Photo by Aleksandr Neplokhov at pexel
GitHub
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Let’s first clarify the difference between workflow and CI/CD and discuss what GitHub Actions do.
Workflow:
A workflow is a series of automated steps that define how code changes are built, tested, and deployed.
Workflows can include various tasks such as compiling code, running tests, and deploying applications.
Workflows are defined in a YAML file (usually named .github/workflows/workflow.yml) within your repository.
They are triggered by specific events (e.g., push to a branch, pull request, etc.).
Workflows are not limited to CI/CD; they can automate any process in your development workflow
CI/CD (Continuous Integration/Continuous Deployment):
CI/CD refers to the practice of automating the process of integrating code changes, testing them, and deploying them to production.
Continuous Integration (CI) focuses on automatically building and testing code changes whenever they are pushed to a repository.
Continuous Deployment (CD) extends CI by automatically deploying code changes to production environments.
CI/CD pipelines ensure that code is consistently tested and deployed, reducing manual effort and minimizing errors.
GitHub Actions:
GitHub Actions is a feature within GitHub that enables you to automate workflows directly from your GitHub repository.
Key advantages of using GitHub Actions for CI/CD pipelines include:
Simplicity: GitHub Actions simplifies CI/CD pipeline setup. You define workflows in a YAML file within your repo, and it handles the rest.
Event Triggers: You can respond to any webhook on GitHub, including pull requests, issues, and custom webhooks from integrated apps.
Community-Powered: Share your workflows publicly or access pre-built workflows from the GitHub Marketplace.
Platform Agnostic: GitHub Actions works with any platform, language, and cloud provider
In summary, GitHub Actions provides a flexible and integrated way to define workflows, including CI/CD pipelines, directly within your GitHub repository. It’s a powerful tool for automating tasks and improving your development process! 😊
GitLab
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GitHub Actions, Jenkins, and GitLab CI/CD are all popular tools for automating software development workflows, but they serve different purposes and have distinct features. Let’s briefly compare them:
GitHub Actions:
Event-driven CI/CD tool integrated with GitHub repositories.
Workflow files are written in YAML.
Provides free runners hosted on Microsoft Azure for building, testing, and deploying applications.
Has a marketplace with pre-made actions for various tasks.
Beginner-friendly and easy to set up1.
Well-suited for startups and small companies.
Jenkins:
Established CI/CD tool with extensive community support.
Requires manual setup and maintenance on custom servers.
Uses Groovy scripts for defining pipelines.
Offers flexibility for complex scripting and custom configurations.
Suitable for larger organizations with specific requirements2.
GitLab CI/CD:
Integrated with GitLab repositories.
Uses .gitlab-ci.yml files for defining pipelines.
Provides shared runners or allows self-hosted runners.
Strong integration with GitLab features.
Well-suited for teams using GitLab for source control and project management.
Will GitHub Actions “kill” Jenkins and GitLab? Not necessarily. Each tool has its strengths and weaknesses, and the choice depends on your specific needs, existing workflows, and team preferences. Some organizations even use a combination of these tools to cover different use cases3. Ultimately, it’s about finding the right fit for your development process4. 😊
You can see one Github Action implemented for the demo here hope this will help to start.
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