An update is the process of making changes and improvements to a developed site and its server software, aimed at fixing bugs, adding new features, improving performance, or updating the technology stack.
Software updates come in the following forms:
- Patches and fixes: small updates that fix discovered bugs and vulnerabilities in the software. Usually released as patches that let us quickly resolve site/server issues.
- Major updates: large updates that make substantial changes and add new features to the site. May include an interface overhaul, new modules and functionality, performance improvements, and other significant changes.
We carry out software updates in the following stages:
- Analysis and planning: identifying the necessary changes and improvements, and their priorities. We analyze the site's current state and identify the need for updates, which may relate to bug fixes, new functionality, a design change, or content updates. We then prioritize the updates and put together an action plan, which includes reviewing feedback, assessing new requirements, and defining the goal of the update.
- Development and testing: creating and implementing the changes, including bug fixes and new functionality. We make changes to the site's code, design, and content according to the plan from step 1. We then test the updated site to check its functionality and compatibility across browsers and devices, and to catch any possible bugs or issues. After that we test the updated site again to make sure everything works as intended and the new changes haven't introduced new bugs.
- Deployment: once testing succeeds, the updated version of the site is ready to be deployed to the server. We upload the updated files to the server and make the necessary configuration changes so the new version becomes publicly available.
- Monitoring and rollback: after the updated site is deployed, we monitor its operation to catch any possible problems or errors. If such problems are found, we roll back to the previous stable version of the site and fix the cause of the issue.
We carry out the site/server update process on a "nobody notices" principle. All updates happen while the site/server keeps running without interruption.
