Constellation
A Constellation represents a software solution as a living graph of components, dependencies, versions, and statuses. Model the system you ship, instead of just the code that implements it.
The word Constellation comes from the idea of a star map: each node is a point in the system, and the relationships between them describe how the whole solution behaves and evolves.
Constellation tool
Section titled “Constellation tool”In most cases, Constellation refers to the system itself. When paired with tool, as in Constellation tool, it refers to the software that manages these system models.
Constellation vs. Version Control Systems
Section titled “Constellation vs. Version Control Systems”Constellation is not a replacement for version control systems like Git. It complements them.
A VCS tracks changes to code. A Constellation tracks changes to the system, e.g. how it evolves and lives. That includes:
- versions and release state across components
- system-level history and revisions
- status signals for tests, deployments, and health
- the impact of one change on the wider solution
This makes Constellation especially useful for complex environments where release decisions depend on more than the state of a single repository.
Why use Constellation?
Section titled “Why use Constellation?”Modern systems are made up of many moving parts, often owned by different teams and updated independently. Constellation helps you keep a clear view of how those parts relate to one another over time.
To get a better understanding of what Constellation is and what it includes, read more about constellations.