Continuous integration

Continuous integration (CI) is a software development practice where developers frequently merge code changes into a shared repository, with automated builds and tests to catch issues early. Core activities include version control, automated builds, and testing. CI helps detect bugs sooner, reduces integration conflicts, and provides fast feedback. Benefits include earlier bug detection, reduced debugging effort, and frequent known-good builds. Risks include setup effort and reliance on test quality. Key practices include building every commit, keeping builds fast, testing in a production-like environment, and automating deployment. CI is often combined with continuous delivery and deployment in a CI/CD pipeline.