Deploy Early & Often

One of my team maxims is "Deploy Early and Often." As soon as a minimum viable product is available I want it off the developer's machine and deployed to a server, device, or wherever the final destination is.

Somewhat akin to TDD, I'm actually expecting the first couple of deployments to fail. Maybe you're missing a critical JavaScript library or don't have the same level of access in the test environment as you do locally. These initial failures are valuable in detecting any hidden or forgotten dependencies. Ensuring that your product's deployment process is solid as early as possible will reduce or eliminate the number of nasty surprises as you approach the end of development. The last thing you want to do is to earn the dubious 'Works On My Machine' certification shortly before the release.

Whether your deployment process is manual or based around continuous delivery get your application out there as soon as possible. Whether you adhere to Agile or work in Waterfall, don't wait until the last moment to test your release deployment.

Originally posted on LinkedIn.