Development environment (software development process)
"Development environment" redirects here. For other uses, see Integrated development environment.
In hosted software (e.g., web site/application, database not shrinkwrap software) development, a development environment refers to a server tier designated to a specific stage in a release process.
Development, staging, and production is a common arrangement of tiers.
A more comprehensive list of tiers:
| Environment/Tier Name | Description |
|---|---|
| Local | Developer's desktop/workstation |
| Development | Development server aka sandbox |
| Integration | CI build target, or for developer testing of side effects |
| Test/QA | For functional, performance testing, Quality Assurance etc. |
| Stage/Pre-production | Mirror of production environment |
| Production/Live | Serves end-users/clients |
See also
- Application lifecycle management
- Integrated development environment
- Release management
- Software deployment