What does continuous integration (CI) focus on?

Continuous integration (CI) focuses on integrating code changes frequently. This practice is essential in modern software development as it enables developers to merge their code changes into a shared repository frequently, ideally multiple times a day. This approach promotes early detection of errors, as it allows for immediate testing and validation of code integrations, reducing the chances of technical debt and integration issues down the line.

Frequent integration ensures that any conflicts arising from simultaneous work on different features or bug fixes are identified and resolved promptly. This practice encourages collaboration among team members and helps maintain a consistent codebase, ultimately contributing to faster development cycles and improved software quality.

While communication among teams, documentation, and outsourcing software development are important aspects of project management and software development, they are not the primary focus of continuous integration. CI emphasizes the integration of code and the automation of testing to enhance the development workflow and deliver software to users more efficiently.