Could you explain what is meant by the concepts of CI and CD in software development?

CI (Continuous Integration) is the practice of frequently integrating code changes into a shared repository. Each commit is automatically verified through builds and tests, allowing for quick detection of errors and conflicts.

CD (Continuous Delivery/Deployment) is the automation of software release. Continuous Delivery means that changes are always ready for release and can be deployed manually at any time. Continuous Deployment is the automatic release of changes to production without manual intervention.

Together, CI/CD accelerates the development cycle, improves code quality, and reduces risks when releasing new versions.