A lot comes to mind when it comes to deploying web apps. Should I deploy the front end and back end together? Is my program capable of changes to get to the production phase? You may feel stuck, but know that deploying complete web apps is a pretty good feat in itself. However, that doesn't mean it has to be brain-racking, especially when you're ensuring certain ground rules are followed throughout the process.
It's common to not be able to keep up with the number of local files your code takes from. The secret is you have to stop overlooking the details and proceed one step at a time. This approach will only make your work easy and meaningful, while jumping actions may cause frustration and line up a daunting work pile. So, before we begin to walk you through the simple stepstones that you need to develop as good habits, let's have a look at the stages of deployment and how it all adds up.
Credits: AWS
What Exactly is Software Deployment?
The term 'deployment' in terms of software encompasses all the included processes and activities that are essential to have it online for the users to use it. The developers generally deploy applications to update, develop hybrid apps, and even patch applications in a series of automated and manual steps. Starting from the stage of the software release that includes source code committing, to building, to the performance tracking—all of this workflow falls under software deployment.
Once everyone in the software development team is on board for new software, the deployment phase begins when you slowly introduce the team to the pain points the software would solve. It includes all the techniques used by developers to create, test, and bring into action, which define the usability of the software product. It is crucial because it allows the changes made by the developers to the software to reach its users and resolve any issues. Cloud service providers like Amazon Web Services, Cloudflare, etc. empower such developers to easily deploy new software without having to spend money or time on its storage management.
Often confused with the software release, software deployment is a whole different thing. In other words, a software release is the process of releasing a certain version of the coding and other supplements that are ready to go for deployment. Software deployment, on the other hand, translates to the process of enabling the application to work seamlessly on the target device, be it for a test server, or by the user.
The Three General Phases of Software Deployment
While it is recommended for every enterprise to have their software deployment stages based on pre-existing frameworks that follow good practices or a personalized process which also keeps up both with the industry practices and client requirements, there are some similarities. Normally, software development takes place in three basic stages:
Stage I: Preparation
This is where the developers accumulate all the coding files, documents, and other resources that are needed for the software to function at its optimum. All of these essential items are packaged into one software release, once the hosting server is correctly configured.
Stage II: Testing
Before releasing the software into the live environment, all software needs to undertake certain checks and therefore is deployed to a test server. These tests help the developers to analyze the software one final time and rid it of any bugs or issues, before releasing it.
Stage III: Deployment
After the testing, the developers may update the respective databases to make the software release relevant. Once the live server is checked for bugs, the software is deployed to get maximum customer interaction with the update.
Best Practices Checklist:
There are a few things that, if taken care of, can make your application deployment phase effective in terms of productivity and time-efficiency. While some of these can be limited to the cloud, the others can be done for all deployment modules. Let's begin with the basics:
Simplistic Installation:
Hugely undermined in the overall deployment process, as a developer, the easier the file distribution process, the smaller the chances of getting unnecessary files scattered throughout the place. It gets tedious and causes slow-downs, when you have to go through loads of documents to filter the libraries, resources, etc. which are actually in use.
Be Consistent:
Last-minute changes can cost you the quality of your software. Therefore, once you've begun working on application development, don't change any of the intermediate steps, be it building, testing, or deploying.
Automation:
For any web application deployment, you need to integrate as much automation as possible to speed things up with accuracy. For example, tools like Microsoft's System Center Configuration Manager can prove to be helpful when you're building for Microsoft’s environment.
Put Security First:
Ensure that there are no loopholes left anywhere in the application that a hacker can use to their advantage. Do it as if your life depends on it, because it may. You can always find multiple security tools to make your software secure and robust.
Always Have a Plan B:
Despite planning everything, there are still a dozen things that can go wrong in the deployment lifecycle and jeopardize the overall system. To be one step ahead of these 'probable' problems, you must have a parallel strategy up and ready to roll, when any disaster strikes. This will save a lot of hassle and time, since you won't have to start from scratch.
Conclusion:
Software deployment makes or breaks your reputation and business in the long term, therefore you must take time to do it one step at a time. Additionally, because of the intricacy of the processes, it is also crucial that your team is on the same page about it. Any confusion or lack of consultation can land you in a tricky situation. Not all of your team members will get it their first time, so make sure that you're allowing them time to pick it up.
As a business owner looking to improve your functionalities, with the right software development organization you can maximize your capabilities. If you’re looking for a company to help with deployment or other DevOps tasks, we have some recommendations.
CG-VAK (Coimbatore and Bangalore, India, and, New Jersey and California, USA) offers product and software development services, as well as web development and testing. They provide affordable offshore software development.
CoreSwipe Technologies is an offshore web and mobile development and digital marketing company, based in New Delhi, India, and Atlanta, USA. From CoreSwipe, you can hire developers who are experienced in working with a variety of technologies and industries.
CodeClouds is a company based in Kolkata, India, Fort Wayne, USA, and Wellington, NZ, which provides offshore web application development. Their dedicated experts create high-end, personalized, web applications for brands worldwide, on par with the industry's best practices.
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