1. A computer-implemented method comprising: deploying, by at least one processor, a virtual application package to instantiate a software application, wherein the virtual application package is a package for the software application, and wherein the software application has one or more configuration items; and applying, by at least one processor, a deployment configuration comprising one or more settings for the one or more configuration items, wherein the deploying the virtual application package and the applying the deployment configuration are interleaved, with a first portion of the virtual application package being deployed as a first deployed portion of the software application and the deployment configuration being applied in the first deployed portion of the software application, followed by a second portion of the virtual application package being deployed as a second deployed portion of the software application and the deployment configuration being applied in the second deployed portion of the software application, and wherein the first portion of the virtual application package is different from the second portion of the virtual application package.