Build Basics / Standard term
Deployment
Releasing a chosen version of an application or service into a target environment where it can run for its intended users or systems.
Deployment can publish static files, start containers, update serverless functions, release a mobile app, or change infrastructure. The target may be public, private, staged, or temporary. A useful deployment records the version, configuration, migrations, assets, and rollback path rather than merely copying local files to another computer.
Builder example
Local success can hide missing environment variables, platform differences, data migrations, network policy, and build assumptions. Deployment checks should cover the live behavior and its dependencies, not only whether one URL returns a page.
Common confusion: Deployment and release are related but can be separate. Code may be deployed behind a feature flag before users receive it, and static or event-driven systems need not keep one always-on machine running.