Software Release Flow : Stages of Development Sprint Cycle

Delivering software quickly and reliably is non-negotiable. A well-structured software release flow ensures updates reach users without disruptions, balancing speed with quality.

This article delves into the essential components of a successful release process, from planning and testing to deployment and post-release monitoring.

By understanding the software release flow, teams can handle challenges, enhance collaboration, and continuously improve. It helps effortlessly meet both business goals and user expectations.

What is Software Release Management?

Software Release Management is the process of planning, scheduling, coordinating, and managing the deployment of software applications or updates into production environments.

It ensures that software changes are delivered smoothly, safely, and efficiently while meeting business objectives. This process includes preparing software builds, testing, deployment, and documentation to ensure high-quality releases.

Importance of a well-planned Software Release Process

A well-structured software release process is critical for several reasons:

1. Minimized Risks: Proper planning reduces risks of software failures, downtime, or disruptions in production environments.
2. Improved Quality: Ensures rigorous testing, bug fixes, and adherence to quality standards before the release.
3. Enhanced Efficiency: Streamlined processes reduce deployment time and prevent redundant efforts, improving operational efficiency.
4. Customer Satisfaction: Timely delivery of stable and functional software leads to higher user satisfaction and trust.
5. Team Collaboration: A defined process aligns developers, testers, and operations teams, improving collaboration and accountability.
6. Compliance and Security: It helps maintain regulatory and security compliance by adhering to defined protocols.
7. Predictability and Control: Reduces chaos by defining clear timelines, dependencies, and rollback plans.

How does a Software Release Flow Work?

A typical software release flow follows these steps:

Step 1. Planning:

• Identify features, bug fixes, and updates included in the release.
• Gather requirements and approvals from stakeholders.
• Create timelines and milestones.

Step 2. Development:

• Development teams implement new features, resolve bugs, and create code that meets the release scope.
• Code is often version-controlled using systems like Git.

Step 3. Build and Integration:

• Code is compiled, and a software build is generated.
• Continuous Integration/Continuous Deployment (CI/CD) pipelines automate this process, ensuring seamless integration.

Step 4. Testing:

• Unit Testing: Validates individual code components.
• Integration Testing: Ensures components work together.
• User Acceptance Testing (UAT): Confirms functionality aligns with user needs.
• Security & Performance Testing: Verifies the application’s stability, scalability, and security.

Step 5. Deployment Preparation:

• Documentation is finalized.
• Rollback plans and backup strategies are defined.
• Environment preparation ensures staging and production systems are ready.

Step 6. Deployment:

• The software is deployed into the production environment either through:
• Big Bang Deployment: Releasing the software at once.
• Phased Deployment: Gradually rolling out changes.
• Blue-Green Deployment: Maintaining two environments to reduce downtime.

Step 7. Post-Release Activities:

• Monitoring: Monitor the system for errors or issues.
• Feedback Collection: Gather insights from users or stakeholders.
• Bug Fixing: Address any immediate post-release issues.
• Reporting: Document release outcomes and lessons learned.

Step 8. Maintenance:

• Ongoing support and updates to ensure the software remains functional and secure.

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Stages in Development Sprint Cycle

Stage 1: Planning and Development

Before the sprint begins, developers plan and identify the tasks to work on. Then, they set up their Version Control System (if it hasn’t already been set up) and begin the development of one or more features. If a feature requires designing, then it’s task can be considered as a part of the sprint. In most cases, it is considered prior to the sprint.

In this stage, developers use a Version Control system to manage the code and an IDE (Integrated Development Environment) to write the code. Most matured organizations tend to write Unit Tests along with feature development using popular Unit Testing Tools. This significantly improves the What is Code Coverage.

What is Version Control?

A Version Control system allows a programmer to keep track of modifications in software projects. It also allows multiple programmers to collaborate on those projects. Using this, the developers can work together on a specific codebase. They can also split their tasks through branches.

There are many Version Control systems available in the market. The most popular ones are listed below:

• Github
• GitLab
• BeanStalk
• Perforce
• Apache Subversion
• AWS Codecommit
• Microsoft Team Foundation Server
• Mercurial
• CVS Version Control
• Bitbucket

IDE (Integrated Development Environment)

IDE is a software tool that provides comprehensive facilities to programmers for software development. Normally, an IDE has at least a source code editor, build automation tools, and a debugger.

Depending on the application being developed and the programming language, developers may prefer to use a specific IDE. Most often, all developers use the same IDE throughout an organization. Some popular IDEs are listed below:

1. Microsoft Visual Studio
2. Net Beans
3. PyCharm
4. IntelliJ
5. Eclipse
6. Code:: Blocks
7. Code Lite
8. XCode
9. Komodo
10. Android Studio
11. Sublime Text

Unit Testing Tools

Unit Testing is a type of software testing where individual units or components of the software are tested. The main purpose here is to verify whether each unit performs as expected. A unit is the smallest part of any software to be tested. It usually has only a few lines of code.

Listed below are a few popular Unit Testing tools:

• NUnit
• JMockIt
• Emma
• Quilt HTTP
• HTML Unit
• Embunit
• Simple Test
• ABAP Unit
• Type Mock
• LRDA
• Karma
• Jasmine
• Mocha
• Parasoft

Stage 2: Verification and Commit

Once a functionality within the feature is complete, the developer performs a verification of the functionality. Below are two ways they perform this verification. In most cases, they use both methods, though sometimes only one is used.

• Manual verification of the functionality locally using a local browser or handheld device
• Executing a unit test locally

Once their test passes as per specifications, developers commit the code and push them to their repository (feature branch). Generally, feature commits are made once the functionality is complete. Developers may also choose to commit every night, and pull from the repository every morning before beginning to code. If multiple developers are working on the same branch, the latter method is very helpful.

Generally, more mature organizations also tend to run functional tests at every commit. In this case, they trigger a build using CI/CD, which executes unit tests as well as functional tests.

Stage 3: CI Server

If feature development is complete, developers raise a PR (Pull Request) in the feature branch. Once the PR is raised, the CI Server kicks in and performs the following activities:

• Creates a build
• Runs unit test on the feature branch
• Runs a functional test on the feature branch
• Performs Linting (this is mostly performed by matured organizations) to determine whether the code is written in line with their coding standards

PR’s can be raised daily, or it could be a weekly PR depending on the development frequency. If it’s daily, then overnight builds will be executed.

There are various CI Servers available in the market, with Jenkins being the most popular one. Listed below are some of the top tools:

1. Jenkins
2. Travis
3. Team City
4. BambooCI
5. CircleCI
6. CodeShip
7. GitLab CI
8. BuddyGit

It’s highly recommended for teams to leverage a cloud-based platform like BrowserStack that allows developers and QAs to incorporate popular CI/CD tools like Jenkins, Travis, CircleCI in their test process. Such integrations help in better-streamlining the test cycles.

Stage 4: Master Merge, Test and Deploy

If the build passes on the feature branch, the code is merged in the master branch. The CI Server again kicks in and performs the following activities:

1. Creates a build
2. Runs a unit test on the master
3. Runs a functional test on the master

Development teams may then choose to perform different tests depending on the type of software. These can include:

• Regression Testing
• UAT (User Acceptance Testing)
• Compatibility Testing
• Performance Testing
• Security and Compliance Testing
• Interrupt Testing
• Load Testing
• System tests

Once the build passes all the testing criteria, its deployed in production at the end of the agile sprint lifecycle. Once in the production stage, a sanity test is performed again to validate the system in production.

Metrics and KPIs for Software Release Process

Teams or Organizations generally pay attention to the following metrics:

• Faster Build Times (engineering / QA leadership)

1. Increased Innovation (product & CEO)
2. Developer Minutes Saved (Engg and QA)
3. Faster Release Cycles (product & Engg leadership)

• Increased Coverage (engineering & product leadership)

1. Reduction of lost revenue AND better engagement/reviews/NPS (product & CEO)
2. Higher quality with speed (Engg & prod leadership)

• Saving Money going from in-house to cloud vendor (CTO/CIO or Eng)
  

Challenges in Software Release Flow and its Solutions

Navigating the software release flow presents several challenges that can impact the timely and successful delivery of quality software. Identify these challenges and implement effective solutions to maintain efficiency and reliability in the release process.

1. Lack of Visibility and Communication

Poor visibility into the release process and ineffective team communication can lead to misunderstandings, delays, and errors.

Solution: Implement centralized dashboards and regular status meetings to enhance transparency. Utilizing collaborative tools ensures all stakeholders are informed about progress and issues, fostering better coordination.

2. Managing Dependencies

Complex interdependencies between different system components can complicate the release process, leading to integration issues.

Solution: Maintain a detailed inventory of dependencies and employ automated tools to manage them. Regular integration testing helps identify and resolve issues early, ensuring smoother releases.

3. Automation Gaps

Manual processes in building, testing, and deployment can introduce errors and slow down the release cycle.

Solution: Adopt Continuous Integration/Continuous Deployment (CI/CD) pipelines to automate repetitive tasks. Automation enhances consistency, reduces human error, and accelerates the release process.

4. Ensuring Quality and Stability

Releasing software without adequate testing can lead to unstable products and customer dissatisfaction.

Solution: Implement comprehensive testing strategies, including unit, integration, and user acceptance testing. Utilizing feature toggles allows for controlled feature releases, enabling testing in production environments without affecting all users.

5. Uncontrolled Variables in the Live Environment

Differences between testing and production environments can cause unexpected issues during deployment.

Solution: Use infrastructure as code (IaC) to standardize environment configurations across all stages. This approach minimizes discrepancies and ensures consistency from development to production.

6. Governance Issues

Lack of standardized processes and oversight can lead to compliance issues and inconsistent release practices.

Solution: Establish clear governance frameworks that define roles, responsibilities, and procedures. Regular audits and adherence to best practices ensure compliance and process integrity.

How to Ensure Quality & Stability of a Software Release?

Implementing a structured release process with comprehensive testing and validation measures can significantly enhance software quality. Here is how you can achieve it:

1. Comprehensive Testing

Thorough testing at each stage helps identify and address issues early, reducing the risk of defects in the final release.

2. Continuous Integration and Continuous Deployment (CI/CD)

Implementing CI/CD pipelines automates the integration and deployment processes, allowing for frequent and reliable code changes. This automation facilitates early detection of issues, enabling quicker resolutions and maintaining software stability.

3. Code Reviews

Regular peer reviews of code ensure adherence to coding standards and best practices. They also provide opportunities to identify potential issues that automated tests might miss, enhancing overall code quality.

4. Version Control

Utilizing version control systems allows teams to track changes, collaborate effectively, and manage different versions of the software. This practice aids in maintaining stability and facilitates efficient handling of updates or rollbacks if necessary.

5. Monitoring and Feedback Loops

Post-deployment monitoring helps in promptly identifying and addressing any issues that arise in the production environment. Establishing feedback loops with users provides valuable insights for continuous improvement and ensures the software evolves to meet user need

Best Practices for Software Release Process

For a successful software release, ensure you follow the best practices to overcome any potential gaps or challenges. Some of them are:

1. Plan and Document Everything:

• Clearly define the release goals, timeline, and scope.
• Keep detailed documentation for release notes, instructions, and rollback plans.

2. Use Feature Toggles:

• Hide new or incomplete features until they are ready to go live.
• Roll out updates gradually without affecting all users at once.

3. Keep Environments Consistent:

• Make sure development, testing, and production environments are identical.
• Use tools like Docker or Kubernetes to create uniform setups.

4. Release in Phases:

• Roll out updates slowly using techniques like blue-green deployment or canary releases.
• Test changes with a small group before making them available to everyone.

5. Check Everything Before Releasing:

• Use a checklist to confirm all tasks, like testing and approvals, are complete before deployment.

6. Prepare for Rollbacks:

• Set up automated rollback systems to quickly undo changes if something goes wrong.

7. Communicate with Your Team:

• Keep everyone informed about release timelines and potential risks.
• Clear communication ensures smooth coordination.

8. Learn from Every Release:

• After deployment, review what worked and what didn’t.
• Use this feedback to improve future releases.

Conclusion

In the absence of an on-premise device lab, a cloud-based platform can be an effective alternative for test infrastructure. Additionally, the platform should be capable enough to support the efforts and activities of teams of any size without compromising speed or accuracy of results.

Here’s where BrowserStack’s Live for Large Teams enables the QA team to add multiple members to a plan as required. In fact, teams can add unlimited members to their planks. Each QA can run uninterrupted concurrent tests on 3500+ real latest devices (Android, iOS, Windows, Mac). Live for Large Teams also makes team management effortless with in-built facilities to create sub-teams, allocate licenses, and enforce access control across teams.

Try BrowserStack for Large Teams

With the rapid advancements in technologies and evolving requirements for a software product, an agile approach proves to be the most effective methodology for faster release. The agile approach helps teams to adapt to rapidly changing environments which makes them more flexible to work.

The stages explained above form the basic structure of the agile sprint cycle. Incorporating this helps teams to streamline their test cycles more efficiently.