Tuesday , 19 March 2024

How To Use Hosted And Non Hosted Continuous Integration Tools

Continuous integration involves integrating program code into a shared repo. The business program integration could either happen frequently or several times a day. Once the code is integrated, developers verify the program using an automated build and several automated tests are carried out. Some developers work with cloud computing companies that offer top integration services. Such developers may be familiar with multiple types of integration like continuous integration, while others may not understand it.

The key benefit of continuous integration is the identification of bugs during the early stages of development. Bug spotting and fixing is, therefore, easy. Since continuous integration involves introducing a new feature, each at a time; it makes it simple to pinpoint the specific change or added feature that brought about a defect.

The impact is reduced costs, ease of development and quick bug fixing. To achieve reliable continuous integration, a set of tools are essential. All of these tools are aimed towards transforming ideal code into functional application or program. There are two main types of continuous integration tools. Non hosted CI tools and Hosted CI tools.

Hosted Continuous Integration Tools

Hosted tools are managed by a third party organization. The organization takes part in controlling the resources, deploying services to developers, running scaling services, providing easy and secure access and maintaining good health of servers. Since developers advance with scaled agile services and higher security, hosted tools assist in improving processes. The main benefit of hosted tools is that they reduce the work load for developers. Most of the program variables are implemented and deployed by the hosting services.

Choosing between hosted and non-hosted is the first decision you are supposed to make before starting out with continuous integration. In most occasions, hosted CI tools are commonly referred to as Software as a Service CI solutions. There are instances where a hosted CI tool is the best choice.

For instance, when the development team is to use a repository or any type of cloud based repository service. A hosted platform will easily complement the existing workflow of your team.

Hosted CI tools delegates most of its work processes to the third party service, hence giving the business more time to focus on other matters.

Non Hosted Continuous Integration Tools

A rigorous organization that demands strict control of its structures and its work progress will hardly function appropriately with hosted tools. In this case come the necessity of non-hosted/self-hosted Continuous Integration tools.

Such organization may have high standards for data privacy and security. Hence the need for rigid structures to manage how data is handled becomes a basic requirement for any third part service. Where the hosting Saas cannot guarantee the unique needs of such an organization, the business finds it more reliable to work with a self-hosted platform.

The most reliable platforms improve security for developers. With better security, you can meet more clients’ needs. You can also integrate more plugins and systems without the fear of losing sensitive information. For the same reasons, developers use the latest virtualization technology. The most recent updates protects their code, platforms and applications from attacks.

Using self-hosted CI tools makes the developers the sole controllers of the infrastructure. The development team is tasked with maintaining the server fleet, regular servicing and updating of both software and hardware, consistent availability in a high performance work environment. The main advantage of self-hosted tools is the addition of a multi-level layer of complexity to a development team’s scope.

There are various services that provide CI tools. Some of these solutions may provide both the hosted and self-hosted Continuous integration tools. There is a sea of opportunities out there for integrating your software development projects. Exploit them.

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