A comparative analysis: development vs. testing vs. production environments

Since the advent of computer programs in the 1950s, software development has evolved significantly, and with the rise of the internet and mobile gadgets, software development has become even more vital. It is used to develop a wide range of applications, including mobile, web and desktop applications and systems software.

Software development involves the creation and maintenance of software applications. The process involves gathering requirements, developing and implementing solutions, testing, and maintaining and updating the software.

In the software development life cycle, three environments are commonly used: development environment, testing environment, and production environment. The development environment is the place where software applications and services are created and developed. In a testing environment, developers and quality assurance professionals can test an application’s functionality, performance, and reliability before it is released to users. Software applications or services are deployed and made available to users in production environments. There are several types of environments, each of which serves a different purpose. These environments differ in their level of control, access, and stability.

So, let us look into the details of each environment and how they differ from one another.

• Development vs. testing vs. production environments
• Differences among development environment, testing environment and production environment
• Tools used in the development, testing and production environments
• Significance of development environment, testing environment and production environment
• Why is it necessary to have separate development, testing and production environments?
• Significance of the three environments in blockchain development

Development vs. testing vs. production environments

What is a development environment?

A development environment is a place where software applications and services are created and developed. An application or service is gradually built up piece by piece in this space, where developers write, test, and debug code. Prototyping and experiments are often conducted in the development environment, which is typically more flexible and dynamic than the production or testing environment.

What is test environment?

Testing environments are simulated versions of production environments where developers and quality assurance (QA) professionals can test a new application or service for functionality, performance, and reliability before releasing it to the general public. Test environments often mirror images of production environments, but with some key differences. In order to simulate the production environment more accurately, for example, the testing environment may have different hardware and software configurations.

What is a production environment?

A production environment is where software applications and services are deployed and made available to end users. It is a live environment where the application or service is used for its intended purpose, and users can access it through the Internet or other means.

Differences among development environment, testing environment and production environment

In all three environments, developers and other stakeholders have varying degrees of control and access. To minimize disruptions to end users, changes to the application or service in a production environment are usually restricted to a few authorized users. Access is typically more open in the testing environment to test different scenarios and configurations, and changes can be made more quickly and easily. Typically, developers have even greater access to the codebase in a development environment and can experiment and make changes as needed to explore different approaches and ideas.

There is also an important difference in each environment’s stability and reliability levels. Due to the fact that the application is yet in the process of being created and refined, it may need to be more stable and reliable in the development environment. As the application or service undergoes different stress tests and scenarios in the testing environment, it might be less stable and reliable. Application or service stability and availability are expected in the production environment, with very little downtime or disruption.

Tools used in the development, testing and production environments

At each stage of the software development process, there is a different environment. Each project’s specific needs and requirements may require different tools and technologies.

In each type of environment, the following tools and technologies may be used:

• Development environment: An environment in which software is developed is called a development environment. Code is usually written and tested in this environment by programmers and developers. A development environment may consist of text editors, integrated development environments (IDEs), version control systems, and build automation tools.
• Testing environment: Before software is deployed to the production environment, it is tested in a testing environment. A test server usually runs the software in this environment, and testers or developers access it to verify that it works properly. An example of a testing environment tool would be a testing framework, a testing tool, and a debugging tool.
• Production environment: The production environment is where end users use the software. Users typically access the software through a web browser or another client in this environment, which runs on live servers. Examples of a production environment tool would be a monitoring and logging tool, a load balancer, and a deployment and orchestration tool.

Every development team will have its own preferences and needs, so the particular tools and technologies used in each type of environment will vary.

Significance of development environment, testing environment and production environment

The benefits offered by development, testing, and production environments illustrate the importance of having separate environments.

The development environment is where software applications or services are created in software development. Testing and production environments are typically much more rigid and static, which leads to rapid prototyping and experimentation in this environment. Developers can work on building and refining an application or service without worrying about interference or disruption from other parts of the codebase by using a dedicated development environment.

QA professionals and developers test the application’s functionality, performance, and reliability in the testing environment, simulating the production environment. Before the application or service is deployed to the production environment, developers and QA professionals can test different scenarios and configurations in this environment, identifying and fixing any potential issues.

Production environments serve as live environments where applications and services are deployed and made available to users. The application or service is expected to perform at its best in this environment since it is usually more stable and reliable than in testing or development environments. With a dedicated production environment, developers and other stakeholders can ensure that applications and services are released to users stably and reliably and meet the end users’ demands and expectations.
In essence, development, testing, and production environments serve different purposes. Application or service development and refinement depend on the development environment, the testing environment depends on the application or service’s evaluation, and the production environment depends on the deployment and release of the application or service. This combination of environments ensures a controlled and efficient development, testing, and release of the application or service.

Why is it necessary to have separate development, testing and production environments?

As part of the software development life cycle, it is important to have separate development, testing, and production environments. In order to develop, test, and release software applications or services efficiently and in a controlled manner, developers and other stakeholders must have distinct environments for each stage.

Separating development, testing, and production environments have several benefits.

• This ensures a controlled and predictable development and testing process for the application or service. With distinct environments for each stage, developers and QA professionals can concentrate on one aspect of the application or service without being diverted by other components of the codebase. When errors and bugs occur, this can help minimize them and make it easier to identify and resolve them.
• The second benefit of separating environments is that it ensures that the application or service is released to users stably and reliably. Developers and quality assurance professionals can identify and fix potential problems before deploying the application to the production environment by testing the application or service in a simulated testing environment. It can also help to maintain the reputation and trust of the application or service by preventing disruptions and downtime.
• In addition to flexibility and scalability, having separate environments is also advantageous. Developers and other stakeholders can easily switch between environments at each stage of the development process and scale each environment up and down as needed. In addition to supporting agile development methods, it can make experimentation and iteration easier.

The software development life cycle requires separate development, testing, and production environments. Developing, testing, and releasing an application or service using this method can be controlled and efficient because it offers control, stability, and flexibility.

Significance of the three environments in blockchain development

The development environment, testing environment, and production environment for blockchain development are similar to those for traditional software development, but some specific considerations may apply.

In blockchain development, these environments may differ in the following ways:

• Development environment: Developing a blockchain application takes place in a development environment, where developers write codes for each blockchain component, like consensus algorithm, data storage or nodes. Besides the commonly used tools mentioned previously, blockchain development frameworks and libraries for interacting with specific blockchain networks are also usually required for working with blockchain technology.

• Testing environments: In blockchain development, testing environments are used to test applications before they are deployed to production. This environment may use a test blockchain network or a local blockchain network running on the machines of the development team. Similar to what was mentioned earlier, testing frameworks, testing tools, and debugging tools can be used in the blockchain development testing environment.
• Production environment: It refers to a live blockchain network on which the blockchain application runs in the production environment for blockchain development. A blockchain application is used in this environment by end users. Blockchain explorers, wallet applications, and smart contract management and deployment tools may be used in the production environment for blockchain development.

Each type of environment in blockchain development will use specific tools and technologies depending on the project’s needs and requirements and the team’s preferences.

Conclusion

A software development life cycle includes a development environment, a testing environment, and a production environment. It plays an equally crucial role in blockchain development as in general software development. In the context of blockchain development, the production environment refers to the live, public blockchain network where real users execute transactions and smart contracts that have real consequences. Unlike the production environment, the testing environment is a simulated or private blockchain network that developers can employ to test their code and experiment with diverse scenarios without gambling any real assets or disrupting the live production environment. Before deploying their code to either the testing or production environment, developers write and debug their code in the development environment.

In short, these three environments work together to ensure reliability, effectiveness, and readiness for a blockchain network or a decentralized application.

If you want to launch a Stellar or Cosmos-based blockchain for your development, testing or production environment, use DLTStack, a one-stop managed blockchain solution for instant development and deployment DLTStack provides access to robust tools and features, including a blockchain explorer, faucet, and governance.