docker / buildx

Overview

To effectively set up a CI/CD workflow with docker/buildx, the necessary components need to be in place for building, testing, and deployment. As of now, if the project does not contain a CI/CD configuration, it is not yet set up. Below are suggested next steps for establishing a CI/CD pipeline.

Next Steps for Establishing CI/CD

  1. Select a CI/CD Tool: Choose an appropriate CI/CD tool such as GitHub Actions, GitLab CI, Jenkins, or CircleCI.

  2. Create Configuration Files: Implement the necessary configuration files for the selected CI/CD tool, ensuring they integrate seamlessly with Docker and buildx.

  3. Set Up Docker Registry: If not already available, create an account with a Docker registry (e.g., Docker Hub) to store built images.

  4. Automate Build and Test Steps: Create instructions for automating the build and test processes using Docker files.

  5. Integrate Branch Strategies: Establish policies for handling feature branches and main branch deployments.

Example CI/CD Pipeline Configuration

Here’s a detailed example of how a CI/CD workflow can be structured, particularly using GitHub Actions:

Example GitHub Actions Workflow

Create the file .github/workflows/ci.yml:

name: CI

on:
  push:
    branches:
      - main
  pull_request:
    branches:
      - main

jobs:
  build:
    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
    steps:
      - name: Checkout Code
        uses: actions/checkout@v2

      - name: Set up Docker Buildx
        uses: docker/setup-buildx-action@v1

      - name: Build and Push Docker Image
        uses: docker/build-push-action@v2
        with:
          context: .
          file: Dockerfile
          push: true
          tags: docker.io/tonistiigi/db:latest

      - name: Run Tests
        run: |
          docker-compose up --abort-on-container-exit
          docker-compose down

Explanation of the Workflow Steps

  • Checkout Code: The first step checks out the code from the repository.

  • Set up Docker Buildx: This step initializes Docker Buildx within the workflow.

  • Build and Push Docker Image: This step builds the Docker image using docker/build-push-action and pushes it to the specified Docker registry. The context is set to the current directory, and the Dockerfile used is Dockerfile. The tag for the image is specified as docker.io/tonistiigi/db:latest.

  • Run Tests: This step uses docker-compose to build and run containerized tests and clean up afterward.

Suggested Docker Compose Configuration

A docker-compose.yml file that supports the above workflow:

version: "3"

services:
  db:
    build: .
    command: ./entrypoint.sh
    image: docker.io/tonistiigi/db
  webapp:
    build:
      context: .
      dockerfile: Dockerfile.webapp
      args:
        buildno: 1

This configuration defines both a db service and a webapp service. The db service will build the database container, and the webapp service will build an application container, passing any necessary build arguments.

Makefile Integration

Incorporate a Makefile for building and testing using the following commands tailored for managing tasks:

all: build test

build:
    docker-compose build

test:
    docker-compose run webapp go test ./...

Build and Test Commands

  • make build: This command utilizes docker-compose to build service images specified in the Docker Compose file.

  • make test: This command will run unit tests within the webapp container using go test.

Summary

Setting up a CI/CD workflow using docker/buildx involves selecting a CI/CD tool, writing configuration files, and ensuring that Docker images and tests can be managed within the pipeline. The provided examples illustrate how to set up GitHub Actions to automate builds and tests in conjunction with Docker.

References: