CI/CD Deployment

For the project configured with Docker, CI/CD practices can be implemented effectively to automate the build, test, and deployment processes. This section will outline the steps involved in setting up CI/CD for the existing project based on the docker/getting-started guide.

Current CI/CD Setup

If the CI/CD setup is not already established in the project, it is recommended to implement it to streamline workflow.

Steps to Set Up CI/CD Deployment

1. Source Control Configuration
   Ensure your project’s source code is hosted in a version control system like GitHub. This will be essential for triggering CI/CD processes.

2. CI/CD Tool Selection
   Choose a CI/CD tool that fits the project requirements. Popular options include GitHub Actions, GitLab CI, Travis CI, and CircleCI. For this example, GitHub Actions will be used.

3. Create CI/CD Pipeline
   In the root of your repository, create a .github/workflows directory. Inside this folder, create a new YAML file for the workflow, for example, ci-cd-pipeline.yml.

   name: CI/CD Pipeline
   
   on:
     push:
       branches:
         - main
     pull_request:
       branches:
         - main
   
   jobs:
     build:
       runs-on: ubuntu-latest
   
       services:
         docker:
           image: docker:19.03.12
           options: '--privileged'
   
       steps:
       - name: Checkout code
         uses: actions/checkout@v2
   
       - name: Set up Docker Buildx
         uses: docker/setup-buildx-action@v1
   
       - name: Build Docker image
         run: |
           docker build --target test -t myproject-test .
   
       - name: Run tests
         run: |
           docker run --rm myproject-test
   
       - name: Build and package application
         run: |
           docker build --target app-zip-creator -t myproject-package .
       
       - name: Deploy to production
         run: |
           # Place deployment commands here (e.g., pushing to a server)
   

Explanation of the CI/CD Pipeline

• The pipeline is triggered on pushes and pull requests to the main branch.

• Checkout Code: This step pulls the latest code from the repository.

• Set up Docker Buildx: This action enables Docker Buildx for building images in the pipeline.

• Build Docker Image: The Dockerfile’s test target compiles the application and runs tests.

• Run Tests: It runs the compiled application in a container to execute tests and ensure functionality.

• Build and Package Application: It builds the application using the app-zip-creator target, producing a zipped version for deployment.

• Deploy to Production: Placeholder for deployment commands. Modify this section with appropriate commands to deploy your application, such as uploading to a cloud service, FTP server, or running further Docker commands.

Next Steps for Implementing CI/CD

If there is currently no CI/CD setup within the project, consider the following next steps:

• Integrate Testing: Define and implement unit and integration tests to ensure code robustness.

• Secure Deployment Credentials: Use encrypted secrets in the CI/CD tool to manage sensitive information required for deployment.

• Monitor the Pipeline: Set up alerts and logs to monitor CI/CD pipeline activity and ensure any failures are addressed promptly.

• Document Processes: Maintain thorough documentation regarding the CI/CD setup for future reference and onboarding.

By adapting these strategies, the project’s CI/CD deployment will be well-structured and efficient, facilitating faster delivery and higher quality of code.

Source: docker/getting-started