The tools used for software deployment makes the procedure of giving out softwares and their updates easily. Often these tasks are scheduled or automated to help developers focus only on writing lines of code. And, the best software deployment tools work with various platforms, making it smooth to manage the workflow of project deployment.
Software deployment tools allow software development team to collaborate easily for tracking progress, managing updates, and other project-related tasks. CICD (continuous integration & continuous deployment) can be used to deploy your software while updates are being made. This feature provides seamless changes for end users.
However, there are various software deployment tools present in the hawk, and picking the best one can be tricky. Here, we will discuss 6 top software deployment tools in detail. Let’s start!
Top 6 Software Deployment Tools
Octopus Deploy
One of the best software deployment tools lists includes Octopus Deploy in it. It is an automated tool or system that is designed to make the deployment process of Windows services, ASP.NET, and DBs easy. It also enables software developers to automate the app deployment on the cloud or on-premises.
Key features of Octopus Deploy
- The dashboard displays the deployment statuses
- Installation of Octopus Deploy and set up is done quickly
- It also provides automatic deployment for virtual machines or the cloud services.
Pros and Cons of Octopus Deploy
Pros
- Quick and easy to make custom software development and deployment
- It has a runbook that makes deployment more predictable and streamlined
- Offers multiple-tenant functionalities that are useful for MSPs.
Cons
- This can not be a better alternative for a small development team.
Bamboo
Bamboo is a CI tool that is used to automate the releases of management of apps and software and allows IT teams to make a structured pipeline and develop delivery. Mobile app developers can automatically deploy the apps to the Google Play store or Apple Store.
Atlassian’s Bamboo is a CI server that ties automated builds, releases, and testing into one decided workflow. Here are some of the key features of the Bamboo deployment tool:
Key features of the Bamboo tool:
- The language-agnostic integration with different platforms
- Dedicated agents that focus on unique build projects
- Full reporting of new code issues and updates
Pros and Cons of Bamboo software deployment tool
Pros:
- It is a straightforward web interface
- There are in-built artifact repositories
- Good integration with Jira and Atlassian Bitbucket
Cons:
- The price may increase if you demand agents on different cloud services
- Some concepts in the Bamboo tool are confusing and integration of this tool is not always clear
- The references and documentation of this tool can be improved
Jenkins
Jenkins was one of the finest first automated tools used for software deployment and is also the most popular at the current time. It is an open-source tool and has an active and large community of contributors. This tool is built using Java, and it has over 300 plugins that support testing and building any project virtually. Its users can also leverage the Spectral integration along with Jenkins’s secure environment. This integration is done for providing maximum security and ultimate scan speeds.
Key features of Jenkins:
- There are hundreds of plugins available in Jenkins
- This tool is specially used for CI CD
- Quick installation and configuration
- Installing packages that are available for Mac OS X, Windows, and Unix-like operating systems
- The web interface easily offers quick configuration and error checks
Pros and Cons of Jenkins
Pros:
- Installation is easy as than other CI & CD tools
- Performs rolling updates across Amazon EC2 and also tracks app health as per the configurable rules
- Intuitive user interface
Cons:
- It requires installing many plugins
- UI is comparatively poor than other CI & CD tools
- Unknown issues can pop up while deployment
AWS CodeDeploy
AWS CodeDeploy is an AWS service that makes code deployment automatic. It works well with any language, platform, and app. AWS CodeDeploy makes it quicker to easily release new updates, assists in avoiding downtime while the app is being deployed, and handles software updating complexities. It automates the software deployment process easily.
Key Features of AWS CodeDeploy
- Repeatable and automatic deployments
- Control over the process that is centralized
- Apps are still accessible even while deployments
Pros and Cons of AWS CodeDeploy
Pros:
- It offers deployment options in AWS cloud as well as in house
- One can monitor feature adoption metrics and the performance of any new app deployment
- Free for Lambda and AWS EC2 users
Cons:
- Better suited for developers who are AWS customers
GitLab CI
GitLab is a code repository system and software development tool. GitLab CI is an evolving project development framework that includes managing programming community and controlling versions to develop and test the framework. GitLab CD deploys the software along with GitLab CI.
Key features of GitLab CI:
- Integrates well with Docker
- Software repository and version control
- Availability of free version for use
Pros and Cons of GitLab CI
Pros:
It integrates properly with Docker and different containerized environments
- Offers testing before release
- Amazing tool for building frameworks for bigger releases
Cons:
- It needs two different deployment tools for deployment and testing
TeamCity
TeamCity of JetBrains is a CI and software deployment tool and has Docker images for agents and servers. It also offers a huge range of developer-oriented functionalities to take team performance to a new level. Special functionality can be included from 100+ readymade plugins.
Key features of TeamCity:
- It starts functioning within minutes of installation
- Supports third-party tools that too without modifications or plugins
- Quick version control system
- Extension and customization of the server
Pros and Cons of the TeamCity tool
Pros:
- Stable version control support
- Supports third-party tools that too without modifications or plugins
Cons:
- It isn’t possible to increase or decrease the self-hosted plan
- The steep learning curve for beginner developers
- Tests can take longer time sometimes
Concluding Thoughts
These are some of the primary software deployment tools. If you want to learn more about the same, let us know in the comment section. Till then, stay tuned, and happy reading!
