Define DevOps, The Problem It Solves, and What Are Its Advantages?

Define DevOps

Who is DevOps? What is DevOps?

There are many questions being asked about the new work culture. There’s no doubt that it has proven to be a reliable workflow for development teams around the world.

Now DevOps might sound like it’s software or similar technology. But in reality, it’s a work culture that combines Development and Operations.

Yes, that little tweak is known as DevOps. And while it might seem like it’s nothing more than a little tweak – let us tell you that it has revolutionalized the app development process.

That being said, let’s define DevOps more clearly and discuss its advantages

What Is Dev Ops? DevOps Meaning

DevOps stands for Development & Operations. It is more of a cultural philosophy or a system to deliver projects at a better pace.

DevOps or Development & operations is a non-conventional approach that has helped organizations in building applications and delivering projects on time. As a result, companies won the hearts of their clients and made a ton of happy customers.

Talking about making happy customers, there is nothing more important for your client than delivering your best right before the deadline – in other words, ‘meeting the deadline’.

When you are in web app software development or any service-based business for that matter, meeting deadlines is a top priority.

So what DevOps does is pair the development and operations teams together. So in this case, the Development team designed and build the application from scratch, and the operations team tested and implements the app. Most importantly, the operations team gives feedback regarding the bugs that need to be fixed in the app.

Problems That DevOps Solve – What Was The Need For Development & Operations?

Define DevOps: What Problems Does DevOps Solve

Before DevOps, software development companies were following a standard SDLC model which included a sequential or waterfall mode of working. The model started with Requirement analysis and ended with Testing and Maintenance.

It was a standard procedure back in the day but the problem was that it hindered the efficiency of the development process. Development teams rarely met deadlines.

In addition to that, the lack of communication between the development and operations team was also yet another disadvantage of the waterfall model.

Then came the Agile Software Development Module. The approach includes iterative development where developers spend a lot of time repeating the same course of action or iterating the same workflow three times.

So simply put, 6 steps involved in the Agile Development including Plan, Design Development, Test, Release, and Feedback were repeated three times, This is what we know as Agile development.

The setbacks of agile software development were time consumption and less predictability among many other disadvantages. Check out The Massive Downside Of Agile Software Development.

Both development methods had one problem in particular and that was time-consuming. A set of many drawbacks made these processes inefficient, Hence, the need for another work culture was born.

DevOps proved to be an efficient work culture because it combined Development and Operations teams together. The new work culture helped development teams deliver their projects timely. Plus, their communication improved.

DevOps Workflow Explained

Define DevOps: DevOps Workflow Explained

DevOps Phase 1: Planning

The development team reads the client’s requirements carefully. Then make a plan considering the requirements and objectives of the application.

DevOps Phase 2: Coding

After planning how to develop an application, the DevOps team starts coding the application. In this phase, development teams also develop several versions of the code.

DevOps Phase 3: Implementing The Code

The code is made executable in this phase. So the application is built by the third phase of the development process. It has all the important features that the client wants and it also contains functionalities that give it an edge over its competitors in the market.

DevOps Phase 4: Testing

This is where the application shall be tested. Any bugs or errors will be removed from the application to help it deliver a smooth experience to the end-user.

Remember, this is perhaps the most important part of the process. If the Quality Assurance is done appropriately then the application will deliver a robust User Experience to its users.

DevOps Phase 5: Deployment

The application is tested and ready for deployment. There are no bugs and systematic errors that can potentially harm the User Experience. Now, the code will be sent to the operations team.

DevOps Phase 6: Operate

The operations team receives the code and deploys it to the working environment. Applications like Docker and Ansible are used in this process.

DevOps Phase 7: Monitor

This is the last and final stage of the DevOps process. This is when the application is monitored. Then, necessary feedback is sent to the development team. Once the development team receives the feedback, they plan how the necessary changes will be made and the cycle repeats all over again.

The Benefits Of Operating Applications With DevOps

Faster Development

Faster development is one of the core advantages of DevOps culture. The combination of the Development and Operations teams solves half the problem. 

Before that, the Development team and Operations team had a large communication gap which also resulted in some malpractices. For example, the Operation teams were quick to say “Not Our Problem” whereas the Development team seemed to be on the run always getting their hands on the new project.

Client-Oriented Mindset

One of the main reasons to prioritize DevOps is that it prioritizes the client-oriented mindset. And when you are a service provider then the client-oriented mindset is the most important thing to consider.

The mindset helps developers work on a project considering all the requirements and expectations of the client. So at the end of the day when an application is developed and delivered, the client gets satisfied and your company drives more business.

Stable Work Environment

DevOps increases the stability of the workplace by encouraging the collaboration of the Development and Operations team.

Before DevOps, the risk of destabilizing the working environment was always lurking around the corner because both teas were working separately and therefore at a different pace.

Therefore it was extremely necessary to establish a collaboration to promote a balanced working environment.

Now the development teams can practically observe the work balance the DevOps work culture has promoted by watching how easily technical errors are resolved.

It took time to resolve technical issues when teams followed Agile and Waterfall models of working.

Conclusion

DevOps is one of the most useful ways to develop applications as it allows development teams to deliver the project in a timely fashion.

It is one of the most important things to consider because app development projects are complex. Spending more time on development projects means more frustration and destabilizes the work environment. 

However, the new work culture has proven to be the most reliable option to work on development projects for now. The combination of the Development and Operations team has improvised the workflow by encouraging the communications between the two.

In a nutshell, organizations that are following the DevOps work culture are delivering quality projects on time – which is definitely a competitive edge.

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