Environment-Neutral Application Build System
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for creating application builds for different environments are labor-intensive, error-prone, and lead to inconsistencies between test and production environments, with application build updates being difficult to manage and deploy consistently across environments.
Innovation Solution
The development of an environment-neutral application build system that uses a single build with environment-specific configuration files, allowing for easy installation, configuration, and execution across multiple environments, with a deployment component that manages updates by stopping old builds and moving new builds to target directories, ensuring consistency and reducing deployment risks.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If environment-specific application builds are created for each target environment, then the application can be customized for specific hardware and software configurations, but the build process becomes labor-intensive and error-prone
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the build process into two distinct parts: a shared core build that contains common application code and logic, and environment-specific configuration files that contain environment-dependent parameters. This segmentation allows the core build to be created once and reused across multiple environments, while only the configuration files need to be customized for each target environment, thereby reducing build process complexity while maintaining environment-specific adaptability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a universal core build that can be deployed to multiple different environments (development, testing, production, etc.) by simply changing the configuration file. This universal build serves multiple functions across different environments without requiring separate builds for each, thereby reducing the labor-intensive nature of creating environment-specific builds while maintaining the ability to customize for specific hardware and software configurations.
2Adaptability or versatility
If separate application builds are maintained for different environments, then environment-specific configurations are possible, but inconsistencies between test and production environments occur
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the application into a shared core build and separate configuration files, the patent ensures that the core logic and code structure remain identical across all environments (test, production, etc.), while only the configuration parameters differ. This segmentation guarantees consistency in the application's fundamental behavior and logic, eliminating inconsistencies between environments that arise from maintaining separate builds.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent enforces homogeneity in the core build across all environments, ensuring that the same application code, logic, and structure are used universally. This homogeneity in the core build, combined with standardized configuration file formats, ensures that the application behaves consistently across different environments, improving reliability while maintaining environment-specific configuration flexibility.
3Productivity
If application build updates are deployed to multiple environments, then all environments benefit from improvements, but deployment management becomes difficult and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The segmentation of the application into a shared core build and environment-specific configuration files enables efficient update deployment. When an update is needed, the core build is updated once in a single location, and this updated core build is automatically or easily propagated to all target environments. The configuration files remain unchanged and continue to provide environment-specific settings, thereby improving update deployment efficiency while minimizing the time required for deployment management.
Solution Approach 2:
The universal core build serves multiple environments simultaneously, so a single update to the core build automatically benefits all environments (development, testing, production, etc.). This universality eliminates the need to manually update separate builds for each environment, thereby improving productivity in update deployment while reducing the time and effort required for deployment management across multiple environments.
4Manufacturing precision
If environment configuration values are hard-coded in the application build, then the build is optimized for a specific environment, but the build cannot be easily deployed to other environments
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the configuration data from the core application build by placing environment-specific configuration values in separate configuration files rather than hard-coding them in the build. This segmentation allows the core build to remain environment-agnostic and optimized for deployment to any environment, while the configuration files provide the necessary environment-specific parameters. The core build can be compiled and optimized with precision for the application logic, while adaptability to different environments is achieved through the external configuration files.
Data Source
AI summary
A computer implemented method for an environment-neutral application build is provided. The method includes installing an application build in a target environment of a set of target environments, wherein the application build includes a variable corresponding to each environment configuration parameter. The method also includes installing a configuration file of a set of configuration files in the target environment, wherein the configuration file includes an environment configuration value corresponding to each variable. Each configuration file of the set of configuration files corresponds to at least one target environment of the set of target environments. Furthermore, the method includes reading each environment configuration value from the configuration file. Additionally, the method includes writing each environment configuration value to the corresponding variable in the application build.