What? CI/CD — some strange abbreviations, is it related to CD discs? No, it's not about physical media at all. CI/CD is a practice that has revolutionized the way software development is approached by automating the processes of integration, testing, and application delivery. In this article, we'll explore what CI/CD means, how these processes work, and why they have become an integral part of modern development methodologies, speeding up the delivery of high-quality software and minimizing the risks of errors in production.
Key Concepts
- CI (Continuous Integration) — frequent merging of code changes into the main branch with automated testing.
- CD (Continuous Delivery) — automatic preparation of an application for release (deployment is triggered manually).
- CD (Continuous Deployment) — automatic deployment to production immediately after successful tests.
Typical CI/CD Pipeline Structure
- Build – compiling the project
- Test – running unit and integration tests
- Lint – code style and syntax checks
- Package – creating an artifact (.jar, Docker image, etc.)
- Deploy – deploying to a server or cluster
Popular CI/CD Tools
| Tool | Description |
|---|---|
| Jenkins | Classic automation server |
| GitLab CI | Built-in CI/CD for GitLab |
| GitHub Actions | Automation via GitHub workflows |
| ArgoCD | GitOps tool for Kubernetes |
| Drone CI | Lightweight CI for Docker environments |
Example .gitlab-ci.yml
- build
- test
- deploy
build:
stage: build
script:
- echo "Building the project..."
- make build
test:
stage: test
script:
- echo "Running tests..."
- make test
deploy:
stage: deploy
script:
- echo "Deploying application..."
- make deploy
only:
- main
Common CI/CD Commands
| Command | Purpose |
|---|---|
| docker build | Build a Docker container |
| docker push | Push an image to a registry |
| kubectl apply -f | Apply a Kubernetes manifest |
| helm upgrade | Deploy or update an app in Kubernetes |
| ansible-playbook | Execute deployment playbooks |
CI/CD Pipeline Best Practices
- Break down pipelines into small, independent steps
- Minimize execution time (through parallelization and caching)
- Deploy only after successful testing
- Store secrets in secure vaults (e.g., HashiCorp Vault, AWS Secrets Manager)
- Implement rollback strategies for failed deployments
Quick Stage Examples
Build Stage (Python):
python setup.py sdist
Test Stage (Node.js):
npm test
Deploy Stage (Docker + Kubernetes):
docker push myregistry/myapp:latest
kubectl rollout restart deployment myapp-deployment
Mini CI/CD Engineer Checklist
✅ Validate the CI configuration syntax
✅ Ensure all tests pass
✅ Properly configure secrets
✅ Separate environments (dev / stage / prod)
✅ Test rollback functionality
Serverspace and CI/CD
Want to simplify your CI/CD setup and always have reliable infrastructure at your fingertips? With Serverspace, you can deploy virtual machines in just a few minutes, automate application delivery using a powerful API, and scale your infrastructure effortlessly to meet growing demand. Whether you're building from scratch or migrating an existing project, Serverspace offers flexible tools and support to make the transition smooth and secure. Plus, thanks to a rich Cloud Marketplace, you can launch pre-configured environments — including Docker, Kubernetes, GitLab, and other popular DevOps tools — with a single click. It’s an ideal solution for developers and teams who want to focus on delivery, not infrastructure. Try Serverspace and supercharge your CI/CD and DevOps workflows today!
Whether you're building a new project from scratch or migrating an existing one, Serverspace provides the tools and support necessary to make the transition smooth and secure. From high-performance VPS and VDS servers to easy-to-manage network configurations, Serverspace offers a comprehensive solution for all your cloud hosting needs.
Moreover, the Cloud Marketplace is a game-changer for developers. It allows you to quickly launch pre-configured environments, including popular DevOps tools like Docker, Kubernetes, GitLab, and many others, all with a single click. This eliminates the need for manual setup and configuration, saving you countless hours of work.
With its flexible and developer-friendly approach, Serverspace is the perfect solution for teams who want to focus on delivering quality software and enhancing workflows, rather than spending time managing infrastructure. It’s designed to support fast, efficient, and reliable CI/CD pipelines, making it easier than ever to integrate, test, and deploy code across different environments. Try Serverspace today and supercharge your DevOps processes for better productivity and faster delivery cycles.