
CI/CD, or Continuous Integration and Continuous Delivery (Deployment), is a core practice for modern software development teams. It automates the process of building, testing, and deploying software, reducing manual intervention and increasing efficiency. Beyond that, CI/CD can also automate platform upgrades, code quality checks, and even infrastructure management.
How does CI/CD work?
CI/CD is implemented through pipelines – automated workflows designed to streamline the entire software development lifecycle. Pipelines manage and automate tasks such as:
- Application build: automates the process of compiling, testing and packaging applications
- Testing: Running static code analysis (e.g. SonarQube) to ensure code quality, and executing unit, integration, and functional tests for reliability.
- Deployment: Automatically delivering applications across different environments, such as development (QA), staging, and production ensuring consistency and reducing manual overhead.
Pipelines are designed to optimize workflow efficiency and minimize errors by enforcing repeatable processes and providing faster feedback.
What tools and languages are used?
CI/CD pipelines are language-agnostic and can integrate with almost any technology stack.
Popular tools and languages include:
- YAML for Azure DevOps, Groovy for Jenkinsfiles.
- Python, Bash, and PowerShell are commonly used to write automation scripts.
- Tasks & Tools:
- Azure DevOps includes CLI tasks (AWSCLI, AzureCLI) for scripting, JavaToolInstaller for managing Java versions, and Maven task for building Maven-based projects.
- Other tools like Docker, Kubernetes, and Terraform can be used to manage infrastructure and containerized deployments.
Key pipeline components
A CI/CD pipeline is composed of several logical components that ensure clarity and efficiency:
- Stages: Major phases of the pipeline, such as Build, Test, and Deploy. Each stage represents a distinct part of the delivery process.
- Jobs: Units of work within a stage that run on agents – machines executing the pipeline. Jobs can run sequentially or in parallel for faster execution.
- Tasks: Individual actions performed within a job, like running scripts, building code, or deploying an artifact.
- Parameters: Enable flexibility by allowing conditional execution of stages, jobs, or tasks based on specific inputs.
- Conditions: Can be used to control which stage/job/task will be executed, usually based on provided parameters.
- Resources: If needed you can specify one or more repositories that will be checkout during the pipeline execution
How is CI/CD executed?
CI/CD pipelines run on agents, which are machines responsible for executing pipeline code:
- Microsoft-hosted Agents: Managed by Azure DevOps and pre-configured for convenience.
- Self-hosted Agents: Managed on your team’s infrastructure, offering greater customization and control.
To successfully execute pipelines, agents require tools like PowerShell, Python, Bash, or Java installed to perform specific tasks, ensuring compatibility with your project’s needs.
By implementing CI/CD pipelines, development teams can automate repetitive processes, deliver faster and more reliable software, and focus their efforts on innovation and collaboration. This approach ensures streamlined workflows, reduced errors, and a consistent delivery of high – quality products.
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