Certainly! Here's a comprehensive answer to the interview question "What is meant by Continuous Integration?":
Continuous Integration (CI) is a software development practice where developers frequently integrate their code changes into a shared repository, typically multiple times a day. Each integration is automatically verified by building the application and running a suite of automated tests to detect integration errors as quickly as possible.
Key Aspects of Continuous Integration:
Frequent Code Commits:
Developers commit their code changes to the version control repository frequently, often several times a day. This helps in identifying integration issues early.
Automated Builds:
Every commit triggers an automated build process. This ensures that the new code integrates well with the existing codebase and that the application can be built successfully.
Automated Testing:
Automated tests are run as part of the build process. This includes unit tests, integration tests, and sometimes even end-to-end tests. The goal is to catch bugs and issues early in the development cycle.
Immediate Feedback:
CI systems provide immediate feedback to developers. If the build or tests fail, developers are notified right away, allowing them to address issues promptly.
Consistent Development Environment:
CI helps maintain a consistent development environment by using the same build and test scripts across all environments. This reduces the "it works on my machine" problem.
