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What is DevOps | DevOps Tools and Technologies Explained

What is DevOps | DevOps Tools and Technologies Explained

By Upskill Campus
Published Date:   20th May, 2024 Uploaded By:    Priyanka Yadav
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DevOps changes how teams work together, which is a big deal. It's about ensuring everyone in software and operations gets along and helps each other out. Using the right tools is necessary to make it work smoothly. DevOps also loves making things automatic, like testing software and fixing problems quickly. As a result, it makes everything happen faster, improves the products, and means fewer issues or mistakes along the way.

 

What is DevOps?

 

DevOps is the mixture of two critical teams in a company: the developers who create software and the operations folks who make sure everything runs smoothly. It's all about working together and sharing tasks to get things done better and faster.
 

In simpler terms, DevOps is about making sure everyone talks to each other and works as a team. It's also about using savvy ways to build software, like doing it in small steps and using tools to make things automatic. In addition, it can also mean changing how people think and work together so everyone is on the same page and focused on what the business needs.

 

How Does It Work?

 

DevOps is a helpful method that makes developing software easier. Visualize it as a circle that keeps going around and around, with different steps like planning, coding, testing, and releasing software. This circle helps teams work better and reduces stress because they can fix problems as they go, unlike older modes where issues were fixed later and caused more trouble.
 

In simple terms, DevOps lets teams talk and work together smoothly. It also helps them release minor updates quickly instead of waiting long term for prominent changes. They use tools to ensure the software works well from start to finish, and they learn from any problems to make things even better next time.
 

To ensure the software meets expectations, developers and others talk about the project and make little updates that go live one by one. They use tools and rules to check everything meets their standards and ensure the software behaves the same way no matter where it's used.
 

Writing software fast is easy, but ensuring it works well is more problematic. DevOps helps by using savvy methods to ensure the software is good from start to finish. Teams work together, learn from mistakes, and use tools to ensure everything runs smoothly. Everyone can join in to make things better, which makes the team more assertive and the software even better.

 

Evolution of DevOps

 

DevOps started in 2009 when a guy, Patrick Debois, created a conference called DevOps Days. It came about because Agile software development was significant for writing code quickly, but getting that code out to users was still slow. DevOps fixed that by bringing together Agile's speed with a way to deploy code fast.
 

At the same time, people in IT were finding the traditional way of doing things, like in the ITIL framework, a bit too slow and complicated. ITIL focuses on stability and predictability, while Agile is about working together and making changes quickly. DevOps made both sides happy by combining the best of both worlds. And even today, companies can use both ITIL and DevOps, specifically if they use cloud services.
 

A book called The Phoenix Project in 2013 helped make DevOps more popular. It used a story to show why collaboration and shared technology are essential in IT. Early on, critical people like Patrick Debois, the authors of The Phoenix Project, and others from companies like Flickr were big supporters of DevOps.
 

As DevOps caught on, companies started doing things more formally. Target, for example, came up with a way to train people called the DevOps Dojo. Companies started making tools that made DevOps even more leisurely, like chatbots that help teams talk better or suites of tools. New technologies like containers and cloud services fit well with DevOps because they make it easier to move and change software quickly. Even though DevOps is now a big deal, only some use it for everything. Some projects benefit from DevOps, like ones that make money for the company. But for older, stable systems, DevOps might not make a considerable difference.

 

DevOps Cycle

 

The DevOps way of working makes everything from creating software to finishing it faster and better. It contains seven leading steps that help teams work together and keep improving non-stop.
 

1. Continuous Development

Teams plan and create the software in the initial phase of DevOps, known as continuous development. They break the whole process into smaller parts to work on, which helps speed things up. This phase is crucial for setting clear goals and ensuring everyone understands what the project needs to achieve.
 

To manage the code, teams use tools like JIRA, Git, and others to keep track of changes and updates. These tools help maintain the code's quality and make it easier to package the code into usable files for the next steps in the DevOps process.
 

2. Continuous Integration

During continuous integration (CI), teams focus on testing the software and adding new features based on client feedback. This phase sees a lot of changes in the source code as developers work on improving the application. CI is a central hub for handling these ongoing changes regularly, allowing teams to catch and fix any issues early on.
 

Continuous integration also involves combining new code features with the existing codebase, ensuring that everything works smoothly together. Tools like Jenkins play a prominent role in this process by fetching the updated code and creating a version that can be run and tested. However, it helps teams stay on top of changes and maintain a reliable and updated software system.
 

3. Continuous Testing

In the testing phase of DevOps, the focus is on finding and fixing any problems or mistakes in the code. Quality analysis, or QA, is a big part of this phase because it checks how usable and reliable the software is. Passing the QA tests is crucial to ensure the software meets what the client wants.
 

Teams use automation tools like JUnit, Selenium, and TestNG to make testing faster and more efficient. These tools help the QA team test lots of code at once, ensuring there are no issues with how the software works. Docker containers are also used to create a test environment that's like the real thing, helping teams test the software in a realistic setup.
 

Automation testing is done using tools like Selenium, and then reports on the test results are generated using tools like TestNG. Jenkins, a continuous integration tool, helps automate the entire testing process and saves time and effort for the team. Automation testing is essential in ensuring the software works well and is ready for use without significant problems.
 

4. Continuous Deployment

In continuous deployment (CD), the goal is to deploy the software smoothly and without causing any problems with how it works. In short, ensuring the code is put in the right place on all the servers where it needs to be. CD also speeds up the process of getting feedback, so developers can fix any issues quickly and accurately.
 

Tools like Vagrant help with continuous deployment by managing how the software is set up and runs across different environments like testing, development, and production. Containerization is another essential part of this phase, which means making virtual versions of the operating system to keep everything running smoothly and consistently.
 

5. Continuous Monitoring

Checking how well the software works is really important to see if it's doing what it's supposed to do. This phase looks at all the important data about the software to figure out what's going well and what needs more work. By keeping an eye on things constantly, developers can spot any issues or areas where they can make improvements.
 

Continuous monitoring is like keeping a close watch on how the software is doing after it's been made. It's important because it helps make sure the software runs smoothly and efficiently, making it a key part of the DevOps process.
 

6. Continuous Feedback

Getting feedback is really important to see how well the software turned out and what can be done better. This feedback helps make the current version of the software better and guides the development of the next version based on what the stakeholders say.
 

Feedback is like getting information from the people using the software. It tells us how the software is performing and what needs fixing or improving. This feedback is valuable because it includes suggestions and insights from the actual users of the software.
 

7. Continuous Operations

The final stage of DevOps is all about keeping things running smoothly. It's about making sure that the release processes are automated, so developers can find and fix any problems fast. This continuous approach helps build better versions of software without any unnecessary delays or distractions.
 

Continuous operations mean that development happens in shorter cycles, making it easier for companies to promote their products quickly and get them out to customers faster. DevOps makes software better and more attractive to customers, which brings in new users and keeps them happy with improved versions over time.

 

Benefits of DevOps

 

After understanding the DevOps cycle, we will move further towards the benefits. As we already know DevOps is the mixture of two critical teams in a company: the developers who create software and the operations users who make sure everything runs smoothly.
 

  • Speed: DevOps helps you work faster, adapt to changes in the market quickly, and improve business results.
  • Rapid delivery: By releasing updates more often, you can make your product better and gain a competitive edge.
  • Reliability: DevOps practices like continuous integration and delivery ensure that updates and changes are of high quality, maintaining a great experience for users.
  • Improved collaboration: DevOps encourages close collaboration between teams, reducing inefficiencies and saving time.
  • Security: You can keep your software secure while using DevOps by using automated security testing tools.

 

DevOps Tools and Technologies

 

Now, it’s time to have in-depth knowledge of DevOps technology and tools. Here, we will understand various and popular tools that every developer must know. 
 

  • Version control: Keeps track of changes in code and files, helping teams manage updates effectively.
  • Agile: Takes a flexible and efficient approach to project delivery, focusing on incremental progress and collaboration.
  • Continuous Integration (CI): Combines code changes regularly, tests them automatically, and starts building the software automatically. As a result, developers must know the DevOps skills. 
  • Continuous Delivery (CD): Automates infrastructure setup and software release, working hand-in-hand with continuous integration as CI/CD.
  • Shift left: Moves security and testing earlier in the development process, enhancing code quality and speeding up development.

 

Top DevOps Companies in India

 

Now, we will define the list of best DevOps Companies. It will be helpful for all developers who will apply for jobs further. 
 

  • PixelCrayons
  • ValueCoders
  • CONTUS Tech
  • Algoworks
  • Veritis
  • TatvaSoft 
  • e-Zest Solution

 

Conclusion

 

DevOps is a smart way of making software that focuses on teamwork, automation, and always getting better. When companies use DevOps methods and suitable tools, they can release software faster. Moreover, it makes it better and gives customers what they want quickly and effectively.

 

Frequently Asked Questions

 

Q1. What technology is required for DevOps?

Ans.The following section will discuss some technology used in DevOps.

Git and GitHub: These help manage code changes, making sure everything stays organized and easy to work with.
Jenkins: This tool automates tasks in creating pipelines for continuous integration and delivery, helping teams work more efficiently.
Selenium: This tool is used for automating tests, making sure that software works as expected, and finding any issues quickly.


Q2.Is DevOps an IT job?

Ans. Yes! DevOps is an IT job.
 

Q3.Does DevOps need coding?

Ans. DevOps includes a bit of coding, but its main focus isn't on writing code.

About the Author

Upskill Campus

UpskillCampus provides career assistance facilities not only with their courses but with their applications from Salary builder to Career assistance, they also help School students with what an individual needs to opt for a better career.

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