Which of the following is a key feature of continuous integration?

Frequent and automated builds are a key feature of continuous integration (CI). This practice involves developers regularly merging their code changes back into the main branch of the codebase, often multiple times a day. Each integration is typically followed by an automated build that runs tests to catch any issues early in the development process. This approach not only helps in identifying and fixing bugs quickly, but it also facilitates smoother collaboration among team members, as everyone is working on the most up-to-date version of the code.

In continuous integration, the focus is on maintaining a consistent state of the codebase and ensuring that the software remains in a deployable state. Automated processes are essential in achieving this, as they eliminate the overhead and potential human error involved in manual building and testing. As a result, frequent builds allow for faster development cycles and improve overall code quality.