For a cloud-ready application release, which approach optimizes the process?

The approach that optimizes the process for a cloud-ready application release is to develop, test, perform QA, and then release to production. This sequence emphasizes the importance of ensuring that the application is robust and free of errors before it reaches production.

Starting with development allows teams to create the application based on specified requirements and designs. Following development with a thorough testing phase ensures that any bugs or issues can be identified early in the process. During testing, different scenarios can be simulated, validating that the application behaves as expected in various conditions. After testing, conducting a quality assurance (QA) phase further verifies that the application meets all quality standards and functional requirements. Only after these steps can the application be safely released to production, minimizing the risk of failures that could affect users and business operations.

This sequence is critical in cloud environments where applications are often expected to be scalable, reliable, and resilient. A well-structured process enhances collaboration among development and operations teams, aligns with DevOps principles, and supports continuous integration and continuous delivery (CI/CD) practices, which are essential for cloud-native applications.