Canary release vs. progressive delivery: Choosing a deployment strategy
Canary release is a deployment strategy where a new version of software is gradually rolled out to a small subset of users before being released to the entire user base, allowing for early detection of issues. Progressive delivery is a strategy that involves gradually exposing new features or changes to a wider audience over time, based on predefined criteria. Both canary release and progressive delivery aim to reduce risk by incrementally introducing changes, but canary release focuses on testing with a small subset of users first, while progressive delivery focuses on gradually increasing exposure based on specific conditions.
About the canary release deployment strategy
Canary release is a deployment strategy in software development where a new version of a software application is gradually rolled out to a small subset of users before being released to the entire user base. This allows developers to monitor the performance and gather feedback on the new version before fully deploying it, reducing the risk of widespread issues.
By using canary release, developers can quickly identify and address any potential bugs or issues in the new version without impacting the entire user base. This incremental approach to deployment helps to ensure a smoother and more seamless transition to the new version, ultimately improving the overall user experience and minimizing disruptions.
Advantages of the canary release deployment strategy
- Allows for gradual rollout of new features or updates to a small subset of users before full release.
- Helps in identifying potential issues or bugs in the new release early on, reducing the impact on a larger user base.
Disadvantages of the canary release deployment strategy
- Requires additional resources and infrastructure to manage multiple versions of the software concurrently.
- Can be complex to set up and maintain, especially for larger applications with multiple dependencies.
About the progressive delivery deployment strategy
Progressive delivery is a deployment strategy in software development that involves gradually rolling out new features or updates to a small subset of users before making them available to everyone. This allows developers to test the changes in a real-world environment and gather feedback before fully releasing them.
By using progressive delivery, developers can mitigate the risk of introducing bugs or issues that could impact all users at once. It also allows for more controlled and efficient deployment of updates, ensuring a smoother transition for users and minimizing disruption to the overall system.
Advantages of the progressive delivery deployment strategy
- Allows for gradual release of new features to a subset of users, reducing the impact of potential bugs or issues.
- Enables teams to gather feedback from real users in a controlled environment before rolling out changes to the entire user base.
Disadvantages of the progressive delivery deployment strategy
- Requires additional planning and coordination to manage different stages of deployment.
- May result in increased complexity in the deployment process, especially for larger projects with multiple features being released simultaneously.
Choosing between canary release and progressive delivery strategies
| Canary Release | Progressive Delivery | |
|---|---|---|
| Reliability | Releases are tested on a small subset of users before full deployment, reducing the risk of widespread issues. | Changes are gradually rolled out to users, allowing for immediate rollback if issues arise. |
| Cost | Requires less infrastructure and resources due to smaller release scope. | May involve more resources and tools to manage multiple deployment stages. |
| Complexity | Straightforward process of gradually increasing user traffic to new release. | Involves more intricate setup with multiple deployment stages and feature toggles. |
| Speed | Allows for quick identification and mitigation of issues before full deployment. | Enables a controlled pace of feature rollout, potentially slowing down the release process. |
The Unleash approach to feature flags
Feature flags enable development teams to manage features in a dynamic, flexible, and controlled manner.
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