> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.flxbl.io/flxbl/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.flxbl.io/flxbl/codev/concepts/concepts.md).

# How codev ships changes

Everything codev does — builds, validations, release candidates, releases — follows one delivery model. This section explains that model, so the statuses and behaviours you see on screen are predictable. Each concept links to a reference page with the full mechanics for when you need more depth.

## Packages

Your project is organised into **packages** — directories of metadata and code declared in the project configuration. A package is the unit codev builds, versions, validates, and installs. Packages come in types with different behaviours: **unlocked** and **org-dependent unlocked** (formal Salesforce packages), **source** (a deployable collection of metadata), **diff** (the difference between two states), and **data** (records managed as files).

Full detail: [Package vs artifacts](https://docs.flxbl.io/flxbl/sfp/concepts/package-vs-artifacts) · [Supported package types](https://docs.flxbl.io/flxbl/sfp/concepts/supported-package-types).

## Artifacts

When codev builds a package, the result is an **artifact**: the package's contents at a specific version, together with its dependencies and its installation behaviour. Artifacts are **immutable** — how a package installs (which components can be skipped, which orgs it skips, its deployment scripts) is baked in at build time. Changing an installation behaviour means building a new version.

Built artifacts are published to your package registry, and everything downstream — validation, release candidates, releases — works with those published versions. The [Packages](/flxbl/codev/development/packages.md) page lists every built version.

## Domains

A **domain** groups related packages into an independently releasable unit, defined by a release configuration file in your repository. Builds, release candidates, and releases are organised per domain. See [Domains](/flxbl/codev/development/domains.md) for managing them in codev.

## The lifecycle

<figure><img src="/files/VVBqIifg198s2HfNJ5NQ" alt="The codev lifecycle — a pull request is validated on a review environment, the merge builds versioned artifacts, versions collect on a release candidate per domain, and a release installs them into an environment"><figcaption><p>From pull request to released artifact — the lifecycle every change moves through.</p></figcaption></figure>

1. **A pull request validates.** The changed packages are deployed to a review environment and tested — see [Validation](/flxbl/codev/concepts/validation.md).
2. **A merge builds.** codev builds new versions of the changed packages and publishes the artifacts — see [Builds](/flxbl/codev/ci-cd/overview.md).
3. **A release candidate collects.** New versions accumulate on a release candidate per domain — see [Release candidates and releases](/flxbl/codev/concepts/release-candidates-and-releases.md).
4. **A release installs.** The candidate's artifacts install into an environment, in dependency order, each following its installation behaviour — see [Package installation](/flxbl/codev/concepts/package-installation.md) and [Releases](/flxbl/codev/ci-cd/overview-3.md).


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