What is DevOps?

DevOps represents a cultural shift in software development and operations, emphasizing collaboration and efficiency to deliver software more effectively. Emerging as a response to the traditional siloed approach where development and operations teams worked separately, DevOps bridges this divide by integrating practices like Continuous Integration (CI), Continuous Delivery (CD), and Infrastructure as Code (IaC). These practices ensure frequent merging of code, automated deployment, and consistent infrastructure management, contributing to faster and more reliable software releases. DevOps fosters close collaboration between teams, utilizing tools for automation, monitoring, and communication to streamline processes and reduce errors. The approach is characterized by the 7Cs—Continuous Development, Integration, Testing, Deployment, Feedback, Monitoring, and Operations—all aimed at enhancing speed, efficiency, and continuity in the software lifecycle. DevOps also integrates best practices such as automation, small incremental changes, and version control to improve software delivery and maintainability, while encouraging continuous improvement and feedback loops.