Getting Started with GitLab: Understanding CI/CD
Table of Contents
- Understanding CI/CD
- The elements of GitLab CI/CD
- Setting up GitLab CI
- CI/CD Catalog
- Taking your development to the next level
Understanding CI/CD
Continuous Integration (CI) automates the code integration process, while Continuous Delivery (CD) extends CI by automating the release pipeline. Continuous Deployment takes it one step further by automatically deploying every successful build to production. GitLab CI/CD allows you to automate building, testing, and deploying applications, catch bugs early, and ensure a deployable state of your code.
The elements of GitLab CI/CD
The YAML file in your project's root directory defines your CI/CD pipeline, including stages, jobs, and runners. GitLab CI/CD configuration includes stages like "build," "test," and "deploy," with the ability to specify environments such as staging and production. Auto DevOps can automatically configure the necessary stages based on your project's language and framework requirements.
Setting up GitLab CI
Setting up GitLab CI is straightforward, starting with a basic YAML configuration file defining stages for building, testing, and deploying. Additionally, Auto DevOps can automatically set up your pipeline based on your project's requirements.
CI/CD Catalog
The CI/CD Catalog offers a list of projects with published CI/CD components that can be used to enhance your workflow. By creating a CI template in a dedicated project, defining the configuration, and including it in your project's file, you can easily incorporate reusable CI/CD components.
Taking your development to the next level
GitLab CI/CD is a robust tool that can streamline your development workflow. By understanding CI/CD concepts, configuring pipelines, and utilizing features like Auto DevOps, the CI/CD Catalog, and CI templates, you can automate your software development lifecycle and deliver high-quality software efficiently.
Check out more articles in our "Getting Started with GitLab" series:
- How to manage users
- How to import your projects to GitLab
- Mastering project management
- Automating Agile workflows with the gitlab-triage gem