Historically, companies prioritized speed in the development and deployment of software solutions. Now the focus has expanded to include quality because the market success of an app largely depends upon the quality of the product. DevOps and QAOps are technology practices that play critical roles in achieving speed and quality.
This guide explains QAOps vs. DevOps, how the two are related, and describes the most suitable applications for each approach.
Differences Between QAOps and DevOps
QAOps integrates Quality Assurance (QA) into software delivery pipelines and schedules. DevOps are a set of tools and practices that characterize an organization’s ability to rapidly deliver applications. QAOps and DevOps play vital roles in the software development lifecycle, but they serve different purposes. The differences between these two approaches include the following:
Quality Assurance
The role and timing of quality assurance differ between QAOps and DevOps. In DevOps testing, the development and operations teams work together to ensure the final product runs smoothly. QA is a part of the development process but takes a backseat to the other facets of development and operations. In QAOps, QA is an integral part of all software development and deployment processes.
Teams, Communications, and Responsibilities
The teams, communications, and responsibilities differ as well. In DevOps, the development and operations teams take the lead, the testers have a more secondary or supportive role, and the QA team is a subset of the development team. In QAOps, the operations team continuously collaborates with the QA team to ensure quality products are continually delivered. The QA team is an equal stakeholder and participant in the entire product lifecycle.
Objectives
The objectives of DevOps and QAOps are different. In DevOps, the goal is to deploy software quickly. In QAOps, the focus is on ensuring the quality of the software throughout every stage of the product development lifecycle.
User Adoption
While QAOps enhances and extends the advantages offered by DevOps, DevOps is more widely used than QAOps. A study conducted in 2022 showed that DevOps was the most commonly used software development method worldwide. Notably, QAOps did not make the list of top six development methods popular in 2022. This is mainly because QAOps is an emerging methodology and is furthered by the fact that some thought leaders consider QAOps an extension of DevOps and not an entirely separate approach.
How are QAOps and DevOps related?
DevOps emerged in the early 2000s to address concerns that software developers and IT professionals raised about what was considered the traditional software development model that separated code writing from deployment. The separation was so extensive that professionals working with the same code were on different floors, in different departments, or sometimes even in separate buildings. This led to inefficiencies and communication issues that threatened the quality and speed of the code. The siloed teams recognized the limitations of this arrangement, and DevOps was the result. With DevOps, software companies can deliver software solutions efficiently and evolve and improve their products quickly.
Introduced in 2018 at the Selenium Conference, QAOps is derived from DevOps and takes DevOps to the next level. Now that quality is a primary differentiator of apps on the market, companies need QAOps to remain competitive. QAOps helps companies fulfill continuous improvement and delivery cycles to captivate, impress, and satisfy end-users. Additionally, QAOps speeds up and improves development results, and delivery processes to produces more effective results.
When to Use QAOps vs. DevOps
Both DevOps and QAOps are broadly applicable and beneficial, but differences in scope and requirements impact their adoption.
While DevOps is an established practice that delivers on speed and velocity, it is not designed to fulfill quality standards to the same extent or in the same way as QAOps. As an extension of DevOps, QAOps takes the DevOps approach of uniting separate units and applies it to improve software quality.
To take a QAOps approach, companies must have dedicated operations and QA teams that have a collaboration framework. The operations team needs to work closely with the QA team to ensure continuous rapid delivery and excellent performance of software solutions.
QAOps and DevOps with Encora
Companies in Latin America (LatAm) and beyond can partner with Encora to leverage the powers of QAOps and DevOps. Encora is an experienced expert in the various disciplines, tools, and technologies that power the emerging economy and support companies on their journeys towards data-driven excellence. Encora offers QAOps and DevOps engineering services that help drive growth and innovation, and impact the bottom line. Contact us to learn more about QAOps and DevOps.
