CI and CD pipeline in process of software delivery
Today, We will know What is a CI/CD pipeline and what is relo to the software delivery process? Read: Jenkins Pipeline: How to Create JenkinsFile
A CI/CD pipeline automates the process of software delivery. It builds code, runs tests, and helps you safely deploy a new version of the software. CI/CD pipeline reduces manual errors, provides feedback to developers, and allows fast product iterations.
CI/CD pipeline introduces automation and continuous monitoring throughout the lifecycle of a software product. It involves the integration and testing phase to delivery and deployment. These connected practices are referred to as CI/CD pipelines.
Also Read: How to Download and Install Jenkins on Windows
What is Continuous Integration, Continuous Delivery, and Continuous Deployment?
- Continuous integration is a software development method where members of the team can integrate their work at least once a day. In this method, every integration is checked by an automated build to search the error.
- Continuous delivery is a software engineering method in which a team develops software products in a short cycle. It ensures that software can be easily released at any time.
- Continuous deployment is a software engineering process in which product functionalities are delivered using automatic deployment. It helps testers to validate whether the codebase changes are correct, and it is stable or not.
Stages of a CI/CD pipeline
A CI/CD pipeline is a runnable specification of the steps that any developer should perform to deliver a new version of any software. Failure in each and every stage triggers a notification via email, Slack, or other communication platforms. It enables responsible developers to know about the important issues.
Here are the important Stages of the CI/CD pipeline:
Source Stage
In the source stage, CI/CD pipeline is triggered by a code repository. Any change in the program triggers a notification to the CI/CD tool that runs an equivalent pipeline. Other common triggers include user-initiated workflows, automated schedules, and the results of other pipelines.
Build Stage
This is the second stage of the CI/CD Pipeline in which you merge the source code and its dependencies. It is done mainly to build a runnable instance of software that you can potentially ship to the end-user.
Programs that are written in languages like C++, Java, C, or Go language should be compiled. On the other hand, JavaScript, Python, and Ruby programs can work without the build stage.
Failure to pass the build stage means there is a fundamental project misconfiguration, so it is better that you address such an issue immediately.
Test Stage
Test Stage includes the execution of automated tests to validate the correctness of code and the behavior of the software. This stage prevents easily reproducible bugs from reaching the clients. It is the responsibility of developers to write automated tests.
Deploy Stage
This is the last stage where your product goes live. Once the build has successfully passed through all the required test scenarios, it is ready to deploy to the live server.
Example of CI/CD Pipeline
Here is an example of the CI/CD pipeline:
- Source Code Control: Host code on GitHub as a private repository. This will help you to integrate your application with major services and software.
- Continuous integration: Use continuous integration and delivery platform CircleCI and commit every code. When the changes notify, this tool will pull the code available in GitHub and process to build and run the test.
- Deploy code to UAT: Configure CitcleCI to deploy your code to AWS UAT server.
- Deploy to production: You have to reuse continuous integration steps for deploying code to UAT.
CI/CD pipeline Best Practices
Here is a CI/CD pipeline best practices:
- Write up the current development process therefore, you can know the procedures that require to change and one that can be easily automated.
- Start off with a small proof of project before going ahead and complete whole development process at once.
- Set up a pipeline with more than one stage in which fast fundamental tests run first.
- Start each workflow from the same, clean, and isolated environment.
- Run open source tools that cover everything from code style to security scanning.
- Setup a better code hub to continuously check the quality of your code by running the standard set of tests against every branch.
- Peer code review each pull request to solve a problem in a collaborative manner.
- You have to define success metrics before you start the transition to CD automation. This will help you to consistently analyze your software, developing progress help refining where needed.
Advantages of CI/CD pipelines
Here are the pros/ benefits of CI/CD Pipeline:
- Builds and testing can be easily performed manually.
- It can improve the consistency and quality of code.
- Improves flexibility and has the ability to ship new functionalities.
- CI/CD pipeline can streamline communication.
- It can automate the process of software delivery.
- Helps you to achieve faster customer feedback.
- CI/CD pipeline helps you to increase your product visibility.
- It enables you to remove manual errors.
- Reduces costs and labour.
- CI/CD pipelines can make the software development lifecycle faster.
- It has automated pipeline deployment.
- A CD pipeline gives a rapid feedback loop starting from developer to client.
- Improves communications between organization employees.
- It enables developers to know which changes in the build can turn to the brokerage and to avoid them in the future.
- The automated tests, along with few manual test runs, help to fix any issues that may arise.
