What is a CI/CD Pipeline? A Simple Explanation for Developers
A CI/CD pipeline (Continuous Integration and Continuous Deployment) is like an automated assembly line for software development. It helps developers build, test, and deploy code efficiently, reducing manual effort and ensuring high-quality software delivery.
Why is a CI/CD Pipeline Important for Developers?
A CI/CD pipeline ensures fast, error-free software updates, making development more efficient and reliable. Whether you’re working on a website, mobile app, or enterprise software, automation helps maintain quality, speed, and security.
- Saves time by automatically checking for errors.
- Ensures code quality through automated testing.
- Helps in faster delivery of updates and new features.
- Reduces human errors by automating repetitive tasks.
Real-Life Example: A Bakery’s Automated Process
Imagine you own a cake shop. Instead of making every cake manually, you set up an automated cake-making machine that:
1. Mixes ingredients – Just like a developer writes code.
2. Bakes the cake – Similar to automated testing of the code.
3. Decorates the cake – Code is reviewed and improved.
4. Packs and delivers – The code is deployed to users.
If there is a problem in any step, the machine stops and alerts you to fix it before moving forward. This way, you don’t serve a bad cake to your customers.—just like a CI/CD pipeline ensures that software updates are tested and error-free before reaching users, just like how an automated bakery ensures perfect cakes every time
Setting Up a CI/CD Pipeline Using GitHub Actions
Using a CI/CD pipeline will make your development process faster, smoother, and more reliable. In this blog, you’ll learn how to set up a CI/CD pipeline using GitHub Actions.
Step 1: Choose a CI/CD Tool
For GitHub projects, GitHub Actions is a great choice.
Step 2: Create a .github/workflows Folder in Your Project
First, check if the .github folder exists in your project. If it does, create a workflows folder inside it to store workflow files.
1️⃣ Open your project folder.
2️⃣ Inside the project, create this folder structure:
.github/workflows
3️⃣ Inside the workflows folder, create a new Yaml file named ci-cd.yml.
Step 3: Define the CI/CD Pipeline
Copy and paste the following YAML configuration into ci-cd.yml file:
name: CI/CD Pipeline
on:
push:
branches:
- main # Triggers when code is pushed to the main branch
pull_request:
branches:
- main
jobs:
build:
runs-on: ubuntu-latest
steps:
- name: Checkout code
uses: actions/checkout@v3
- name: Set up PHP
uses: shivammathur/setup-php@v2
with:
php-version: '8.3' # Change to your PHP version
- name: Install Composer dependencies
run: composer install --no-interaction --prefer-dist --optimize-autoloader
- name: Run Laravel Cache Clear
run: php artisan cache:clear
- name: Run Laravel Migrations
run: php artisan migrate --force
- name: Set up Node.js
uses: actions/setup-node@v3
with:
node-version: 20
- name: Install dependencies
run: npm install
- name: Run build
run: npm run build
- name: Deploy to Server
if: success()
run: |
echo "Deploying to production server..."
# Add your deployment command here
Let’s break down this file step by step to make the workflow easier to understand.
Workflow Name & When It Runs
name: CI/CD Pipeline
on:
push:
branches:
- main # Runs pipeline when code is pushed to the main branch
pull_request:
branches:
- main
1. The workflow is named “CI/CD Pipeline”.
2. It runs automatically when you push new code to the main branch or create a pull request targeting main
Define a Job
jobs:
build:
runs-on: ubuntu-latest
– This workflow has a single job named build.
– The job will run on a virtual machine with Ubuntu (latest version).
Steps to Run the Job
Each step runs one after another in the specified order.
Step 1: Checkout Code
- name: Checkout code uses: actions/checkout@v3
– This downloads your project’s code into the GitHub Actions machine
Step 2: Set Up PHP
- name: Set up PHP
uses: shivammathur/setup-php@v2
with:
php-version: '8.3'
– This installs PHP version 8.3 (you can change this version if needed).
Step 3: Install Composer Dependencies
- name: Install Composer dependencies run: composer install --no-interaction --prefer-dist --optimize-autoloader
– Installs all Laravel backend dependencies using Composer.
– The -no-interaction flag ensures it runs without asking for user input.
Step 4: Clear Laravel Cache
- name: Run Laravel Cache Clear run: php artisan cache:clear
– Clears Laravel’s cache to ensure the app runs with fresh data.
Step 5: Run Laravel Migrations
If your application requires database migrations, add this:
-name: Run Laravel Migrations run: php artisan migrate --force
Benefit: Ensures database changes are applied after deployment.
Step 6: Set Up Node.js
-name: Set up Node.js
uses: actions/setup-node@v3
with:
node-version: 20
– Install Node.js version 20 (used for frontend dependencies and JavaScript tools).
Step 7: Install Frontend Dependencies
- name: Install dependencies run: npm install
– Installs Node.js dependencies (like Vue.js, React, Tailwind CSS, etc.).
Step 8: Run build
- name: Run build run: npm run build
– Runs automated tests to check if everything works correctly.
– You can change this command if you’re using Vue.js or Laravel-specific tests.
Step 9: Deploy to Server (Only if Tests Pass)
- name: Deploy to Server
if: success()
run: |
echo "Deploying to production server..."
# Add your deployment command here
– Only runs if all previous steps succeed (tests pass).
– Deploys your project to a production server.
– You need to replace # Add your deployment command here with actual deployment commands (e.g., SSH into the server and pull the latest code).
Conclusion
A CI/CD pipeline simplifies development, enhances efficiency, and ensures error-free deployments. By automating builds, tests, and deployments, developers can focus on writing quality code without worrying about manual processes.
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