Definition
Delivery in the context of Continuous Integration (CI) refers to the automated process of making integrated code changes available to downstream consumers. This typically involves building, testing, and packaging software artifacts in a consistent and repeatable manner. It ensures that new code is validated quickly and efficiently, reducing the risk of integration issues. By automating these steps, teams can achieve faster feedback loops and more reliable deployments. For example, a CI pipeline might automatically compile code, run unit tests, and then deploy the application to a staging environment upon successful completion. This differs from Continuous Delivery (CD), which extends CI by automating the release of validated code to production or a pre-production environment. Understanding Delivery (CI) is crucial for roles involved in software development and operations, appearing in domains like DevOps and Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC) on various IT certifications.