Build is the process of transforming source code into a running system, involving compilation, file movement, database schema loading, and other complex tasks. While this process can be done manually, it's time-consuming and error-prone, so automating the build is crucial for any serious software development effort.

How to use it in a sentence

• "I can't believe the new guy broke the build again - doesn't he know you never commit on a Friday afternoon?"

• "Our build process is so slow, I could probably rewrite the entire codebase in Assembly by the time it finishes."

If you actually want to learn more...

• Continuous Integration: Learn how automating the build and integrating code changes frequently can catch bugs early and improve software quality.

• Rake: Discover how this Ruby-based build language can help you create more advanced and flexible build scripts.

• Deployment Pipelines: Understand how breaking up the build process into stages can provide faster feedback and more thorough testing.

Note: the Developer Dictionary is in Beta. Please direct feedback to skye@statsig.com.