Build Engineer, DevOps or TestOps?

Testing Thoughts
#1

In most places I have worked I have picked up many of the build system responsibilities. This ranged from the infrastructure and setup of the CI tools (e.g. TeamCity) to the creation & configuration of the jobs that make up the CI process. Also the initial investigations on broken builds.

Again in my current company these ‘duties’ have been lumped into the tester role.

However, it always seems to play second fiddle to other work and the build process or CI/CD pipelines, just don’t never get the concentrated love they deserve.

My solution is to make it a role in its own right, with at least two people.

I was wondering:

  • if anyone had the same experience of having to look after the build system as part of test?

  • if anyone worked somewhere where this was actually a separate role? (and if it worked)

  • what you would call this person? I went for TestOps, but Build Engineer would work. Or my favorite, Build And Test Engineer, but that is just because we could have BAT Men & Women.

Anyway, just wondered what people thought, just to try and gauge if I am going off on a weird tangent.

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#2

Are you someone like this:

I was hired as “the quality guy”, but expanded the role over the time I’ve been on the team to take ownership of all of our build and release infrastructure as well. Basically, I’m responsible for everything from the moment code is checked in, until it hits our production servers

It’s from @angryweasel in 2016:

I recognized the pattern too, and too labeled it testops / #shiftdeliver here - although perhaps more on a management/coordination level. You are quite right, being the BATman is a trend and more places a role/person.

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#5

Some nice thoughts there, thanks.

I identify with the responsibilities, etc… but I guess I don’t see anything as new or a change as such. Since my first testing role 17yrs I always had the infrastructure and build duties tagged to my role. No matter what the job title. e.g. Jack the Quality Control Engineer looks after the build. Jack the Performance Test Engineer looks after the infrastructure.

I guess the change I am looking for is to have Jamie the Build Infrastructure Engineer looks after the Builds and Infrastructure.

I guess that is how DevOps has come about.

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#6

As in “OpsDev”, where the Operations staff code… I’ve seen that too. As more and more infrastructure is handled with “server orchestration software”. Have a piece on that too if interested… :slight_smile: