Software artifact

As explained in Automating API Delivery

A software artifact is a generated build output, such as compiled code, a release package, or an SDK, that can be stored and delivered.

A software artifact is a generated output that can be stored, versioned, shared, and delivered. Examples include compiled code, deployable release packages, SDKs, API definitions, and schemas. section 9.3.4 section 9.1.2

Artifact repositories support delivery pipelines by providing:

• A central location for teams and downstream pipeline stages to retrieve build outputs without rebuilding them. section 9.3.4
• Immutable versions and metadata such as hashes and build times for release traceability and debugging. section 9.3.4
• Staged promotion across environments and collaboration around packages, dependencies, and generated SDKs. section 9.3.4
• API-specific storage through registries, where definitions and schemas can be grouped, referenced, searched, and managed programmatically. section 9.1.2

Publishing an API artifact

A CI workflow lints build-output/api.yaml, archives the build output, and publishes the OpenAPI definition to an Apicurio Registry group with an artifact identifier and update policy. section 9.1.2

Figure 9.4 Updating the pipeline to generate an SDK

Use the pipeline diagram to trace how SDK generation adds another artifact-producing step to CI/CD. section 9.3.4

How Automating API Delivery covers it

How deep it goes

Distinguishes generated output, repository storage, immutable metadata, and promotion, without detailing artifact packaging internals.

Examples

Uses compiled code, release candidate packages, SDKs, OpenAPI definitions, Avro schemas, and archived build output.

What it assumes

Assumes a CI/CD pipeline and generated build output, while defining why binary outputs belong in repositories rather than source control.

What you can do after

Operate/configure repositories and registries to archive, publish, retrieve, version, debug, and promote generated outputs.

How it connects

Connects software artifacts with CI/CD pipelines, artifact repositories, API registries, SDKs, API definitions, schemas, and release packages.

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Also explained in

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  GitHub Actions in Action: Continuous integration and delivery for DevOpsA software artifact is a generated file or package retained or transferred as an output of a development workflow.
• 

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  Platform Engineering on KubernetesA software artifact is a produced, versioned deliverable such as a package, image, binary, or deployment manifest.
• 

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  Shipping Go: Develop, deliver, discuss, design, and go againA software artifact is a distributable result of software development, such as a library version, executable binary, or container image.

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Related concepts

• deployment pipelineproduced by · A sequence of automated or manual stages that builds, tests or validates, packages, and delivers software or models toward deployment.
• promptincludes · An input, typically containing instructions or context, supplied to an artificial-intelligence model to guide or elicit its output.
• tool descriptionincludes · A tool description is a structured specification of a callable tool's purpose, capabilities, and invocation interface, including its expected inputs.
• pipelineproduced by · A pipeline is an ordered or coordinated sequence of connected processing stages or tasks that passes data, work, or results toward an outcome.
• learning algorithmimplements · A learning algorithm is a computational procedure that fits or improves a model by adjusting its parameters or otherwise optimizing its objective using data or experience.

This explainer was generated by Manning's knowledge graph from the text of Automating API Delivery. The section links point to the parts of the book it draws on.