A Dev/Test environment is a cloud-based setup where developers build, test, and validate applications before releasing them into production.
It allows teams to safely experiment, fix bugs, and test new features without affecting real users.
- Fast environment creation and deletion
- Low cost (pay only when running)
- Easy scaling for testing workloads
- Safe isolation from production systems
- Supports automation and CI/CD pipelines
- Virtual Machines or App Services – Run the application
- Test Databases – Store test data
- Storage – Logs, builds, test files
- Networking – Private networks and access control
- Security – Identity, access, firewall rules
- Automation – CI/CD pipelines for build and deployment
Common choices:
- AWS
- Microsoft Azure
- Google Cloud
- Group all dev/test resources together
- Apply cost limits and access control
- Create a virtual machine or app service
- Create a test database
- Create storage for logs and builds
- Create a private virtual network
- Allow access only from office or VPN
- Open required application ports
- Upload code from Git repository
- Configure environment variables
- Deploy using CI/CD pipeline
¶ Step 6: Run Automated and Manual Tests
- Run unit tests
- Run integration tests
- Perform performance and load tests
¶ Step 7: Monitor and Debug
- Monitor CPU, memory, logs
- Track errors and crashes
- Fix issues before production release
- Delete test resources after testing
- Recreate fresh environment for next release
A team wants to test a Node.js web application before production deployment.
- Create an Azure Resource Group named
webapp-dev-test
- Create an App Service with Node.js runtime
- Create a test Azure SQL database
- Create a private virtual network
- Deploy code from GitHub repository
- Configure environment variables for test DB
- Run automated test pipeline
- Monitor logs and fix bugs
- Delete resources after testing
The application is now fully tested in a cloud dev/test environment.
- Faster release cycles
- Reduced infrastructure cost
- Improved software quality
- Better collaboration between teams
Cloud-based dev/test environments provide a flexible, scalable, and cost-effective way to build and validate applications.
Teams can create, test, and destroy environments on demand, improving speed and reliability.