SAFE DevOps Practitioner (SDP) Practice Exam

What is the primary goal of the Continuous Integration process?

1. To monitor production systems for issues

2. To create deployable binaries and merge branches

3. To rapidly address deployment problems

4. To deliver solutions incrementally to end users

The correct answer is: To create deployable binaries and merge branches

The primary goal of the Continuous Integration (CI) process is to create deployable binaries and merge branches. This practice focuses on the frequent integration of code changes into a shared repository, where automated builds and tests are conducted. By doing so, CI ensures that new code changes are validated and can be integrated into the main codebase without conflicts or errors. Creating deployable binaries is crucial because it means that every change is expected to result in a build that is ready for deployment, minimizing the risk of integration issues that can arise when all changes are merged at once. This regular merging helps teams detect and resolve issues early, leading to a more stable product. Additionally, the merging of branches is essential in collaborative environments where developers work on different features simultaneously. CI facilitates this by allowing teams to keep their code synchronized, preventing last-minute surprises before release. In contrast, while monitoring production systems, addressing deployment issues, and delivering solutions incrementally are all important aspects of DevOps practices, they do not represent the core function of the Continuous Integration process itself. CI's main focus is about the readiness of code for deployment through efficient building and testing processes.