ReleaseFrequenz

ReleaseFrequenz is a concept in software development that denotes the cadence at which new releases are published to users. It can refer to the frequency of product updates, patches, or major versions, and is relevant for both cloud-based services and on-premises software. The term is used in German-speaking contexts to discuss release planning, delivery pipelines, and stakeholder expectations.

Measurement and benchmarks: Common ways to express ReleaseFrequenz are as releases per week or per month, or as a continuous delivery pipeline where changes reach production frequently. ReleaseFrequenz is closely related to deployment frequency, one of the DevOps DORA metrics, but it emphasizes the user-visible release boundary rather than only the deployment event. As cadence increases, testing, monitoring, and risk management become more important to maintain stability.

Factors and practices: Achieving a desired ReleaseFrequenz depends on automation, test coverage, and robust release processes. Techniques such as continuous integration, automated end-to-end testing, canary or blue-green deployments, and feature flags help decouple release frequency from release risk and enable controlled exposure of new functionality.

Benefits and considerations: A higher ReleaseFrequenz can shorten feedback cycles, improve time-to-value for customers, and reduce the risk associated with large releases. However, it requires mature DevOps practices, strong governance, and reliable rollback and monitoring capabilities to mitigate potential issues.

See also: Release management, DevOps, deployment frequency, continuous delivery, cadence.