One of the most polarizing issues in modern development is whether the team uses a repository manager for the process. On the one hand, people are claiming that this emerging technology is the best thing that has ever happened to them. On the other hand, some developers unambiguously reject the idea of using these platforms for their work.

The fact is that more and more developers are using repository managers. About a decade ago, nobody even knew what a repository manager was. One of the main reasons usage changed is the improved stability and quality of these platforms.

At the same time, managers have learned the value and benefits these solutions provide and how they can utilize them during the development process.

A look at the big picture

Even though there are a growing number of repository managers, and people use them constantly, many organizations and workgroups haven’t even heard of them. When someone asks about repository management, they think they’re talking about source control or subversion.

That is a problem, so I’ve decided to write this post and show what it’s all about.

One of the reasons so many people avoid digitizing their information is that there’s a sea of functionalities and features that make it easy to lose sight of the core benefits.

At the same time, many teams and organizations are simply lazy. They don’t want to put in the time and effort necessary to learn these functionalities, which will ultimately make their process more efficient and help them create better solutions that compete on the market.

Number of repository managers

Over 60,000 active repository managers are connected to Maven Central using libraries, frameworks, and open-source components. The use of open-source managers has been growing exponentially in the past several years.

For example, in 2012, the records of Central Repository showed there were a little over 20,000 repository managers using components.

The number has tripled in just ten years, and there are no signs of slowing down. There is also an increase in repository brands, with JFrog Artifactory and other similar platforms leading the way.

Why are repository managers so popular?

Even though “isolated” organizations in the DevOps world still don’t use repository managers, their numbers keep growing. A part of the industry has realized its value and is utilizing them to perfection while everyone else is simply missing out.

After all, people wouldn’t be using them for a long time if they didn’t bring value. Here are some of the core advantages these solutions offer.

More reactivity

Having all of the information at your disposal makes it easier to respond promptly to customer inquiries with requested information. Companies can instantly deliver the necessary data while adjusting according to their performance and making timely changes to improve processes.

Productivity boost

Employees need seamless access to information and tools necessary to streamline various processes.

Information and accessibility are crucial in DevOps and help boost productivity. The time wasted looking for essential data and tackling administrative tasks have been significant challenges for a long time.

With repository managers, employees can focus on strategic tasks and help companies improve their bottom lines.

More visibility

Top-shelf information management solutions come with audit trail features enabling discovery scenarios.

At the same time, these platforms consistently improve their business analytics capabilities to help professionals stay on course with key performance indicators and make the right decisions that benefit organizations.

Better management

With digital information at the fingertips, streamlining access approvals and document processing is much easier. At the same time, this kind of information makes managing schedules for different industries easier, especially when you must keep various documents in storage for an extended period.

Modern DevOps involves many stakeholders and teams working on various aspects of the ecosystem, meaning that management are a big issue and an important asset leading to positive outcomes.

Streamlined access

Setting up a centralized digital repository makes all operations easier. Employees from different departments can all access information at the exact location at any given moment, no matter where they might be.

That is especially beneficial in the modern hybrid work models where employees constantly work from different locations. Web access, mobile, and cloud technology have erased the boundaries associated with version controls and physical offices and ensured that all available information is always up-to-date.

Universal solutions for all binaries

No single technology or solution can support the whole development process in a modern organization. Multiple integration systems, build tools, packaging formats, and technologies are used to build a maintainable and flexible development ecosystem.

 

In other words, managing all binaries for so many packaging formats while integrating them with all of the moving parts within the ecosystem is a nightmare, especially concerning maintenance. Modern repository managers are designed to accommodate the needs of all development ecosystems.

 

Checksum-based storage allows them to support various layouts and give native support to all packaging formats. Regardless of the packaging format used, repository managers can manage and store binaries while having the transparency of the specific packaging client.

Integrating and building

Software delivery isn’t only about development; before moving packages into products, they need to be integrated and built. The current market offers various integration and builds tools, but only repository managers can work with them all.

 

These managers have various plugins which allow seamless integrations with some of the most commonly used CI systems like TeamCity, Bamboo, and Jenkins. These tools use the repository to resolve dependencies and supply the necessary artifacts for creating a build.

 

Furthermore, developers using cloud-based systems that don’t support plugins can also use repository managers to provide plugins for these build tools leading to seamless build automation.

Conclusion

To sum up, digital repositories allow companies to transform their valuable information into strategic assets. Having reliable repository access and easy server configuration allows DevOps to manage their binaries across all organizational environments.

Instead of draining resources to find the correct information, you can work on your core tasks, boost productivity, and create an agile environment within your organization to meet the current business demands.