Software Factory

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Discussion

A Software Factory integrates the people, processes, tools, services, infrastructure, policies, controls, and information required to develop, build, test, package, release, deploy, maintain, and govern software products.

A Software Factory coordinates activities across the software lifecycle through repeatable workflows and controlled interfaces. It may include source control, build automation, testing, artifact management, dependency management, security analysis, compliance assessment, deployment automation, monitoring, and configuration management.

The factory concept includes more than a collection of development tools. It includes the operating model, responsibilities, controls, information flows, and managed environments that produce and maintain software artifacts.

An Accredited Software Factory is a Software Factory that operates within an approved accreditation boundary under an applicable operational approval.

Definition

integrated set of people, processes, tools, services, infrastructure, policies, controls, and information used to develop, build, test, package, release, deploy, maintain, and govern software products

Source

Generalised from software engineering, DevSecOps, continuous delivery, platform engineering, and software-factory usage and specialized for the Crucible architecture and operational model.

Note

A Software Factory may support one product, multiple products, one organization, or multiple organizational units.

Automation strengthens repeatability and control, but automation alone does not constitute a Software Factory.

Example

A Software Factory combines source-control services, build workers, test services, artifact repositories, dependency repositories, security scanners, compliance services, deployment automation, and controlled operating procedures to produce and maintain deployable software.

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