rollback
/ˈrəʊl.bæk/noun
A rollback reverses a change so software, configuration or data returns to an earlier state. Teams use it when a change causes errors or other unwanted effects.
After the failed release, the team performed a rollback to the previous version.
A rollback is a recovery action after a change. If a new application version causes errors, the team can make the previous version available again. The aim is to restore service quickly and then investigate what went wrong.
How does a release rollback work?
During a Glossary · In briefdeploymentA deployment is the process of installing and starting a chosen software version in a target environment so it can be tested or used there.Read more, a new version usually replaces files, configuration or infrastructure. A rollback restores the previous version or follows a prepared recovery plan. This is only reliable if the team knows which version ran before and how to return to it. Version control, automated deployments and tested recovery procedures help.
A rollback does not remove the cause of a bug. Users can work with the previous version while developers investigate and prepare an improved Glossary · In briefreleaseA release is an identifiable software version prepared to be made available to users. It brings together one or more checked changes.Read more. Glossary · In briefmonitoringMonitoring systematically tracks software, infrastructure or processes through measurements and checks. Deviations can trigger alerts so an administrator can investigate.Read more shows whether recovery has the intended effect.
Rolling back code and data
Not every change is easy to reverse. A new application version may also change the database structure or existing data. If the previous code cannot handle those changes, restoring it alone is insufficient. Teams therefore design migrations and releases so old and new parts can coexist temporarily, or define a separate recovery path in advance.
Within a database transaction, rollback has a more specific meaning. The Glossary · In briefdatabaseA database is a structured collection of data that software can store, retrieve and modify. A database management system controls access to that data.Read more undoes all changes within that unfinished transaction. A series of actions can succeed or fail as a whole without saving only some of the changes.