Build Automation - Tools for Improving Engineering Process


Build Tools
Build automation involves scripting or automating the process of compiling computer source code into binary code.  These tools are particularly useful for continuous integration (CI) builds where frequent calls to the compile process are required and incremental build processing is needed.
Core activities involved in build automation:
  1. Compiling source code into binary code
  2. Packaging of binary code
  3. Running of tests
  4. Deployment of binary code to test environments / production environment
  5. Creation of documents or release notes
Advantages:
  1. Accelerate compile and link processing
  2. Eliminate redundant tasks
  3. Have history of build and releases in order to investigate issues
Features of build tools that need to be considered before picking it:
  1. Frequent / Scheduled Builds
  2. Support for Source Code Management system
  3. Incremental Build Processing
  4. Reporting on build’s status
  5. Generation of release notes and other documentations
Some Popular Open Source Build Tools:
  1. Rake
  2. Ant
  3. Maven
List of other build tools -
  1. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_build_automation_software


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