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When I started building a continuous integration server, I ran across the statement "It's bad to break the build [of the code]." After finishing that project I came to the conclusion that
So my question is in the spirit of #2: why is breaking the build a bad thing?
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Breaking the build means that you committed code to a shared repository that either (a) does not compile, or (b) does not work (fails unit tests). Anyone else who's developing from that shared repository is going to have to deal with the broken code you committed until it is fixed.
The key goals of continuous integration are to find and address bugs quicker, improve software quality, and reduce the time it takes to validate and release new software updates.
Be very careful in labeling "Breaking the Build" as a bad thing. It is something that needs immediate attention, but it is also a very normal and expected part of the development cycle. This is why Continuous Integration is so useful -- it tells you immediately when the build is broken, and what change set caused it. It helps you get back on track quickly.
If your culture penalizes "Breaking the Build", then you are in danger of cultivating a toxic work environment. Again, consider it to be something that needs immediate attention, but don't label it as "bad".
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