December 2015 Summaries

AWS Lambda is a service from Amazon Web Services that allows users to run code in response to events or HTTP requests, facilitating the management of backend infrastructure by executing functions written in Java, Python, or Node.js. Semaphore has introduced an integration for AWS Lambda users, streamlining the continuous deployment process by automatically detecting functions and providing an easy setup for continuous delivery. This integration supports both manual and automatic deployments from selected branches once tests pass, offering a shared deployment history and uniform delivery of microservices. Additionally, Semaphore has published a tutorial to guide users in building, testing, and deploying microservices, such as sending an SMS for build failures, with AWS Lambda. Furthermore, recent deployment integrations for Amazon S3 and AWS Elastic Beanstalk have been announced, enhancing the continuous delivery workflow for developers.

Over the past three years, reports on Ruby versions have been published in commercial projects, and recent developments in the Node community, such as the merging of io.js with Node.js and the release of version 4.0.0, along with faster release cycles, have prompted an exploration of current production app usage. Statistics reveal that a significant majority, 73%, of private projects are using Node 0.x, while efforts are made to ensure the latest versions are available to users through monthly platform updates. The article encourages teams to share their strategies for keeping up with new Node.js releases and invites further discussion on the topic via comments or a Discord channel.

Scheduled for December 22, 2015, the upcoming platform update introduces several software updates and new additions aimed at enhancing security and functionality. Notable updates include Cassandra version 2.2.4, Git version 2.6.4, Go version 1.5.2, Java version 7u91, Maven version 3.3.9, MySQL version 5.6.28, and PHP version 5.6.16, with Node.js receiving significant security updates. The update also introduces new versions of Node.js (5.1.1 and 5.2.0) and PHP 7.0.0, which can be accessed using specific setup commands during the release candidate period. Users are encouraged to test compatibility by switching to the Ubuntu 14.04 LTS v1512 platform and provide feedback to guide further improvements. The release candidate phase lasts until the final release on December 22, 2015, after which additional updates, including Node.js 5.3.0 and Ruby versions 2.1.8 and 2.2.4, will be available.

Semaphore's annual report on Ruby versions for private projects in 2015 reveals significant shifts in adoption patterns, highlighting that 79% of commercial Ruby projects now use Ruby 2, a notable increase from 51% the previous year. The data indicates that transitioning from Ruby 1.9.x to Ruby 2 has eased subsequent upgrades to newer versions. However, there remains notable fragmentation in the usage of Ruby versions, particularly within the 2.1.x and 2.2.x series, suggesting that while micro-version upgrades are easier, developers still face challenges in maintaining version consistency across projects. The report invites readers to share their strategies for managing Ruby updates in the comments or through their Discord channel.