DevOps and Version Control

Platform version control integration, built-in features and extensions.

Platform → Technology → Supporting → DevOps | Concept | Reference

DevOps for Industrial Automation

FrameworX brings modern DevOps practices to industrial automation, enabling version control, collaborative development, and continuous integration workflows traditionally reserved for software development. The platform's SQL-based architecture and JSON export capabilities integrate seamlessly with Git and standard DevOps tools.

Version Control Architecture

The platform provides two complementary version control approaches:

Method	Storage	Use Case	Capabilities
Track Changes	Internal SQL tables	Built-in audit trail	Who, what, when for every change
Git Integration	JSON export files	External version control	Branching, merging, diff tools

Track Changes System

Every configuration change is automatically recorded in SQL tables within the solution file:

Configuration Tables Structure

The solution database contains structured tables for each module:

Tags Tables - Tag definitions, templates, enumerations
Device Tables - Channels, nodes, points configuration
Alarm Tables - Items, groups, areas, conditions
Display Tables - Pages, layouts, symbols
Script Tables - Tasks, classes, expressions

Each table row includes metadata columns:

DateCreated    | DateModified  | UserCreated  | UserModified
2024-01-15     | 2024-01-20    | john.doe     | jane.smith

Change Tracking Features

Automatic capture of all modifications
User attribution for every change
Timestamp precision to milliseconds
Before/after value comparison
Rollback capabilities

Git Integration Workflow

Export solution configuration to JSON for external version control:

Export/Import Process

Export to JSON - Human-readable, diff-friendly format
Commit to Git - Standard version control workflow
Branch Development - Parallel feature development
Merge Changes - Combine work from multiple developers
Import to Solution - Apply changes back to .dbsln

JSON Structure

{
  "solution": {
    "version": "10.1.0",
    "name": "PlantControl",
    "tags": [
      {
        "name": "Temperature_Tank1",
        "type": "Double",
        "initialValue": 0,
        "description": "Tank 1 temperature"
      }
    ],
    "displays": [...]
  }
}

Collaborative Development

Multi-User Capabilities

The platform supports concurrent development through:

Server-Based Solutions - Central repository access
Granular Locking - Module-level conflict prevention
Real-Time Updates - See changes as they happen
User Sessions - Track active developers

Conflict Resolution

Scenario	Prevention	Resolution
Same tag edit	Object locking	Last write wins + audit trail
Display modification	Check-out system	Merge tool comparison
Script changes	Module isolation	Side-by-side diff

Development Workflow Patterns

Feature Branch Workflow

main
   feature/new-tank-control
   feature/alarm-updates
   hotfix/communication-fix

Create feature branch from main
Export solution to JSON
Develop and test changes
Commit incremental updates
Merge back to main
Import merged changes

Environment Promotion

Development → Testing → Staging → Production

Each environment maintains:

Separate solution instances
Environment-specific execution profiles
Controlled promotion gates
Rollback procedures

CI/CD Integration

Automate solution deployment through standard CI/CD tools:

Build Pipeline

Trigger - Git commit or schedule
Export - Extract configuration from repository
Validate - Check syntax and references
Test - Run automated test suites
Package - Create deployment artifact

Deployment Pipeline

Backup - Save current production state
Deploy - Apply new configuration
Verify - Health checks and smoke tests
Monitor - Track performance metrics
Rollback - Restore if issues detected

Security and Compliance

Change Authorization

Role-based access control
Approval workflows for production
Digital signatures for releases
Segregation of duties

Audit Requirements

Track Changes provides compliance with:

FDA 21 CFR Part 11 - Electronic records
ISA-95 - Manufacturing operations
ISO 27001 - Information security

Best Practices

Version Control

Commit frequently with clear messages
Use semantic versioning (major.minor.patch)
Tag releases for production deployments
Maintain change logs

Branching Strategy

Protected main branch
Feature branches for new development
Hotfix branches for urgent fixes
Release branches for staging

Testing Approach

Unit tests for scripts and logic
Integration tests for communications
Simulation for process behavior
User acceptance testing

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