Modular deployment strategies 

Pega Platform provides robust features to support modular application development through various elements and features. As a Lead System Architect, consider the following key modular development elements: 

Case Type: Defining a Case Type is a fundamental piece of Pega Platform. For a modular development approach, it is a best practice that each Case Type represents a single, distinct functionality, which helps ensure clarity and manageability in the application. 

Ruleset: A Case Type-specific Ruleset is critical for achieving modular development. By consolidating all elements related to a Case Type and its dependencies within a single Ruleset, you facilitate easy packaging and migration to higher environments. You can define Rulesets at various levels, such as implementation or organization, depending on the desired level of modularity. You can create and integrate necessary Rulesets into the Application Definition as required. 

Branches: Branch-based application development is beneficial for parallel development and modular development. Creating a Branch for each functionality helps maintain the separation of concerns. Any issues or reviews can occur at the Branch level, which can prevent potential impacts on the overall application functionality. 

Versioning: Pega Platform features an integrated versioning mechanism, unlike other technologies that rely on third-party tools for version control. Pega Platform supports versioning of applications and Rulesets at three levels: major, minor, and patch. These levels help isolate functionalities and manage releases efficiently, which facilitates incremental and modular development. 

Application Layers: Pega Platform support for multiple built-on applications enables the separation of functionalities into distinct applications, which promotes modular development. Modifying the Application Definition and its built-on application stack streamlines adding or removing functionalities. 

Component: A component in Pega Platform is a specialized type of application designed to fulfill a specific functionality. Unlike applications, components are not independently executable and typically avoid including Case Types. Components do not follow the organizational class hierarchy but adhere to the Pega Platform class hierarchy, which enables developers to embed them in any application at any level within the application stack. 

By using these modular development features, you can enhance the modularity and efficiency of your Pega Platform applications by ensuring that they are well-structured and adaptable to changing requirements. 

A modular development approach is integral to creating scalable and maintainable applications. By adhering to this methodology, you can seamlessly transition into a modular deployment strategy, which enhances the efficiency and flexibility of testing and deployment phases. To achieve this outcome, use technology that supports modularity in the DevOps lifecycle. Deployment Manager is a pivotal tool that facilitates streamlined and automated deployment processes. 

You can configure and run continuous integration and delivery (CI/CD) workflows for your Pega applications. Create a standardized and best practice-driven deployment process to deploy predictable, high-quality releases. With the Deployment Manager, you can fully automate your CI/CD workflows, including Branch merging, application package generation, artifact management, and package promotion to distinct Stages in the workflow. For more information about Deployment Manager, see Deployment Manager overview.

Deployment Manager is available to both on-premises and Pega Cloud® customers, which makes it easy to set up and deploy your Pega applications without third-party automation tools. 

If you use Deployment Manager, the Pega Cloud operations team manages the installation and updates of Deployment Manager. For more information, see Deployment Manager service.

If you use Deployment Manager 5 for stand-alone setup, you manually manage the installation and updates of Deployment Manager components. For more information, see Deployment Manager 5 (stand-alone setup).

Deployment Manager fully supports component deployment as part of its comprehensive DevOps capabilities. For more information, see Configuring a deployment pipeline template for a component.

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