Streamlining Development: Automating Workflow with Pipelines, Using GitLab as Case Study
In software development, efficiency is crucial. Each line of code you commit is a step forward, but the real win comes from getting that code deployed. That's where pipelines come in – they're like the secret weapons of modern development. They speed things up and make sure everything runs smoothly from start to finish.
Understanding Pipelines
Pipelines, in essence, are automated workflows that streamline the process of taking code from development to deployment. They consist of a series of interconnected steps, each serving a specific purpose in the software delivery process. These steps can include building, testing, packaging, and deploying applications.
To demonstrate the importance of pipelines from a code commit to deployment, we'll be using GitLab CI as the CI/CD tool to deploy a simple Docker web app on an AWS EC2 instance. Why GitLab? Of course it is just better than Jenkins.
Prerequisites
A running EC2 instance with Docker and Git installed.
A GitLab account. (and a repository of choice)
The Workflow: From Commit to Deployment
sample .gitlab-ci.yml script
This GitLab CI configuration triggers a pipeline automatically when changes are pushed to the dev branch. Because of GitLab CI's rule, a pipeline is triggered automatically when a .gitlab-ci.yml file is present in the root directory of the project.
The pipeline consists of a single job named “deploy_to_ec2”, which is responsible for deploying the latest changes to the server. In the script section, we install OpenSSH-client on the GitLab runner, which is a Docker image running the latest version of Ubuntu, to enable SSH connections. We then copy our key pair from the environment variable to a file named “keypair.pem”. An SSH connection is established to the server (user@your-server), and a deploy script (deploy_script.sh) is executed remotely. This script handles pulling the latest changes from the repository, building a Docker image, and starting the container.
The “only” keyword ensures that this job runs only when changes are made to the dev branch.
After this procedure concludes, the web application is swiftly deployed within minutes and becomes accessible either through the web server's IP address or a DNS linked to the web server.
In Conclusion
Pipelines serve as the backbone of modern software development, orchestrating the journey from code commit to deployment completion. By automating repetitive tasks, ensuring consistency, and streamlining workflows, pipelines empower development teams to deliver software faster, more reliably, and with higher quality. They not only save time and effort but also provide the foundation for scalable and efficient development practices. As organizations continue to navigate the complexities of the digital landscape, embracing pipelines is not just a choice; it is a very essential strategy for staying competitive and driving innovation in today's fast-paced world of software engineering.