What is DevOps and why is it important? More importantly, what is the relevance of DevOps to technology, business, society, and the average person’s existence?
DevOps is important because it enables the effective and timely delivery of quality software. Without DevOps, new software would rarely be produced, and the small amount released to the public would be expensive and often filled with errors and poor designs.
The information presented here about DevOps will explain why it’s needed for modern life and why no public, government, or individual should take this critical process for granted.
An Explanation of DevOps
DevOps is a portmanteau, that is, a word which has been created from two combined terms. “Dev” stands for “development” and “Ops” is derived from “operations”. When both words are combined, they create the portmanteau – DevOps. Technically, there isn’t an official definition for this term. This is because there are multiple meanings for the word.
Here are some of the primary meanings that are commonly used for the term DevOps:
- A set of practices intended to reduce the time between committing a change to a system and the change being placed into normal production, while ensuring high quality.
- A set of practices that works to automate and integrate the processes between software development and IT teams, so they can build, test, and release software faster and more reliably.
- A practice of operations and development engineers participating together in the entire service lifecycle, from design through the development process to production support.
- DevOps emphasizes people first, process second, and tools third.
- DevOps is fundamentally about people. It’s also about how developers and engineers organize themselves to work as a unified team to deliver better products faster.
DevOps Is Slang
Truthfully, DevOps hasn’t been officially listed as an official word within Merriam-Webster’s or Oxford’s dictionaries. This word hasn’t been sanctioned as a standard English term. It would take about 10 years for the word to be officially added to the English language. However, you can find it in some technical, computer, scientific, and/or industrial dictionaries glossary of terms.
Ultimately, DevOps focuses on the efficient and practical operational processes that are used to develop software from start to finish. These processes are primarily used by engineers and computer developers. Still, all of the above meanings (and many more not listed here) can be used to inform people about DevOps.
Why is DevOps relevant for modern life?
DevOps is important to modern life for many numerous reasons. We’ll list some of the primary reasons why DevOps is important for many people.
- Computers run society. The software runs computers. Software creators must produce programs that are built around people and their needs. This means that the software must be created with the end-user in mind. However, the software’s purpose must perform what it was created to do.
- DevOps processes used to create software programs should be a team effort. This team effort should be carried out by combining different departments together during the process. If different departments cannot be brought together, they should be organized to assist each other during the development process.
- The DevOps process helps organization’s their resources more efficiently and effectively. They are also important for helping to keep a business’s development costs at a minimum. This in turn makes the software less expensive for the consumer.
- Since computers are essential for modern life, software development is essential for governments, industries, companies, businesses, and individuals.
- DevOps is used to generate software for computer systems that are used inside rockets, space vehicles, and other spacecraft. Various military applications utilize extremely sophisticated computing technology that needs highly developed software to function. DevOps must be implemented with the creation of this software to ensure that these systems are operable and reliable within a modern-day battlefield.
- Critical software that controls and safeguards retail customer information makes online purchases possible.
- Software that controls various aspects of the modern traffic and transportation industries is important as well.
- Law enforcement needs reliable and critically valuable software that can assist them with apprehending and tracking criminals.
- Without software, our banking system would literally fall apart. Every business entity and person’s financial information is contained on some type of computer. Software is needed to ensure that billions of people’s financial data are I not being compromised, stolen, or lost.
- It would be hard for people to function, work, and do business inside of buildings without software-controlled climates.
- Newer modern vehicles wouldn’t function as they should without software.
- Young teens and kids could not play their favorite games or apps without software. They also couldn’t use their smartphones, tablets, and laptop computers without the use of the software. Heck, they can’t even watch their smart TVs with built-in streaming services or have internet in their home – without software.
- Bitcoin applications and usage would be severely hindered without the use of the software.
- Stores, credit card companies, school systems, and even charitable giving databases all function and operate with the use of the software.
- Society is extremely wired, and software is at the heart of this technology. Without software, our society would immediately be taken back nearly 100 years in terms of how we function, work, play, do business, and communicate today.
- DevOps processes are important to software because software is critical to computer operation and function. So, without DevOps; critical and essential computer processes would be slow in coming and it would hinder society in many different ways.
These are some of the primary reasons why DevOps are important but there are many more. The bottom line is that DevOps is necessary because it helps society (and the world) to function at an optimal level.
What are the core principles of DevOps?
There are many different rules and functions of DevOps processes. Remember, since many organizations are free to define DevOps according to how they see fit; no one rule fits all. Truthfully, it would be time-consuming and nearly impossible to list all the different approaches that are taken with DevOps. However, we can focus on some key principles regarding this process.
- DevOps starts with highly detailed plans about the software development process. A software development team’s leader will usually figure out how programs will be produced from start to finish. Having a plan, blueprint, or outline of this process will help to make the process go smoother and run more efficiently. Again, it will also help to cut down on mistakes, wasted time, wasted resources, and wasted money.
- Collaboration between project managers and their team operators.
- Teams should work together to improve and quickly move the project. Elements such as workflows, meetings, designated roles for teams and/or individuals, and business analyst involvement are all critical to the overall development process for the software.
- Tracking software progress and development is another critical principle of DevOps. The project manager must consistently track software development to ensure that the project is on time and that the software is functioning as it should.
- Developers are encouraged to produce streamlined code at a decent pace. They also have to focus on the accuracy of the code and making sure they’re using the right commands for the software. All these aspects will play an essential part in getting software from the development stage to the consumer.
- Another important aspect of software development has to do with the consumer. Throughout the process, developers must make software that is functioning as intended. Regardless of the reason for the creation of software, it must always be examined to ensure that it is fulfilling its need and accomplishing its ultimate purpose. This aspect of DevOps deals with testing, reliability engineering, and other aspects.
- Fixing software, working out bugs, examining how people interact with software – and the list goes on. The bottom line is that DevOps is essential to everything needed to make software practical, functional, and something that will benefit the end-user.
An Important Sidenote about Video Game Software Development
I want to briefly touch off on an important point about video games. All modern video games are not created by one person. Many people erroneously believe that a single person can take a computer class, do some coding, and then go create a game like Call of Duty, Roblox, or Fortnite. The reality is that it takes teams of developers to turn these games into a reality.
No one person can make a complex modern game on their own. It would literally take them a lifetime to do so. Truthfully, they probably wouldn’t be able to realistically complete the task before they died. The bottom line is that DevOps is critical to video game software. Video games also provide us with a perfect example of the importance of DevOps to software.
Without teams of developers and software engineers working together (efficiently, effectively, and cooperatively) this process would be extremely slow or just impossible to complete. Now, let’s continue on.
Software Development Teams and DevOps
Software development teams are responsible for manufacturing programs from start to finish. Each organization has its own different type of teams to complete this work. The teams usually consist of business analysts, project managers, UI/UX designers, developers/programmers, QA specialists, and marketing specialists. There can be another type of team included in the software development process, but these are the 6 basic team types used to make a program.
Each team must work in conjunction with the others to get the program to the market. First, the business analysts explain to the teams what type of software their clients are trying to create. They act as liaisons between the two. Business analysts are also responsible for figuring out how the client’s software is to work and what needs to be done to implement this design process. They have many other duties as well.
Project managers work directly with teams. They also work with clients as well. Like business analysts, they have to make sure that they are building the type of program that the client wants. Ultimately, they make sure to assign the developers, designers, and engineers (if they are needed) to be assigned specific duties and can complete specific tasks.
The UI/UX team is responsible for making the software look good to the eye and functional to use. They have to make sure the program has an easy-to-use interface and that it looks appealing when people are operating it. This team has to be able to set up the software in such a way that its interface can be effortlessly manipulated by users. They also have other tasks that involve how users utilize a particular program.
Developers/Programmers
Developers/Programmers are responsible for writing the code needed to make a program work. Also, each team needs different types of developers, programmers, and coders to create the program. Different software coding options must be used for mobile apps and for internet sites.
The QA team ensures that the program is being developed correctly from start to finish. They consistently test functionality, ease of use, constantly gauge software’s appearance and look for bugs or other things that might be wrong.
Marketing specialists complete the project by getting the finished product to clients and out on the market. This process takes time but must be completed within a timeframe. Marketing specialists ensure that the product is being advertised and sold through the proper channels that are best suited for this product. They too work with clients.
The main thing you must remember is that DevOps is often used to bring teams together for these projects. This process makes it easier for all teams to work together and to focus on specific tasks that will make software development easy to accomplish.
Other Responsibilities with DevOps
Don’t forget that DevOps is often used in various ways within organizations. Many modern companies not only use DevOps for software development they also use it for general company operations as well. Many technology, engineering, computing, manufacturing, and scientific organizations utilize DevOps principles.
They create work environments or cultures based on the principles of collaboration, shared responsibilities, information flow, and consistent communication. DevOps helps to keep order within tech and science environments. It also helps workers to figure out the best way to complete projects and streamline their jobs.
The Importance of DevOps During and After the Pandemic
DevOps has undergone a serious transformation during the COVID-19 pandemic. It will also undergo a further transformation in the post-pandemic world. Many people within the tech and science fields had to work remotely. The importance of DevOps during the pandemic was extremely crucial to the continuance of software development and creation.
Workers had to function in remote settings. The use of internet communication technology was necessary for ensuring that these individuals could communicate. Also, DevOps practices had to be continuously used to ensure that the work was being completed. Working remotely made the process more challenging. Working remotely also had forced organizations to alter, adapt, and/or rethink their DevOps processes.
The cloud had to be utilized in different ways to ensure that DevOps continued to be effective. The cloud’s ability to store and share information became essential to ensure DevOps processes. Also, video conferencing and sharing services were utilized with greater frequency during the pandemic. These different functions and operations have helped to transform DevOps protocols.
Companies see the benefits of working remotely and have further developed this protocol to ensure that their projects can be completed in different ways. Software development has been modified during the pandemic to accommodate the isolated and remote conditions that this situation created.
Once the pandemic is over, tech and science industries and businesses will continue to use the processes that were created during/after this global scourge. DevOps was positioned to take full advantage of the pandemic work environment to make it work. Cooperation, collaboration, and communication were all improved during these unprecedented times. Also, many industries and companies will continue with DevOps practices once this situation has ended.
DevOps and Education
DevOps is being taught in some universities and in some business settings. Again, not everyone is latching on to this process. Still, it’s becoming more prevalent in the work world. Many courses being taught on this subject are usually integrated into tech and science disciplines. DevOps principles are being implemented as training courses within many businesses as well.
DevOps education is going to become more prevalent in the future. This is because DevOps will continue to play an increasing role within the workplace and other tech and science-related industries. DevOps education and training will help to ensure that businesses will maximize their ability to compete, produce effective software products, and save money while generating profits.
DevOps & the Future
Tech and business organizations are going to rely on DevOps going forward. They will continue to implement these principles into the work environment to ensure that their organization is moving in the right direction. Many tech, engineering, computing, and science workers are being trained with this type of developmental process in mind.
Again, there isn’t a standard for DevOps that is used by every organization. So, the process will always remain fluid. Still, some basic underlying principles will usually emerge with this process. Different entities that utilize DevOps principles will figure out the best way to make this process work for their operations. Once they have this knowledge, DevOps will help to improve their bottom line, work environment, and customer retention.