What does continuous integration primarily aim to reduce?

Continuous integration primarily aims to reduce integration issues and software defects. The practice involves regularly merging code changes into a shared repository, where automated tests are run to ensure that new code does not introduce errors or break existing functionality. By integrating code frequently, developers can detect integration problems early in the development process, which allows them to address issues as they arise rather than at a later stage when they might be more complex and time-consuming to resolve. This proactive approach leads to a smoother development process, with higher quality code and fewer defects in the final product, ultimately enhancing the overall efficiency of development teams.

While team conflicts, the number of developers, and the time needed for updates are important aspects of software development, they are not the primary focus of continuous integration. The main goal is to streamline the integration process and minimize defects through frequent integration and immediate feedback on the code's status.