DevOps is a set of practices that combines software development (Dev) and IT operations (Ops) to shorten development cycles and deliver software updates more frequently and reliably. Traditional approaches separated developers who write code from operations staff who deploy and maintain systems; DevOps integrates these functions through automation, collaboration, and shared responsibility. Key DevOps practices include continuous integration (frequently merging code changes), continuous delivery (automating deployment pipelines), infrastructure as code (managing systems through version-controlled scripts), and monitoring/feedback loops. For government technology teams, DevOps enables faster response to changing requirements, more reliable services, and reduced time between identifying issues and deploying fixes. Adopting DevOps requires cultural change alongside technical tools, emphasizing collaboration over traditional organizational silos.