Canary Release
Canary release gradually exposes a new version to a small fraction of traffic, progressively widening the share if monitored metrics stay healthy.
Purpose
Progressive delivery lowers risk, validating the new version on a small traffic slice.
Mechanism
After deploying the new version, route 1-5% of traffic first. Monitor error rate/latency/business metrics. If healthy, expand gradually (10%→50%→100%). Roll back quickly on anomalies. Requires precise traffic splitting and monitoring.
Use cases
- Progressive release
- Risk reduction
- A/B testing