Continuous Integration - Best Practices

Let’s have a final review of the best practices of Continuous Integration based on all the lessons we have learnt so far −

• Maintain a code repository − This is the most basic step. In all our examples, everything is maintained in a Git repository right from the code base to the Publish profiles, to the database scripts. It must always be ensured that everything is kept in the code repository.

• Automate the build − We have seen how to use MSBuild to automate a build along with using a publish profile. This is again a key step in the continuous Integration process.

• Make the build self-testing − Ensure that you can test the build by keeping unit test cases in place and these test cases should be in such a way that it can be run by the Continuous Integration server.

• Everyone commits to the baseline every day − This is a key principle of Continuous Integration. There is no point staying till the end of the entire process to see who breaks the build.

• Every commit (to baseline) should be built − Every commit made to the application, needs to be successfully built. If the build fails for whatever reason, then the code needs to be changed to ensure the build passes.

• Keep the build fast − If the build is slow, then it would indicate a problem in the entire Continuous Integration process. Ensure that the builds are always limited to a duration, preferably should never go beyond 10 minutes.

• Everyone can see the results of the latest build − The TeamCity dashboard gives everyone a view of all the builds, which have either passed or failed. This gives a good insight to all the people who are involved in the Continuous Integration process.