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Continuous deployment is an evolution of continuous delivery. Every change that passes all automated build, test, and quality checks is automatically released to production. The goal is to minimize lead time, accelerate feedback, and reduce risk through small, frequent releases.
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Continuous deployment automatically releases verified software changes to production without a manual approval step.
Continuous deployment emerged as a stricter form of continuous integration and continuous delivery. In the Thoughtworks context, continuous delivery was described as a discipline in which software remains releasable at any time because build, tests, and the deployment pipeline are automated. Continuous deployment goes further: every change that passes all checks is pushed to production immediately, shortening feedback loops and reducing release risk through smaller changes.
Think of a conveyor belt with an automatically opening exit gate. A commit triggers build and tests; if the checks stay green, the artifact moves through the pipeline across production-like stages and finally goes live. There is no human stop sign between green and live. Techniques such as blue-green deployment can make the switch safer, but the release decision stays inside the automation.
Continuous deployment assumes software stays releasable; the difference is the missing manual approval step.
Build, test, and promotion stages structure the path from change to release.
Build, test, and quality checks act as objective signals for the next step.
The software should be stable enough for any verified change to go live without special handling.
Two environments allow a controlled switch with lower downtime.
This approach is useful when teams ship often, need fast production feedback, and want small releases to keep risk low. It works best with strong test automation, observability, and clear rollback or switch-over strategies. Where compliance, approvals, or unstable tests cannot be automated cleanly, continuous delivery with a manual gate is often the more realistic choice.
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