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Staging Overview for Nexus Repository 2

Sonatype Nexus Repository 2

Releasing Software without a Staging Repository

Without the staging suite, when a developer deploys a component to a hosted repository such as the release repository, this component is published and immediately made available, having no oversight, no process, and no certification process. There is no chance to test the component before writing the component to a hosted repository. If there is a mistake in the release, often the only option available is to republish the components to the release repository or deploy a new version of the components.

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Figure 11.1. Release Deployment Without the Nexus Staging Suite

While this is acceptable for some users, organizations and enterprises with a QA cycle often need a temporary storage for potential release candidates: a staging repository. With the staging suite, an organization can automatically stage releases to a temporary repository that can then be used to test and certify a set of components, before they are published to a final release repository. This temporary repository can then be promoted as a whole or dropped, depending on the results of testing. When used, the binary components being tested and certified are the identical components that will ultimately be released. You will not have a clean fresh build kicked off after the certification finished, as is often the case without a staging suite being used.

How the Staging Suite Works

Here’s how staging works in Nexus Repository Manager Pro:

  1. A developer deploys a component (or a set of components) to Nexus Repository Manager Pro.

  2. The staging suite intercepts this deployment and determines if the deployment matches for a staging profile.

  3. If a match is found, a temporary staging repository is created and the components are deployed to this repository.

  4. Once the developer has deployed a set of components, they will then "Close" the staging repository.

  5. The Staging Suite will then add this temporary staging repository to one or more Target Repository Groups.

Once the staging repository is closed and has been added to a target repository group, the components in the staging repository are available to users for testing and certification via a repository group. Tests can be performed on the components as if they were already published in a hosted repository. At this point different actions can be performed with the staging repository:

Release

A user can "release" a staging repository and select a hosted repository to publish the chosen components. Releasing the contents of a repository publishes all components from the staging repository to a hosted repository and deletes the temporary staging repository.

Drop

A user can "drop" a staging repository. Dropping a staging repository will remove it from any groups and delete the temporary staging repository.

Promote

If your repository manager contains Build Promotion profiles, you will also see an option to "promote" a staging repository to a Build Promotion Group. When you promote a staging repository you expose the contents of that staging repository via additional groups. Build Promotion profiles are explained in Configuring the Staging Suite.

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Figure 11.2. Release Deployment with the Staging Suite

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Figure 11.3. The Stages of a Staging Repository Starting with Deployment

and Ending with a Release or a Drop of the Repository