Throughout my DevOps consulting career, I've realized that the true value of our work lies in optimizing processes to free up developer time. A key part of optimizing DevOps processes is understanding the difference between manual (on-demand) and automated (triggered) processes.

In this post, we’ll dive into both manual and automated triggers, exploring their roles and integration in CI/CD pipelines. We’ll also tackle the differences between Continuous Delivery and Continuous Deployment, and why one might be a more realistic goal than the other. By understanding these mechanisms and exploring automation opportunities, you can streamline workflows, reduce errors, and boost productivity in your development process.