Continuous integration (CI) is a development philosophy and practice that encourages small, frequent code changes, enabling teams to integrate and validate changes consistently using tools like Jenkins. This approach automates the building, packaging, and testing of applications, promoting collaboration, reducing errors, and enhancing code quality. The benefits of CI include reduced risks, early bug detection, and expedited software delivery, although it requires significant investment in resources and may face challenges such as internal resistance and organizational culture shifts. Jenkins can be installed on an AWS EC2 Linux instance, following a detailed process involving the deployment of JDK and Maven, configuring security settings, and accessing the Jenkins server through a web interface. Despite potential challenges, CI tools like Jenkins streamline software development by facilitating seamless integration and communication among team members.