Hello everyone and welcome back to the Cognixia podcast. Every week, we get together to talk about the latest happenings, bust some myths, discuss new concepts, and a lot more from the world of digital emerging technologies. From cloud computing to DevOps, containers to ChatGPT, and Project management to IT service management, we cover a little bit of everything week after week, to inspire our listeners to learn something new, sharpen their skills, and move ahead in their careers.
In today’s episode, we talk about what has supposedly been a very critical element of a DevOps culture – the CI. Generally referred to in the same breath as CD, as the CI/CD pipeline, CI has been around quite a bit.
What is Continuous Integration (CI)?
Continuous integration (CI) is a fundamental practice within the DevOps methodology. It emerged in the late 1990s as a response to the challenges of traditional software development, where infrequent and large code merges often led to integration issues and bugs. CI automates integrating code changes from developers into a central repository. Every time a developer commits their code, automated builds and tests are triggered, providing immediate feedback on the code’s functionality and compatibility with the existing codebase.
This continuous integration cycle offers significant benefits to both developers and users. Developers can identify and fix errors early in the development process, leading to faster bug resolution and a more stable codebase. Additionally, CI empowers developers with frequent feedback, allowing them to iterate and improve code quality more efficiently. Ultimately, CI translates to a smoother development process and a more reliable, bug-free final product for users. By enabling faster development cycles and early detection of issues, CI paves the way for quicker delivery of new features and functionalities to users.
So, CI has been around for a while now. But then, so has DevOps.
DevOps has been around for a while, yeah, but that’s a good thing! Many of you haven’t experienced the struggles of waterfall development or even know what tools like Visual Test were – that’s awesome! While understanding different approaches can be helpful, focusing on the current tools that matter most is key.
Today, we have entire DevOps stacks that streamline development, building, testing, and even deployment within an agile environment. These constantly evolve, with new features and capabilities emerging all the time.
Remember how everyone used to talk about Application Release Orchestration (ARO)? That term faded away, right? You might even hear it again occasionally, sparking a “wait, is that coming back?” moment. Vendors come and go, products merge, and some disappear entirely. This is a sign of a healthy market – needs evolve, users mature, and better solutions emerge. Sure, having a product vanish can be frustrating, but the prevalence of open source in CI/CD helps soften the blow. As outdated tools fall by the wayside, newer, better options take their place, making the whole ecosystem stronger.
Speaking of tools, let’s talk about Jenkins. It’s widely used, maybe a little too widely used. Usage seems to be dipping, and the developers are making improvements to address things that push organizations toward other solutions. The good thing about Jenkins is that it can do everything. But that is also part of the problem with Jenkins. While Jenkins was once a simpler tool, years of competition and evolving needs have turned it into a bit of a heavyweight. If you’re working on a small project or a team using it solo with basic requirements, all you really need is something that gets a quality product out the door fast.
Sure, Jenkins boasts the arguably best documentation and a massive user base for troubleshooting, but it can feel clunky compared to a pre-configured SaaS (Software as a Service) option. With a SaaS solution, you can simply hand them your repository with build files and get going.
Think of it like this – if you need a quick scooter to zip around town, a tricked-out motorcycle might be more hassle than it’s worth. Consider the size and needs of your project before diving into a complex tool like Jenkins. Jenkins isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution. Sure, it’s become a powerful tool for many companies, but that doesn’t mean everyone needs that much muscle.
Especially for new, small, agile teams or those working solo, a simpler approach might be better. The good news is there are tons of options out there! Before diving in, take a step back and consider your project’s needs. What exactly do you want from your build/test process? Once you have a list of requirements, start exploring the available tools. Sometimes, keeping things lightweight is the way to go!
Continuous Integration (CI) has undoubtedly revolutionized software development by streamlining the process and catching bugs early on. However, its future might not be set in stone. The landscape has shifted dramatically since its rise. Today, a plethora of CI tools exist, each with its strengths and weaknesses. This abundance of options makes CI less of a one-size-fits-all solution. Organizations are increasingly tailoring their development pipelines to their specific needs. Some might choose lightweight tools that prioritize speed and simplicity, while others might require more robust solutions with extensive customization options. This flexibility and exploration of diverse approaches could potentially lead CI to evolve beyond its current form, transforming into a more modular or customizable set of practices, rather than a single, universally applied concept.
As companies move away from a “one size fits all” CI approach, the future of CI might lie in closer integration with other DevOps practices. Imagine a world where CI seamlessly integrates with tools for deployment (CD), infrastructure provisioning, and monitoring. This could create a more holistic development workflow where changes flow effortlessly from code commits to running applications. This interconnected ecosystem would likely require a shift in mindset, moving away from CI as a standalone practice to viewing it as a crucial component within a larger DevOps automation pipeline. Ultimately, CI’s future might not be about its existence, but rather its role as a cornerstone for a more unified and automated development process.
So, if you are someone who has been facing issues with CI or don’t feel too good about using it in your processes and workflows where it might feel like a misfit, then maybe look around and explore options. Nothing wrong with it. The right approach is the one that works for you, and that is all that matters.
And, if you are looking for opportunities to learn DevOps, then we recommend visiting our website www.cognixia.com to explore our range of live online instructor-led training and certification courses, including DevOps Training. For any questions you might have, you can reach us directly over the chat function on the website and our team will help you out with it right away.
With that, we come to the end of this week’s episode of the Cognixia podcast. We hope you enjoyed listening to us today and we could offer you something valuable for your time.
We will be back next week with another interesting and exciting episode of the Cognixia podcast. Until then, happy learning!
