Utgivelsessyklus

Utgivelsessyklus, or release cycle, is the process by which a product's new versions are planned, built, tested, released, and maintained. It applies primarily to software and digital services but can also apply to hardware and content publications. The cycle begins with planning and scoping, defining features, requirements, and release goals. Next is development and integration, where code and assets are created and merged. This is followed by quality assurance, including automated tests, manual testing, and security checks. Release preparation involves packaging, documentation, and versioning, creating release notes. Deployment moves the build into production, with strategies such as rolling updates, blue-green deployment, or canary releases. After release, monitoring, incident response, and maintenance address issues and plan subsequent improvements. The cycle then repeats, often on a fixed cadence or continuously in iterative methodologies.

In practice, release cycles vary: in waterfall models the cycle is sequential; in agile and DevOps contexts it is iterative, with sprints or continuous delivery enabling more frequent releases. Versioning distinguishes major, minor, and patch releases, sometimes accompanied by deprecation notices and compatibility considerations. Governance includes release criteria, risk assessment, security review, stakeholder sign-off, and compliance with regulatory requirements. Tools commonly involved include version control systems, CI/CD pipelines, issue trackers, and release management platforms.

Challenges include coordinating multiple teams, managing dependencies, ensuring backward compatibility, and communicating changes to users. A well-managed Utgivelsessyklus improves reliability, user satisfaction, and the ability to respond to market changes.