Establishing agile development methodologies for Cloud-native applications – 3 fundamental steps

Four characteristics of a Cloud-native application

1. Microservice architecture

Cloud-native applications are usually divided up into smaller, independent services known as microservices. These services can be developed, tested, distributed, and scaled independently of one another.

2. Containerisation

Cloud-native applications often use containerisation techniques to package the application and its dependencies in isolated units, known as containers.

3. Elasticity and scalability

Cloud-native applications are designed to be elastic and scalable. They can adjust rapidly to changes in load requirements by automatically scaling resources up or down in line with demand. This enables optimal use of cloud resources and enables handling of large volumes of both users and data.

4. Declarative configuration

Cloud-native applications are often configured declaratively, rather than with hard-coded configurations. The configuration is described in files or code and is used by automated tools to provision and manage the infrastructure and services on which the application depends. This enables simple recreation and management of infrastructure and provides flexibility in conjunction with changes.

Cloud-native applications are, in other words, designed to make maximum use of the cloud and the benefits it offers. But how does the development of cloud-native applications differ from that of traditional ones – and how do you establish agile development methodologies for them?

Three fundamental elements of establishing agile development methodologies for cloud-native applications:  

Creating the right preconditions for establishing agile development methodologies for cloud-native applications involves three key elements:

• DevOps
• Infrastructure as code
• Containerisation

See below to find out what they entail and how they contribute to a successful development process.

DevOps

The introduction of DevOps is the alpha and omega of success when it comes to agile development. By creating a culture in which developers and commissioning teams work closely together to automate building, testing, distribution, and commissioning processes, you can reduce the time it takes to develop and implement new functions and improvements. And you thereby not only increase productivity – you also minimise development costs.

Using continuous integration and distribution (CI/CD) tools enables the development team to integrate code changes, and to automate the testing and distribution of applications – all on a rolling basis. This results in a more efficient development process and enables faster and more secure roll-outs to production. This way of working also enables errors and problems to be detected and rectified at an early stage. Automated testing and continuous monitoring also help ensure high quality and stability.  

• Related reading: What is DevOps? – everything you need to know!

Infrastructure as code

Defining your infrastructure as code (IaC) is another fundamental building block in successful agile development of cloud-native applications. Rather than managing your infrastructure manually, IaC can be used to define and distribute resources such as servers, networks, and storage by writing code-based descriptions. This enables you to create, change, and recover your infrastructure automatically. IaC also means the infrastructure can be created – and recreated – in a consistent manner in different environments, which is useful in DevOps when you want the ability to recreate the same environment in conjunction with development, testing, and production, for example. Using code management tools also enables version management and documentation of infrastructure definitions, ensuring a higher degree of control and facilitating traceability, recovery, and collaboration within the team. 

Containerisation

Finally, cloud-native applications built by means of microservices need an environment in which to run, and this is where containerisation comes into the picture. Containerisation is a technique that enables applications and their dependencies to be run in isolation in a standardised unit – known as a container. A container packages software and all of its necessary components (including libraries, tools, and configurations) and creates a portable and independent environment that can be run on different systems. Using containerisation allows developers to package and distribute applications quickly. It also facilitates continuous integration and distribution (CI/CD) and enables new functions to be delivered and new updates to be put into production quickly.

Would you like expert help generating the right preconditions for your transformation journey? Accelerate at Iver has consultants with the cutting-edge expertise required to meet every organisational need when it comes to implementing a successful agile journey. The technical know-how and experience gained from numerous similar projects enables us to help your organisation develop and establish agile methodologies and optimise your operational processes. Find out more about  Accelerate at Iver or contact us using the form below.