How to Implement Continuous Integration with 4D: A Step-by-Step Guide
In the world of software development, a new concept has appeared in recent years called “Continuous Integration.” The definition we see or hear everywhere is :
“CI is a process that automates the compilation, testing, and delivery of an application on a regular and frequent basis.”
Having understood this definition, which expresses an interesting and promising process, what do I need to do to implement it in 4D? If you search the Internet, you’ll find that there are many CI tools and frameworks available.
However, there are several prerequisites before using these CI tools.
Create a Client/Server Application with Build4D tool
Introducing the latest iteration of the Build4D component, now accessible on GitHub. In previous blog posts, we discussed the possibilities with a compiled project, a component, and a standalone application.
Now you can create a script for your Client/Server application from A to Z. And easily integrate it with continuous integration tools.
Let’s see how.
Create a standalone application with the Build4D component
A new build4D component has been available on GitHub for a few months. It empowers you to effortlessly create a compiled project or a component. Things are getting even better; this new component version will enable you to generate a single-user application, expanding the possibilities for your development workflow.
So with tool4D available since v20, integrating the application generation process into your CI (Continuous Integration) tools has become remarkably convenient.
Let’s delve into the details!
A Tool for 4D Code Execution in CLI
In the development industry, CI/CD has become a standard practice. With each code modification, automated actions such as testing, compilation, building, delivery, and sometimes deployment are generated to ensure the code is high quality and easily integrated into the existing system.
These actions require a tool to execute the necessary code. As 4D developers, we decided to provide a free tool that allows developers to execute elementary actions. This tool is called tool4d, and it streamlines the process of executing necessary actions within the 4D environment.
In this article, we will explore the functionalities of tool4d and how it can be used to enhance your development process.
Easily Manage your Application’s Information
To build your application, you use the BUILD APPLICATION command with a set of XML keys that allow you to configure the built application. For most of you, this option is enough for application building. However, we want to make sure we meet your specific needs too, so we’ll simplify the BUILD APPLICATION command by splitting it. This will allow for more flexibility while creating applications.