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Continuous Integration isn't just a buzzword—it's the foundation that separates high-performing DevOps teams from those stuck in deployment chaos. When you're tested on CI practices, you're really being asked to demonstrate understanding of feedback loops, automation philosophy, and risk reduction strategies. These practices work together as a system: break one, and the whole pipeline suffers.
Don't just memorize a list of "things teams should do." Instead, focus on why each practice exists and what problem it solves. Exam questions will ask you to identify which practice addresses a specific scenario, compare approaches, or explain how practices reinforce each other. Know the underlying principle, and you'll handle any question they throw at you.
The foundation of CI is knowing exactly what code exists and who changed it. Without disciplined source control, everything else falls apart—you can't automate what you can't track.
Compare: Single source repository vs. frequent commits—both reduce integration pain, but the repository provides structure while frequent commits provide rhythm. FRQs often ask which practice addresses "integration hell"—the answer involves both working together.
Manual builds introduce variability and human error. Automation ensures that every build follows identical steps, every time. This is where CI transforms from philosophy into practice.
Compare: Build every commit vs. keep the build fast—these create healthy tension. Building everything ensures quality; keeping builds fast ensures adoption. Teams must balance thoroughness with speed through techniques like parallel testing and incremental builds.
Testing isn't a phase—it's woven into every build. CI practices embed quality checks directly into the automation pipeline, catching defects when they're cheapest to fix.
Compare: Self-testing builds vs. production-clone testing—self-testing validates code logic, while production-clone testing validates environmental compatibility. Both are essential; neither alone is sufficient. Exam questions may present scenarios where one type of testing caught an issue the other missed.
CI only works when everyone knows the current state of the codebase. Visibility practices ensure that build status, test results, and deployable artifacts are accessible to all stakeholders.
Compare: Visible build results vs. accessible deliverables—visibility is about status information, while accessibility is about artifacts themselves. A team might have a green dashboard but no easy way to deploy what passed. Both gaps create friction.
The final mile of CI extends into Continuous Delivery. Automated deployment ensures that getting code to users is as reliable and repeatable as building it.
Compare: Automated builds vs. automated deployment—builds validate code works, deployment automation ensures it reaches users reliably. Many teams automate builds but still deploy manually, creating a bottleneck that undermines CI benefits.
| Concept | Best Examples |
|---|---|
| Source Control Discipline | Single source repository, Commit frequently |
| Build Automation | Automate builds, Build every commit, Keep builds fast |
| Embedded Quality | Self-testing builds, Production-clone testing |
| Team Visibility | Visible build results, Accessible deliverables |
| Deployment Reliability | Automate deployment |
| Feedback Speed | Fast builds, Build every commit, Self-testing |
| Risk Reduction | Frequent commits, Production-clone testing, Automated deployment |
| Collaboration Enablers | Single repository, Visible results, Accessible deliverables |
Which two practices work together to minimize "integration hell," and what specific problem does each address?
A team has automated builds but developers still avoid committing code. Which CI practice are they likely violating, and why does it matter?
Compare self-testing builds with production-clone testing: what type of defect would each catch that the other might miss?
If an FRQ describes a scenario where deployments frequently fail despite passing all tests, which practices should the team examine and why?
How do visible build results and accessible deliverables serve different stakeholders, and why are both necessary for effective CI?