Chapter 3. The Build and Pre-Deployment Testing Steps of Continuous Integration
Simply put, our modern software delivery practices provide a structure to help us plan, write, build, test, and deploy software. In Chapter 2, we looked at how SCM systems help track and manage changes as we write code.
In this chapter, we turn our attention to continuous integration. Figure 3-1 shows a CI/CD pipeline that we’ll look at shortly and return to in Chapters 4 and 8.
Figure 3-1. A CI/CD pipeline
We’ll explore the continuous integration pipeline with emphasis on build processes and pre-deployment testing (static scans, unit tests, and integration tests). We’ll demonstrate how an AI-native approach can accelerate CI through GenAI, agentic AI, and open standards such as MCP implementations. These technologies enable automated processes, predictive optimization, standardized context management, and intelligent testing strategies throughout the build, cache, and testing phases.
In addition to the key continuous integration steps, we’ll review continuous integration tools and discuss factors to consider when selecting one. You will come away with an understanding of how to improve efficiency, quality, and security in your build pipeline.
A Short History of Building and Testing Software
This is a familiar story. In 1947, while working on the Harvard Mark II computer, a team of engineers discovered ...
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