Deployment definition

Deployment is the series of activities that need to be done to make an application or software available for end users to utilize. If you deliver a mobile utility, the process is centred around publishing it on the App Store or Google Play. Speaking of a website, it means that it will go on the live server from where anyone will be able to reach it.

Developers choose between several of the most adopted deployment strategies. Each one of them has their advantages and disadvantages. For example, the Big Bang release helps coders publish the entire system in one go. Downtimes appear as a result of that, so it shouldn’t be done swiftly, without preparations.

Unlike the Big Bang, the Rolling deployment method lies in updating an element of a program per time. Your users can access your application even during changes since they don’t touch the entire structure. Another approach is Blue-Green deployment which involves two environments: the current version of a system and a new one. When the updated software is tested and ready to use, programmers switch the load, making it available.

Steps of deployment

A developer follows a multiple-action path to ensure that every feature is engineered correctly and aligns with the standards. It doesn’t matter what type a coder chooses, some phases repeat from one case to the next.

Step 1. Plan the process

Avoiding misalignment and risk prevention call for a detailed roadmap of actions when releasing the final product to the customers. First of all, developers need to decide on the tactic of deployment they are going to use — Big Bang, Blue-Green, Rolling. Then, they prepare the environment to set the process into motion.

Step 2. Build artifacts

Distributors turn the written code into executables for computers to be able to run them. Built containers store all the information that needs to be released (images, audio, texts).

Step 3. Conduct testing

The system, before entering its going-live stage, undergoes thorough evaluation to determine whether the packaged code works. Engineers check its performance and protection, spot bugs and find solutions.

Step 4. Deploy

Making the functions visible for your audience calls for preparing the live environment where it will be published, transferring files and configuring the APIs connected to the software and so on.

Step 4. Make sure that everything works smoothly

Assess the functions of the program to ensure that after rollout nothing is missing. It simply demands checking how the pages work and whether they display everything correctly.

Step 5. Monitor

Release is not the final stage of software development, as every system after deployment requires regular updates and maintenance efforts. As soon as the program is published, tech savants pay close attention to logs and the overall behavior of the utility.

Why does efficient deployment matter?

When the procedure is done properly with all necessary tests, checks and settings, it contributes to the effectiveness of a program. On the contrary, if the release happened too quickly and the developer skipped paramount nuances, it would result in vulnerabilities. In the following passage, you’ll find out why the correct release matters that much.

First, a well-thought-out release prevents a great deal of downtime cases. If a program is configured perfectly and the right deployment strategy was chosen, your software will run as intended without making customers worried.

The second comes from the first. Receiving updates without time off, enhanced performance and stability boost user experience. The standard rollout happens in a way that it doesn’t disturb those who take advantage of the software.

Finally, refined installation strengthens the security of a system. Professionals, following the best practices, don’t allow sensitive information to be exposed.