Software builds are executable code created by compiling source code. Developers modify source code for future builds. Builds go through testing and not all are released. Version and build numbers provide information for customers and support engineers. Reported issues help developers address future builds.
A software build is a set of consumer-ready executable code that has been produced by compiling the source code. This term can also be used to refer to the build process itself, where developers take their source code and run it through a build process to make it functional. Software programs are continually updated until manufacturers decide to stop supporting them. This can involve a number of builds, many of which are released to the general public.
Software designers typically start by outlining what they want the software to do and how they want to do it. Developers begin developing source code, the raw material that will form the backbone of the software. One thing they consider while working on source is the need for future builds. The flexible source code can be modified, added and altered according to the user’s needs and the change of the software. Rigid code may be harder to work with in the future.
In the process of creating software, they compile source code to create a program. They run the result through rigorous testing to make sure it works. If there are any issues with the software build, they can go back to the source code to edit. Therefore, not all builds are released to the public; sometimes a major error causes a build to fail completely, and in other cases, it has too many errors to be ready for general use.
Once the developers are satisfied, they can publish a build. Software version numbers provide extensive version information for customers; for example 1.0 or 2.0. Build numbers provide more specific details about the customer’s software build. For example, a word processing program might display “Word Processor 5.0” on startup, informing the customer that this is the fifth version. In the program details, it may appear with a build number, in a form like 5.0.5.9865.
When the customer has a problem, the support engineer can ask for the software build number, as it may be important. There may be a known issue that could be resolved by updating the build installed on the customer’s machine or applying a patch. If the problem hasn’t been reported before, the engineer can post a Trouble Ticket to notify developers, with as much information about the error as possible for their benefit. This allows them to address the issue in future software builds. Sometimes very strange errors occur, such as a conflict between two programs that the developers would not have thought of testing together.
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