As discussed frequently on our blog, DevOps refers to the time-saving combination of software development and IT operations. With the power of this kind of automation, many companies (and our clients!) improve their workflow by as much as 17x, in addition to cutting down on expenditure.

Continue reading today’s post for a look at top DevOps tools for seamless software development!

Kamatera

Many software developers, nowadays, prefer cloud computing. Here, application development is done over a public network, through data centres available to multiples users on the internet. It also refers to the availability of computer system resources, like data storage and computing power, over the internet.

In this process, being able to deploy cloud applications with ease and without any complications is of the utmost importance. Kamatera is frequently listed among top DevOps tools, especially for software developers looking for easier cloud application deployment.

With this platform, you’re able to deploy applications across multiple locations, worldwide. This makes working remotely easier, especially given that you’re provided with a wide range of applications to execute. Some of these include leading software such as Jenkins, Drupal, RocketChat, and Redmine.

Kiuwan

When it comes to software development, application security is understatedly important.

In this arena, Kiuwan is often the one to beat. Specialising in an end-to-end software security platform – compliant with all major security standards – this tool provides you with a range of insights on security, productivity, cost, and efficiency of the applications you’re developing.

Kiuwan also supports multiple application technologies, spanning over 20 programming languages, and is highly useful when companies industrialise the life cycle of software development. The tool secures your applications from cyber threats, eliminating one of the biggest nightmares for software developers!

Gradle Build Tool

Gradle Build Tool is another one of 2019’s top DevOps tools.

Allowing developers to write code in a number of programming languages, including classics like Java, Python, and C++, this tool is a heavyweight in terms of DevOps relating to software building.

Chosen by Google as the official build tool for Android Studio, Gradle Build Tool has proven to be 100X faster compared to other top DevOps tools like Maven. While it isn’t 100% intuitive just yet, it’s still a fierce competitor among the sea of DevOps automation software.

Among the many features users are most fond of, the tool’s incremental build option, task output caching, and incremental subtasks are spoken about often. These allow developers to make changes to their applications easily and execute tasks from multiple workstations.

Blackchair

Apart from DevOps consultation – where we dive into your operations and identify automation opportunities – here at Blackchair, we also specialise in tools that cut down the time spent on the software development lifecycle.

Platform translation, in fact, is one of our most important areas of service. We deliver real optimisation to any configuration translation, transfer, or synchronisation required for a roll-out, merge, upgrade, and even for routine business operations.

Through the use of our Symphony platform and multi-vendor connectors, we help companies develop a change management model for translation, transfer, or synchronization across various cloud, premise, and hybrid platforms.

Jenkins

An open source CI/CD (Continuous Integration/Continuous Deployment) server, Jenkins allows software developers and IT professionals to automate certain stages in the delivery pipeline.

The platform also boasts considerable plugin configurations, offering more than 1000 plugin options. This makes it easier for teams to integrate it with numerous DevOps tools, leveraging a wide range of software building functionality and improving efficiency exponentially.

Jenkins also allows you to customise your CI/CD pipeline – which bridges the gap between development and IT operations teams through software development automation – according to your own needs.

Top DevOps tools…which is the best for you?

As you may be able to tell, DevOps is a force taking over the software development industry. As we slowly pivot towards automation to make life, work, and everything in-between much easier, DevOps tools have the potential to revolutionise every aspect of service delivery.

Before you decide on the platform(s) that work best for your business, stop and think about everything you need. By doing so, it becomes easier for you to identify the solutions that meet your needs and analyse their offerings more strategically.

If you’re struggling to decide what parts of your operations would benefit from the power and potential of DevOps, consult Blackchair specialists today for automation guidance and support!

The post Top DevOps tools you need to try in 2019 appeared first on Theblackchair.com.

When someone hears the word ‘DevOps’ for the first time, these are just a few questions that come to mind. While it certainly sounds like fancy technical jargon (which, if we admit, maybe a little true), the concept behind it is shockingly simple.

Essentially, DevOps refers to the combination of software development and information technology-related processes that shorten the software development lifecycle. This allows companies and teams to roll out new software in a shorter period of time, including the introduction of fixes, updates, and new features.

In our blog post, we dive into all you need to know about DevOps – its history, features, and benefits. Continue reading for a better understanding of this essential component of software development!

Origin story

Like all superheroes, DevOps, too, has an origin story.

A portmanteau coined by Patrick Debois back in 2009, the happy combination of the terms ‘development’ and ‘operations’ was a result of agile development, which focused on improving software delivery.

Around this time, the IT sector was experiencing a sudden change. Workers began moving away from the traditional software development cycle, towards non-linear, agile methods. These refer to the approach taken where cross-functional teams collaborate to complete tasks and where testing and development, as a whole, takes place in a non-linear manner.

Here, each stage of development is made an independent process and testing is undertaken throughout the development cycle.

Naturally, this brought about many benefits that were previously untapped in the software development field. Given the emerging practice of incorporating changes on the go and the continuous stream of feedback, software development became exponentially more efficient.

Despite this, however, software deployment still remained the same, following the more linear, waterfall methodology, which left testing to be completed at the end of the line. This would slow down the entire process, given that developers had to go back to the root of any issue they discovered. This also left a clear split between IT professionals and software developers.

It was while these changes (or lack thereof) were taking place, that DevOps took flight. Seeing the still disparate nature of development and deployment, the concept aimed to merge both these functions in a way that embraced agile methodologies.

What are the biggest benefits of DevOps?

Since its emergence, the combination of software development, operations, and deployment have helped the industry become significantly more efficient, competitive, and sophisticated. Some of the biggest benefits of this innovative approach include:

• Software is developed and delivered much more efficiently

Given that this approach emphasises the collaboration between software developers and IT professionals, software can be rolled out much faster. Additionally, since testing and the feedback process is continuous, defects are detected much earlier, making the bug fix process more expedient.

In fact, recent data shows that companies who utilise DevOps practices make software deployments 46 times more frequent than their competitors.

Now, development teams spend less time reworking the software and synchronising their efforts, than ever before.

• The quality of software is improved and new releases are made constantly

Another undeniable benefit of DevOps is that it ensures that software and its attendant updates and fixes are being released continuously.

Given that software teams are expected to deliver constantly, DevOps has reduced the time spent and the effort expended to release a completed solution or platform. Continuous monitoring and testing also improve the quality and functionality of finished products, benefitting end-users exponentially.

• It saves time and money

One of the biggest draws of DevOps for software developers is its ability to cut down on time and resources.

As with any task, spending too much time on the same thing can get tedious. You also run the risk of becoming sloppy as a result of sheer frustration. With DevOps, these concerns are eliminated. As we’ve demonstrated, the time taken to develop software and release it is reduced significantly.

This, in turn, also means that money and other resources are saved in the process.

Key takeaways

DevOps is a crucial part of the software development industry and for good reason. It has revolutionised the way many platforms and solutions have been delivered, keeping end-users stocked with the latest software, updates, features, and fixes.

By understanding the key features of this approach and what you can gain from it, incorporate DevOps automation into your work for a smoother software delivery process and exponential efficiency gains!

The post Understanding DevOps: A beginner’s guide to the basics appeared first on Theblackchair.com.