools and version control systems.

Travis CI: This continuous integration tool especially appreciate for its compatibility with GitHub, which informs Travis of code changes. There is a free version of the software for open-source projects and a paid version.

Bamboo: With the Bamboo server, developers can perform integration, deployment, and continuous release management. It belongs to the company Atlassian and has a web interface and Java technology. Bamboo helps developers by automating processes and works with different build tools. There is a free version for open-source projects.

Gitlab CI: GitLab offers a proprietary continuous integration program that works with the well-known version control tool. The pipelines can configure and thus adapted to the requirements of each project. Also, it is compatible with GitLab CI Docker.

Circle CI: There are two versions of this software for continuous integration. And also, The versions allow you to work directly in the cloud or on your local server.

Cruise Control: Although developed by Thought Works (a company related to Martin Fowlers), Cruise Control has since become an independent project. This free software is bases on Java and is compatible with any platform. Among other things, Cruise Controls offers developers a control panel (its web page) where the status of builds can check.

Code ship: Code ship aims to provide developers with an easy option for continuous integration. Based on container technology, automation can easily create with it. The company offers two different versions for this task: Basic and Pro.

TeamCity: This commercial software puts a lot of emphasis on interoperability with other tools. And also, Its standard version is compatible with numerous programs, and the spectrum can extend using plugins. A feature of this software is the pre-tested commits. TeamCity checks new code before integrating it into the main line and reports any errors.

The Importance of Continuous Integration

To understand the importance of IC, it helps to first talk about some trouble spots that often arise from a lack of IC. Without CI, developers must physically coordinate and communicate when they bring code into the final product. This coordination goes beyond the development teams and reaches the operations teams and the rest of the organization. Product teams must coordinate when to release features and solutions sequentially and which team members will be responsible.

The communication overhead of a CI-less environment can become a complex and confusing synchronization task, adding unnecessary administrative costs to projects. This leads to slower code releases with a higher failure rate, as developers must be sensitive and considerate regarding integrations. The risks grow exponentially as the engineering team sizes and the code base grow.

Get Started with Continuous Integration

The primary dependency of the IC is a version control scheme (VCS). If the target cypher base for a CI installation does not have a VCS, the first step is to install it. And also, The absence of a VCS should be infrequent in modern code bases. Some popular VCSs are Git, Changeable, and Subversion. Once version control is at home, finding a form control hosting stage is the next step. Most modern version control hosting tools have built-in support and features for CI. Some general version control hosting platforms are Bitbucket, GitHub, and Gitlab.

Once version control establishes in the project, integration approval steps must add. And also, The most valuable integration approval step to implement automated testing. However, adding automated tests to a project can have upfront overhead. First, a test framework must install, and then developers must write test code and test cases.

Conclusion

Continuous integration, or CI as its abbreviation often knows, is consuming everyone working on the same software scheme to share. And also, It their changes to the code base regularly and then checks that the code continues to work as it should after each change. Continuous integration is a fundamental part of the DevOps approach to building and releasing software, promoting collaboration, automation, and short feedback loops.

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