CI/CD Pipeline: How Mobile App Developers can Keep Up

Mobile apps aren’t always the first industry one thinks of when they imagine a developer, yet it’s a massive one. The demand is projected to increase from an already large 17% to 24% by 2026. This comes off the heels of an increased demand reflected in the 255 billion app downloads in 2022.

The app developers that are around are expected to work faster, more efficiently, and with more scrutiny than ever before. Modern consumers uninstall apps at massive rates and are less likely to accept bug ridden half finished apps. On top of this, continuous updates and changes are now industry standard and expected.

This leaves a massive set of expectations for any developer trying to produce an app today. Luckily, for teams at least, there is CI/CD. CI/CD are a set of tools to help automate a lot of the manual work that goes into mobile development. Continuous integration (CI) helps to keep developers in the same repository. Meanwhile continuous deployment and delivery (CD) move the code from start to finish while keeping it bug free.

In practice, this leads to a heap of benefits for developers. First and foremost it helps with organization. Automating something like continuous integration means developers can more readily view and utilize others’ work. On top of this the time saved is undeniable. CI/CD moves apps from conception to production incredibly quickly. For an easy example just imagine the difference between a team that automatically and manually releases apps to the app store.

The differences made by CI/CD aren’t overwhelming or game changing in nature. In fact they work with the exact opposite intention. Any developers can and should make use of CI/CD for all the reasons listed above. Working in a field as competitive but still in demand means effective and quick production is essential.

In terms of use, these tools are integrated into specific development platforms for mobile apps. They’re cited as helpful for developer and consumer satisfaction alike. Undeniably developers have to work faster than ever, but a CI/CD pipeline is a way to keep up with the crowd. Automation is a touchy subject in a range of fields for a range of reasons. CI/CD avoids these issues by removing the labor no human wanted to do in the first palace. It won’t save a team of talentless developers, but it could save the team that’s just barely getting by.