# Top DevOps Terms You Should Know | Bare Metals Academy DevOps encompasses a broad variety of functions. [**DevOps**](https://www.baremetals.io/articles/DevOps-terms-you-should-know) encompasses the full software development life cycle, from configuration management to infrastructure to documentation to quality assurance. ![](https://i.imgur.com/CePvRR6.jpg) And, if you're just starting started, the terminology can be confusing. That is why we have compiled a list of the top DevOps phrases you should be familiar with. * Agent - A program that runs in the background and performs a small, specified activity. * Agile Software Development is a simple framework that encourages iterative development. * Build Agent - An agent that sends and receives messages related to software builds. * Build Automation is the process of scripting and automating the compilation of computer source code into binary code. * Commit - The process of pushing code to a source code repository and reporting changes. If you find this material valuable, please visit our website and [**read the article**](https://www.baremetals.io/articles/DevOps-terms-you-should-know) on DevOps in depth.