What is CI/CD?
The software engineering industry has gone through many dramatic changes over the years. One of those has been the introduction of Continuous Integration and Deployment. These techniques have made it possible for software programmers to streamline the deployment of their programs. They no longer have to do things manually, and it has sped up the development cycle. That automation has also made it possible for developers to catch bugs before they wreak havoc on applications they are working on.
Cloud development has made it more important as well. We now have infrastructure as a service, which has made it possible for almost anyone to tap into unlimited computing power with only a few clicks. Automation has been crucial in tying together software engineering and the cloud. There are even aspects of cloud security that are only possible because of the automated nature of CI/CD.
What is CI/CD DevOps?
DevOps is a complementary field to software engineering. It came about as teams got bigger and software became a lot more complicated. Those big teams took a lot longer to deliver working software, and there was nothing in place to ensure that the software worked as expected before it was shipped. Moreover, there was no way to ensure that the software could easily be debugged and tested.
These problems were fixed with the CI and CD pipelines. The field of Developer Operations was created, and it has meant exceptional benefits for most developers. It emphasizes automation as a way of making software easy to test and deploy.
What are the attributes of a CI/CD pipeline?
There are three attributes of a good pipeline. These attributes are:
- Commit to Version Control
- Automatic Testing
- Automatic Deployment
They form the backbone of everything required in this new and spectacular field. Each part of the pipeline is highly specific, and you can dig down even further.
How do I learn CI CD?
The easiest way to learn this new field is by creating your own applications. You cannot practice CI and CD without software to test these methodologies on, which is what makes them so interesting. There are many online courses and books to teach you, but it is crucial for you to practice everything from version control to unit testing. Once you’ve got a handle on these things, you will be a lot better at developing your own software using this methodology. If you are in cybersecurity, you can also learn about DevSecOps.
What is CI CD with example?
Almost every single modern software application uses the CI and CD pipeline. Those two things are only bested by version control as a staple of modern software applications. When you see someone using Jenkins or Gitlab CI, you can be sure that they are using the modern continuous development pipeline you have come to know and expect.
What is difference between CI and CD?
The main differences have to do with which part of the pipeline they are targeted towards. CI focuses on integrating unit testing into the software development process. It makes it possible for you to test an application multiple times before putting it into production. The end result of all of this is that your application lifecycle is a lot faster. You end up creating complicated software faster, meaning that you can do more in less time. Your software is also likely to have fewer bugs, as there are common tests to find and remove most bugs.
CD has to do with how your application is deployed. Modern software deployment is itself a new field. It has gotten so complicated that you now need professionals to deploy and manage the software for you. CD simplifies this by providing tools to automate the managing and deployment of your software. For example, there are tools like Kubernetes that can manage the most complicated deployments possible. There are also developer cloud applications out there that do the same thing for various platforms.
How long does it take to learn CI CD?
Learning how to use these tools will take your entire career. That is because you never truly get to a stage where you can be confident that you know everything. The field is constantly evolving, and you have to do your best to keep up. However, it should take you a few weeks to a few months to gain enough knowledge to use these tools consistently to improve your applications. Once you’ve gone the basics down, you can go on and use them on production applications.
What is the best CI CD tool?
Jenkins is one of the most popular tools in this field, and it is usually what many people start with. However, you should also have a good handle on version control systems like Github. These two platforms are a great way for you to start with this field, and they will deliver tremendous value for your software applications. The biggest benefit is that they will automate a significant portion of your testing, and they will also allow you to collaborate with other developers.
How does CI CD work?
CI works by continually scanning the source code you’ve written for test code in there. It can then run that test code for you automatically. There are also libraries that facilitate unit testing, making it a snap for the modern developer to use inside their own applications. This is what makes Jenkins such a powerful CI tool.
CD works much in the same way, but it focuses on automating the deployment stage. That involves taking a completed binary and putting it on the server, and it also focuses on starting and getting the server up and running.
Is GitHub a CI CD tool?
GitHub is one of the most useful platforms for modern software developers. Without it, most people would not know the power of version control systems. It has also driven software engineering to a place where it is like social media. Because of this, it is one of the foundational pieces in the CI CD world. Almost every application starts with the code getting uploaded to GitHub.
What is the difference between DevOps and CI CD?
CI and CD are both subsets of Developer Operations. The field is a lot wider, but its most important pieces have to do with continually testing and deploying the application to where it needs to be. You cannot be excellent in this field without knowledge of CI CD.