DevOps and Agile are both popular software development frameworks that emphasize collaboration and continuous improvement. But what are the differences between DevOps and Agile? And what are the similarities? Read on to find out.
Introduction
The agile methodology has changed how we create software and other services, but after a few years of being the standard, a significant gap emerged. The operations team’s methods and needs, which delivered and managed software products, were not included in the revolution. As a result, there is now a disconnect between the development team and the operations team.
DevOps is a strategy that involves both development and operations teams working together in coordination. Many people often wonder if DevOps has replaced Agile or if the two strategies work best together. It’s important to know that there are similarities as well as differences between the two. Agile and DevOps can both exist within an organization in an exclusive or inclusive way.
The two software development approaches, DevOps and Agile, share the common goal of wanting to produce the final product as rapidly and effectively as possible. However, many firms still struggle to understand the difference between the two techniques. Understanding the differences between agile and DevOps and the functions these development approaches perform is the first step in solving this problem.
Table of Content
- What is Agile?
- What is DevOps?
- DevOps vs Agile
- How do Agile and DevOps interrelate?
What is Agile?
Agile software development is an iterative approach to developing software that emphasizes team collaboration, customer feedback, and delivering working software frequently. It emerged from the software development industry in the early 2000s as a response to ever-changing market conditions and customer expectations. Agile has helped teams across various industries deliver software faster and more efficiently.
Taking an agile approach to product development has many advantages over the traditional waterfall method, the most significant of which is the ability of agile development to immediately address software that doesn’t meet user demands or expectations. With agile development, software is developed in short cycles with continual changes and usable versions of products are published more rapidly than with the waterfall process. This allows for quick fixes when necessary and keeps the user involved and updated throughout the process.
The four core values of Agile software development are highlighted below-
1) Working software is preferred over thorough documentation
2) Responded by switching over in accordance with a plan
3) Collaboration with the customer during contract negotiations
4) Discussion of the method and tools amongst individuals and teams
Gain in-depth knowledge on Agile Methodologies through a wide variety of Scrum & Agile courses by TopD Learning. Become an Agile expert now!
What is DevOps?
DevOps is a software development method that allows for more efficient and reliable creation, testing, and deployment of software by integrating concepts and practices from agile development, such as enhanced automation and increased communication between development and operations teams. In both agile development and DevOps, coding, verification, and deployment occur. However, traditional agile processes often ignore or downplay the role of operations teams, which are crucial in DevOps.
DevOps was created to fill the gap between developers and operations teams. In the past, developers would create software and hand it off to the operations team to deploy and maintain with little understanding of how it was created. This is no longer the case with DevOps. DevOps brings developers and operations teams together to build and operate the supporting infrastructure. This way, both teams have a better understanding of how the software is created and can work together to make changes and improvements.
Since 2009, a lot has changed in the software development business, yet the pillars of DevOps remain the same-
1) Cooperation and trust between the Dev and Ops teams
2) Significant reliance on comprehensive software testing procedures
3) Contemporary tool integration to streamline development and operation activities
Gain in-depth knowledge on DevOps through a wide variety of DevOps Online Training Courses by TopD Learning. Become a DevOps developer with TopD Learning, sign up now!
DevOps vs Agile
Agile’s core goal is to add speed and flexibility to the software development process, but DevOps takes that a step further by bringing those same benefits to both the development and operations sides of the equation. It’s important to remember that DevOps is not meant to replace Agile – it’s an evolution of the Agile methodology that builds on its successes while addressing the problems that have arisen over time.
A. DevOps vs Agile: Differences
| Basis | DevOps | Agile |
| Definition | Bringing together development and operations teams is a practice known as DevOps. | Agile is the name for a continuous iterative method that emphasises customer feedback, teamwork, small, and quick releases. |
| Purpose | The goal of DevOps is to manage complete technical processes. | Managing complicated projects is the goal of agile. |
| Task | It always emphasises delivery and testing. | It emphasises ongoing developments. |
| Team Size | Due to the involvement of all stakeholders involved, a large team size is essential. | The team is not exceptionally large. A smaller team can work more quickly because there are fewer individuals working on it. |
| Team Skillset | Between the development team and the operation team, DevOps splits and distributes the skill set. | Agile development places a strong emphasis on equipping all team members with a wide range of equivalent and similar skills. |
| Implementation | Since DevOps is based on collaboration, there is no established framework for it. | A variety of tactical frameworks, including safe, scrum, and sprint, can accommodate agile implementation. |
| Duration | The ideal situation would be to send new code into production every day or every few hours. | Sprints serve as the management unit for agile development. Therefore, each sprint will take significantly less time than a month. |
| Target areas | Business solution from end to end and quick delivery. | Software Development |
| Feedback | Observations are provided by the internal staff. | Customer feedback is a key component of Agile. |
| Focus | Operational and business readiness are the main goals of DevOps. | Functional and non-functional readiness is the focus of agile. |
| Importance | Development, testing, and implementation are all equally crucial components of DevOps. | Agile inherently involves the creation of software. |
| Quality | DevOps uses automation and early problem eradication to provide higher-quality work. For upholding quality standards, developers must adhere to best coding and architectural practices. | Better application suites with the appropriate criteria are produced through Agile. It can easily adapt to timely modifications made over the course of the project. |
| Documentation | Since it will transfer the software to an operational team for deployment, the process documentation is crucial in DevOps. Automation lessens the effects of inadequate documentation. However, it might be challenging to impart all the necessary expertise when creating complex software. | The agile approach prioritises a functioning system above exhaustive documentation. Being adaptable and responsive is good. However, it may be detrimental if you’re seeking to transfer responsibility to another team for deployment. |
| Communication | Specifications and design documents are used in DevOps communication. To effectively manage the | The most popular approach for implementing Agile software |
| deployment process, the operational team must fully comprehend the software release and its network consequences. | development is scrum. Daily Scrum meetings are held. |
B. DevOps vs Agile: Similarities
The fundamental distinctions between the Agile and DevOps methodologies have been covered in detail.
Let’s concentrate on their similarities and determine their relationship to one another:
1) Increasing Business Productivity:
Although Agile and DevOps may take distinct approaches, they are both working toward the same objective, which is to increase corporate efficiency.
Both methods for developing software are incredibly reliable. DevOps accelerates Agile’s work, and Agile pushes DevOps to be more intensive.
2) Using Lean philosophies:
The lean idea has been extensively accepted and applied in both Agile and DevOps. This is noticeable, particularly in communication.
3) The Collaboration Process:
Another area where Agile and DevOps share objectives is with subsequent collaboration. The team needs to work together, regardless of the method they use. Every team must further communicate updates on the development process.
How do Agile and DevOps interrelate?
There are several benefits to integrating agile and DevOps, some of which are accelerated delivery, improved user satisfaction, and more efficient teamwork. In order to successfully integrate DevOps principles with an agile culture, it is necessary to adapt current tactics and mindsets.
Those who practice these methodologies have similar mindsets and objectives. Both agile and DevOps agree that delivering functional software to customers is the best approach to creating software, ensuring transparency, and encouraging sustainable development. To get software into the hands of customers as quickly as possible, both methodologies encourage development and operations teams to employ modern tools and procedures.
Conclusion
DevOps and Agile can actually work together very well – they are not mutually exclusive. In fact, organizations that are transitioning to DevOps shouldn’t eliminate their current agile workflows. DevOps is an agile extension that employs techniques that are not the main focus of agile.
However, when these two techniques are used together, they can greatly enhance software development and produce superior results. Learn in detail about DevOps and Agile. Check out our DevOps and Agile Training Courses today!
