Definition
Implementing Continuous Delivery is a software development practice where code changes are automatically built, tested, and prepared for release to production. This ensures that code is always in a deployable state, reducing the risk and effort associated with releasing new features. It streamlines the entire software release process, allowing organizations to deliver value to users more frequently and reliably. For example, a team might use automated pipelines to push code changes through development, staging, and production environments after passing all quality gates. This differs from Continuous Deployment, which automatically deploys every change to production, whereas Continuous Delivery requires a manual approval step. This concept is frequently assessed in IT operations and development domains, including those covered by CompTIA certifications like IT Fundamentals and AWS certifications such as the AWS Certified Developer Associate.