Continuous Integration (CI) is a software development practice where developers integrate their code changes frequently into a shared repository. The goal of CI is to automate the build, test, and deployment processes to identify and fix integration issues early in the development lifecycle. With CI, developers can regularly merge their code changes and immediately detect and fix conflicts or errors that may arise due to these changes. By automatically building and testing the integrated code, CI helps to ensure that the latest changes do not break the existing functionality and that the application remains stable.
CI involves setting up a CI server or a build server that continuously monitors the shared repository for any code changes. When a developer commits their code changes, the CI server automatically triggers a series of actions such as compiling the code, running unit tests, and generating build artifacts. The CI server provides instant feedback to the developers by reporting the test results, code coverage, and build status. If any issues are detected, developers can quickly identify the problematic code changes and resolve them before they impact the entire codebase.
CI plays a crucial role in streamlining the software development process and ensuring the quality and stability of the application. By enabling frequent integration and detection of integration issues, CI helps reduce the debugging time and effort required during the later stages of development. It promotes collaboration among team members, as developers have visibility into each other's changes and can resolve conflicts early. CI also paves the way for other practices such as Continuous Delivery and Continuous Deployment, which further automate the release and deployment processes.