What is a 'build' in software?
Options
- The automated steps that turn source into a runnable app (Correct option)
- Constructing a server room for the engineering team
- Writing the very first version of the code of an app
- Drawing the UI of an application in a design tool
Answer
The automated process that turns source code into something that can run or be shipped: compile, run tests, package
Why
Source code cannot always be run as it is. A build compiles it, downloads dependencies, runs tests and packages the result (for example a JAR or a Docker image).
Build tools: Maven and Gradle (Java), npm scripts (JavaScript), pip with setuptools or Poetry (Python).
A CI server runs the build on every push, so the team knows right away if it breaks.
Remember
Build = source code → tested, packaged artifact.