
Apache Continuum, a partner to Apache Maven, is a continuous integration server, which runs and builds on a configurable schedule.So what does this term 'Continuous Integration' mean? The term continuous integration refers to a process that builds and tests code on a frequent, regular basis. Many continuous integration systems monitor a source repository at regular intervals and trigger an integration every time someone commits a change.
An integration can be anything from compiling and testing a single project to the assembly and testing of a deliverable from multiple dependent projects. Among the benefits of continuous integration are the immediate identification of defects and the ability to guarantee that a project's build will succeed at any point in the development cycle. Each integration is verified by an automated build (including test) to detect integration errors as quickly as possible.