Incremental delivery refers to the approach of developing and releasing software in small, manageable portions or increments. This method allows teams to focus on delivering usable software features piece by piece, rather than waiting until the entire system is complete. By adopting this practice, teams can provide value to users more frequently, receive feedback on each increment, and adjust their development process accordingly. This aligns well with modern software development practices where flexibility and responsiveness to change are crucial.
In contrast, other terms such as serial development imply a one-phase-at-a-time approach, often leading to longer wait times for end-users. Continuous integration focuses on frequently integrating code changes into a shared repository, which is beneficial for maintaining code quality and fostering collaboration but does not specifically refer to the delivery of complete software increments to users. Agile methodology encompasses various practices including incremental delivery, but is broader as it represents a philosophy and set of principles for adaptive project management and development practices. Thus, incremental delivery specifically captures the essence of delivering software in segments.