Matt Gabor

The key to successful build management in distributed environments is a foundational commitment to consistency, repeatability and portability. This is just as true for small, homogeneous development environments using in-house, scripted build systems, as it is for large, complex environments, where a new class of non-scripted, distributed build-management tools are now available. In small- and medium-sized environments, using a properly implemented in-house build system can mitigate many of the risks and challenges associated with builds. Additionally, with a few simple steps, the burdensome task of developing and maintaining build scripts can be significantly reduced, using build tools such as Make and Ant. Build Management Evolution Application builds have traditionally been managed using a rules-based program derived from Make, the world's oldest, best-known buil... (more)

Java Feature: Build Management Allows Developers to Develop

Whether writing code for a small, single-platform environment or contributing to a sophisticated cross-platform, multi-language application, one truth remains consistent: a disorganized or poorly implemented build management strategy will adversely affect a developer's workflow. Because developers possess an intimate working knowledge of the structure of their code, they are often called upon to write and maintain build scripts. When integration build problems occur during QA, their phones ring. When build problems prevent applications from rolling into production, their inboxes... (more)