In a CI/CD pipeline, what does “CD” typically stand for?

In the context of a CI/CD pipeline, “CD” typically stands for Continuous Deployment. This term refers to the practice of automatically deploying every change that passes the automated tests to production, ensuring that the software is always in a releasable state. Continuous Deployment minimizes the manual processes involved in shipping software and facilitates a quick turnaround from development to production, promoting more frequent updates and faster delivery of features to users.

Continuous Delivery, which is often confused with Continuous Deployment, involves preparing code changes for production so they can be released at any time but may not necessarily be automatically deployed. This distinction is crucial; Continuous Deployment automates the push to production, while Continuous Delivery requires a manual trigger after automated verifications.

Understanding this nuance is important in the context of modern software development practices where quick iterations and responsiveness to change are priorities. Continuous Deployment is a key enabler to meet those demands effectively, making organizations more agile and responsive to user feedback and market needs.