How to get started with the Continuous Delivery Pipeline?

First, define the goals and scope, assess the current development and deployment processes, select the right tools and technologies, and then gradually introduce automation. Iteration and continuous improvement are essential for long-term success.

Implementing a Continuous Delivery Pipeline is not just a technology change, it is also a cultural change that requires increased collaboration and continuous learning within the organisation. But the benefits are clear: faster time to market, higher quality, and more satisfied customers, which ultimately contribute to the long-term success of the company.

Potential challenges of implementing a Continuous Delivery Pipeline

• Complexity in old systems - Legacy systems do not always lend themselves to easy integration or automated deployment, which can complicate CDP implementation.
• Cultural resistance - Resistance to change, especially if there is a lack of understanding or support from key stakeholders, can hinder the adoption of a continuous deployment approach.
• Quality assurance and testing - Maintaining continuous testing can also be challenging, but is essential to the success of CDP.
• Security issues - Implementing security measures throughout the pipeline is essential, but can often raise problems.
• Scalability problems - As the development team and the code base grow, it is necessary to ensure that the CDP remains scalable.

Continuous Delivery Pipeline best practices

When implementing the Continuous Delivery Pipeline (CDP), there are a number of best practices to ensure that the software development and delivery process is as quick and seamless as possible, minimising errors and ensuring business value.

Maximising automation

• Automated testing – Every step should be automated, especially testing. This includes unit and integration tests, as well as system and user acceptance tests (UAT). Automated testing reduces the chance of errors and ensures that all changes are immediately verified.
• Automated deployment - By fully automating the deployment process, code can move from the development environment to the live environment quickly and efficiently.

Continuous integration and code version tracking

• Common code integration - It is necessary to developers often integrate their code into the central code base, preferably several times a day. This reduces the risk of integration problems and gives teams quick feedback on the quality of the code.
• Version tracking - All changes should be recorded in a version tracking system, which allows you to roll back or identify problematic code versions.

Shift Left and DevSecOps

• Shift Left –  Testing and security activities should be integrated into the development process as early as possible, so that bugs and security problems can be detected and addressed at an early stage.
• DevSecOps integration - Security should be built into every stage of the SDLC, not just at the end. This ensures that security requirements and controls are automatically part of the CDP.

Minor incremental changes

• Minor expenses –  Small, incremental changes reduce risk and make it easier to identify and undo mistakes. Frequent, minor updates always carry less risk.
• Feature Flags to use –  These make it possible to turn some features on or off in a live environment, so you can test them without making them available to all users.

Monitoring and feedback

• Continuous Monitoring - Real-time monitoring is important for early identification of problems. Monitoring application performance, errors and user experience helps to intervene immediately.
• Feedback loop – Feedback from users and internal testers should be fed back to the development teams quickly so that bugs and defects can be quickly addressed.

Predictable and repeatable processes

• Standardised processes: Standardising processes helps to ensure that every release is consistent and predictable. This includes coding standards, testing procedures and deployment processes.
• Pipeline checkpoints - The inclusion of automated checkpoints (gates) in the pipeline ensures that only code of the right quality and security is passed to the next stage.

Further training and documentation

• Team education - Development teams need regular training on the latest technologies and best practices to keep up with constantly evolving tools and methods.
• Documentation - The importance of documentation of all pipeline steps and tools, so that all team members have access to the information they need and can quickly understand the processes.

Do you want to build or deepen your practical knowledge of the SAFe® framework? Become a Certified SAFe® Program Consultant with the help of our Certified SAFe® Program Consultants! Take a look at our training courses!