Continuous Integration (CI) is a software development practice in which developers frequently integrate their code changes into a shared repository, usually several times a day. This process involves automatically testing the integrated code to detect errors as early as possible. The goal is to minimize integration problems and allow for faster development cycles. Key components of Continuous Integration include: 1. **Version Control**: CI relies on version control systems (like Git) to manage changes to the codebase.
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Continuous integration is a software engineering practice in which collaborators frequently combine small changes into a shared main line, conventionally at least daily, and check each integration through an automated software build and software testing. Fast feedback makes incompatible assumptions visible while the changes are still small. A server that tests isolated development branches contributes automation; frequent integration into the shared main line is the defining collaboration practice.[ref]
Continuous Integration by Martin Fowler. Definition and sections on mainline integration and automated builds
For example, one developer changes a parser to return a new data structure, while another changes code that consumes the result. Each component can pass its own isolated unit tests while their combination fails. Integration testing of the shared revision exercises that interface and exposes the mismatch. The build result should identify the tested source revision so that a failure can be reproduced.
