What is Software Build Process?

Here in this blog, we will discuss about Software Build Process. We will also learn about different concepts related to Software Build Process, Software Patch, Re-spin and Release Engineering. Here all the topics are discussed in the simplest of format for better understanding.

BUILD:

It is a piece of Software that consists of some set of features, bugfixes and installed on the test server that needs to be tested for stability. A Build can also be defined as a piece of software that is converted from code into the application format.

Test Cycle:

Test Cycle can be defined as the time taken to test each build.

Now let’s discuss in details about the entire process in layman terms:

1. Requirements are collected initially.
2. Developers and Test Engineers are assigned with there respective tasks.
3. Developers writes the code and the Test Engineers read, review, understand the requirements and write test cases.
4. Developer completes the coding part and upload the code in any Version Control tool.
5. After that the build team accesses the code from the version control tool and compile and compress the code to develop the build. That is converting the code to application format.
6. After this the Build gets installed in the test server.
7. Test Engineers will test the application and if any bug is found report it back to the developers.
8. Developer fixes the code and again push the latest version of the code in Version Control tool.
9. Build team develops the 2^nd version of the Build and install it in the test server after uninstalling the previous version of the Build.
10. Test Engineers checks the 2^nd version of the Build and this process continues until the Build is functionally Stable. 

Why is Version Control tools required?

Version Control Tools are mainly used to keep track of code changes or different software versions.

Now let us learn about some concepts related to Re-Spin, Patch and Software Release

Re-Spin:

We have already learned the time taken to test a Build is known as Test Cycle. Typically, we will get a single build to test for a particular test cycle. Re-spin is a process of getting more than one build in the same test cycle. Generally, we will go for re-spin in case of any blocker bugs for which the entire testing process gets halted.

Patch:

Patch is a small piece of software code that acts as an immediate fix for some issues. Keep in mind this is not the permanent solution to the problem. It is developed to mitigate the issue for a certain period of time.

Release:

Release is the final product that is handed over to the customer. We can also define release as complete set of features which is developed, tested and once working accordingly to requirement installed at the customer’s place.

Important questions related to Software Build Process:

1. What is a BUILD?
2. Who installs the BUILD?
3. What is the use of Version Control Tool?
4. What is Re-Spin?
5. Explain Software Patches?
6. What is a Software Release?

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