Code Complete, 2nd Edition

Daily Build and Smoke Test

Whatever integration strategy you select, a good approach to integrating the software is the "daily build and smoke test." Every file is compiled, linked, and combined into an executable program every day, and the program is then put through a "smoke test," a relatively simple check to see whether the product "smokes" when it runs.

Further Reading

Much of this discussion is adapted from Chapter 18 of Rapid Development (McConnell 1996). If you've read that discussion, you might skip ahead to the "Continuous Integration" section.

This simple process produces several significant benefits. It reduces the risk of low quality, which is a risk related to the risk of unsuccessful or problematic integration. By smoke-testing all ...