Software Build and Release Specialist

Previously I had published a blog describing the various build types associated with agile and continuous integration models but had left out another model mainly used within the Java based software.  This was brought to my attention from a comment by Paul Keeble.  The model is usually referred to as “integration streams” or “multi-build streams.”  To reduce confusion, think of streams as branches.

The benefit of this is to enable rapid integration of software changes/features without having to wait until the end of the iteration/development cycle to detect the incompatibility or errors during testing.  A picture is worth a thousand words; here is a quick illustration of this model:

1. At the left point where all the stream start to branch out; that is the starting point of an iteration or development cycle
2. Release stream is the main branch (trunk)
3. Integration stream is the continuous integration build team branch
4. Dev #X stream is the individual branch for the developers of each team
5. This uses the promote and merge model. As you can see, Dev #1, makes some changes and merges his/her changes to the CI stream represented by blue dot #1.
6. Dev #2 makes some changes and merges the changes to blue dot #2 on the CI stream
7. Dev #1 then pulls down the latest changes from Dev #2, #3, #4, etc. which is represented by yellow dot #3.
8. Dev #1 makes additional changes and merges those changes to CI stream to form blue dot #4.
9. Lets say now the iteration has ended and all features and bug fixes have been completed; the team lead would then promote the CI stream blue dot #4 onto the release stream purple dot #5 for official release to SQA/Consumer.

As you can see, this model utilizes the concept of “sandbox” which means there is even a slimmer chance of anyone breaking the codes from the main trunk.