Chapter 5. Continuous feedback
This chapter covers
- Getting CI feedback from the server
- Getting notifications about the build status
- Using CCNet, TeamCity, and TFS
- Extending build notifications
Picture this. You’re about to go on a long-awaited vacation. For months you’ve planned the best routes for a cross-country trip in your convertible. You’ve had your car’s engine tuned and the oil changed, and you bought new tires for the trip. You should have a smooth drive and a carefree trip. You go to the web for directions, get a map with a detailed route, and study it carefully. One beautiful sunny morning you pack your things, jump in the car, and ... blindfold yourself. Drive carefully!
Do you know what we just described? Your CI process without a feedback mechanism. You seem well prepared. You have your tools ready. You know where you’re heading. You seem to know the route, but you don’t see the road ahead. You can’t see if you drive off the road, and you don’t know if you’ve made a wrong turn. It will be difficult to get to your destination. You’re more likely to end up in a ditch or wrapped around a tree.
It’s that important to build appropriate controlling mechanisms into your CI process. With continuous feedback, you’ll get back the results of every build as soon as it’s finished. A well-designed feedback mechanism should do the following: