What is continuous?
Continuous (often heard as “continuous integration” or “continuous delivery”) is a way of building software where developers regularly combine their code changes into a shared project. Each time new code is added, an automated system checks it, runs tests, and makes sure everything still works before it’s released to users.
Let's break it down
- Write code - A developer creates or updates a piece of the program.
- Commit - The code is saved to a central repository (like Git).
- Trigger - The repository notifies a CI server (e.g., Jenkins, GitHub Actions).
- Build - The server automatically compiles the code into a runnable program.
- Test - Automated tests run to catch bugs or errors.
- Deploy - If everything passes, the new version can be automatically sent to a testing environment or even to real users (continuous delivery).
Why does it matter?
- Faster feedback - Problems are spotted right after they’re introduced, not weeks later.
- Higher quality - Regular testing keeps the codebase stable.
- Speed to market - New features reach users quickly, giving a competitive edge.
- Team confidence - Developers know their changes won’t break the whole system.
Where is it used?
- Software companies building web apps, mobile apps, or desktop programs.
- Start‑ups that need to ship updates rapidly.
- Large enterprises that maintain complex, multi‑team codebases.
- Open‑source projects where many contributors add code from around the world.
Good things about it
- Reduces manual, error‑prone steps.
- Encourages small, manageable code changes.
- Makes rollbacks easy if something goes wrong.
- Improves collaboration because everyone sees the latest, working version.
Not-so-good things
- Requires upfront investment in tools and pipeline setup.
- Can be complex to configure for legacy code that lacks tests.
- Over‑reliance on automated tests may miss edge‑case bugs.
- If the pipeline is slow, developers may experience frustrating wait times.