Glossary
What is CI/CD (Continuous Integration and Delivery)?
An automated pipeline that tests every code change and, when it passes, prepares or performs the release to users.
In plain words
Continuous integration means that every time a developer saves a change, the system automatically builds the software and runs its tests. Continuous delivery goes one step further: a change that passes is packaged and ready to release, or released automatically. The point is to find problems minutes after they are made, not weeks later.
A typical pipeline
- A developer proposes a change
- The system builds the software and runs automatic tests
- A person reviews the change
- Once approved, the change goes to a test environment, then to production
- Monitoring watches the result, with a quick way back if something is wrong
What it needs to work
A pipeline is only as good as its tests. Automation that runs weak tests simply releases mistakes faster. A healthy project has meaningful automated tests, a rule that nothing reaches production without passing them, and secrets kept out of the code.
Common mistakes
- Few or no real tests, so the pipeline proves nothing
- Passwords and keys stored in the code
- Skipping the pipeline for urgent fixes
- Pipelines nobody maintains, which slowly break
Questions to ask a company that offers this
- What tests run automatically, and what do they cover?
- What has to pass before a change reaches production?
- How are secrets handled in the pipeline?
- How quickly can we release a fix, and undo it?
- Will we own the pipeline and its accounts?
A good company will answer these plainly and in writing. Vague or evasive answers are worth noting.
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Explanation last read through on 13 October 2026. It is general guidance in plain language, not advice for your particular project. Tell us if something is wrong or unclear.