Problem 1

Component Release

Frequent system testing is essential in such a safety-critical domain as the railway industry. To enable these tests, developers have to perform internal releases. While the process essentially boils down to a sequence of Git commands, completing it can take several hours due to multiple stop-and-wait stages caused by build pipelines.

Constant context switching between complex tasks and release management disrupts focus and even small errors can significantly prolong release times.

For a single component this effort is manageable, but across an entire department, the cumulative loss of developer time becomes substantial.

Solution 1

Jenkins Pipeline

I created a Jenkins pipeline to automate the release of single components. The pipeline handled all commands and pauses, requiring only minimal developer input for the component details.

This streamlined process reduced both manual effort and the likelihood of errors.

Problem 2

Multi-Component Release

Most projects consist of multiple components and each one has to be released individually. Even with the new pipeline, developers still had to run it repeatedly with different inputs — a repetitive task that scaled poorly at the departmental level.

Solution 2

Web Application

To solve this, I developed a web application that integrated both the internal repository API and the Jenkins API. The app dynamically retrieved project information, allowing developers to:

• Select a project and corresponding components
• Trigger the entire release procedure with little to no manual input

This eliminated the need to repeat the process for each component, allowing developers to focus on more important tasks.

Impact

My project automated a recurring task required by all development teams in the department. It reduced errors, cut down release times, and freed developers to focus on more complex challenges — improving both productivity and software reliability.

You can read more about my experience at Hitachi Rail on the TU Career Center blog: How Darina Alovska Landed Her Internship at Hitachi Rail Through Voice.of.Diversity