"There are so many different ideas about what Continuous Delivery actually is. Some say it's just automation, while others believe it's simply about deploying every change to production. But it's much more than that." — Adrian Stanek
Let’s face it: Continuous Delivery (CD) is one of those buzzwords that’s easy to misunderstand. I've seen discussions where people reduce it to a single step in the CI/CD pipeline or mistakenly think that automation alone defines it. The reality is that CD is a mindset, a quality-driven process, and a way to keep your entire organization adaptable, resilient, and aligned.
👉 So, how did I get here?
How did I become someone who says, "It’s unthinkable for me not to practice Continuous Delivery"? I wasn’t always this person. Let me take you back to when I worked in a high-pressure environment where deploying to production felt like walking a tightrope without a safety net.
When Deployments Were Terrifying
(And How We Broke Free)
“We created a small tiger team at Walmart back in 2014 to figure out Continuous Delivery. We learned by reading Continuous Delivery by Jez Humble and solving one problem: how do we get today’s code into production today?” — Bryan Finster
Deployments used to be a source of fear, especially during high-pressure times like holiday sales. To reduce risks, many enterprises would enforce “code freezes.” Ironically, this approach often backfired.
Deploying large batches of code at once increased instability and risk. The result was long hours, weekend fire drills, and developer burnout as teams struggled to control cascading failures.
The solution lies in automation and rethinking software delivery. Teams that embrace Continuous Delivery focus on small, safe changes, gain rapid feedback and continuously improve test strategies. This builds confidence, reduces the chance of significant incidents, and eliminates the need for rigid deployment schedules like code freezes.
Organizations that master this process can deploy updates whenever needed, even during critical business periods. Continuous Delivery isn’t merely a technical practice—it’s a business strategy. It requires collaboration between development, product, and leadership to create a fast, reliable flow of value with minimal risk.
Why Continuous Delivery Is More Than Automation
"Automation isn’t a silver bullet. It’s just 10% of the solution. The other 90% is how we work." — Bryan Finster
Automation often gets the spotlight in conversations about Continuous Delivery, but the real game-changer is how teams operate. To achieve a CD, you must design for delivery, which means planning for testing. You can't just add tests later and expect stability; requirements must be clear and testable.
A crucial aspect of this approach is maintaining a fast feedback loop. If your pipeline takes hours to run, developers lose focus. They might take a coffee break or switch tasks, which slows down the entire process. Short pipelines promote continuous integration, which builds trust across teams.
Modern cloud platforms have made automation easier than ever. Tools like DigitalOcean App Platform, GitHub Actions, and others can immediately handle deployment pipelines. However, without a culture of quality and collaboration, automation alone won’t save you.
Real-World Challenges: Misconceptions and Resistance
"A developer told me they didn’t want to deploy every time because they wanted to create hype. I’m sorry, but that’s a marketing issue, not a development issue." — Adrian Stanek
Even today, I encounter misconceptions that hinder the adoption of Continuous Delivery. Some teams believe long-lived feature branches and delayed deployments will reduce risk, but the opposite is true. Every line of code held back is a liability; the longer it’s delayed, the more integration issues you’ll face when it finally ships.
In some industries, like gaming, teams may strategically delay releases for marketing reasons. However, that’s a business decision, not a valid excuse to avoid regular deployments. Developers still need to test features in production-like environments and gather honest feedback before any public launch.
Another barrier is the outdated mindset that developers should remain isolated from business needs. That notion is misguided. We are, fundamentally, business people solving business problems with code. If you’re not connected to the product’s goals, your tests will miss the mark, and your deliveries will fail to provide real value.
Key Takeaways and Lessons Learned
Here are some crucial insights I’ve gained from years of working with Continuous Delivery:
Continuous Delivery is a quality process, not just a deployment process. It involves ensuring that software is always deployable.
Automation is only a small part of the solution. Designing for testing and delivery requires organizational discipline and collaboration.
Short feedback loops are critical. Long pipelines create bottlenecks and bad developer habits. Keep your tests fast and reliable.
Deployments should not be feared. If you’re scared to deploy on Fridays, you have deeper issues to fix—not just technical ones but also cultural ones.
Developers must engage with business problems. Writing code in isolation leads to poorly aligned tests and features.
Start small and iterate. You don’t need a perfect team to begin. Build a process that even junior developers can succeed within.
Watch on YouTube:
Spotify:
Apple Podcasts:
https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/1957989/s/91413/private/315684ba-546c-4b16-8377-42b2f278f9cc.rss
Highlights
00:00 Spontaneous Start and Introduction
00:13 Defining Continuous Delivery
01:28 Brian's Background in Continuous Delivery
03:44 Challenges and Misconceptions in Continuous Delivery
07:35 Automation in Continuous Delivery
12:44 Deployment Strategies and Best Practices
17:10 Real-World Examples and Industry Practices
29:03 The Importance of Simplicity and Standardization
35:36 Understanding the KISS Principle
35:43 Service-Oriented Architecture Misconceptions
36:40 Designing for Continuous Delivery
37:24 The Importance of Domain-Driven Design
37:58 Challenges in Continuous Delivery
43:31 Code Reviews and Pull Requests in CD
44:24 The Role of Testing in Continuous Delivery
45:53 The Value of Continuous Integration
48:54 Common Pitfalls in Software Development
01:03:11 The Importance of Maintainability
01:05:05 Wrapping Up and Final Thoughts
Links:
https://minimumcd.org/
https://bdfinst.medium.com/
Books:
Modern Software Engineering: Doing What Works to Build Better Software Faster
Continuous Delivery: Reliable Software Releases through Build, Test, and Deployment Automation
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