What's in your build?

A basic build generally consists of clean, compile, and test. However, you can (and should) add more or tweak the build to make life easier and increase the quality of the code you produce. Most people _hate_ working on the build. Build languages are usually painful to work with and optimizing the build isn't very exciting. However, you should be running the build several times a day so each optimization can save you a lot of time over the life of the project.

• Separate Tests - Create unit tests that test specific responsibilities of individual classes. Create functional tests that test classes working together to achieve a larger goal.
  
• Database Generation - Use database scripts to generate the database during the build. Optimize the process by only dropping and adding tables, views, etc when the script(s) change. However, clear and reload the sample data on each build to ensure functional tests are hitting consistent data each build.
  
• Simian - Use Simian to ensure that duplicate code is not slipping into your code base.
  
• Code Coverage - I admit it, Code Coverage can be misleading. However, managers and business sponsors love charts with reassuring numbers. Additionally, if the team pays little attention to the code coverage number an interesting thing happens. No one attempts to trick the code coverage numbers and they become useful. When the numbers dip below tolerance the tech lead can use the warning to suggest to the team that more focus be given to testing. Note: The tech lead should never mention that the code coverage tool tipped him off or the team may start writing worthless tests that satisfy the code coverage tool, thus rendering it useless.
  For .net use NCover (the version that fits your needs) or Clover.net, for Java I believe Clover is the most popular
  
• Modification Compilation - Use a build language that can detect modification dates. Components of your application only need to be recompiled when changes are made to the source files.

There are other tools such as CheckStyle and FXCop that are supposed to be helpful. In theory they sound great; however, I've never used either so I didn't include either. Please let me know if you have any suggestions or optimizations I've missed.