CI/CD Tools

The main purpose of Continuous Integration and Continuous Delivery (CI/CD) is to help software teams deliver products easily and maintain the quality of the product. CI/CD tools play a key and central role in getting that.

Why are they used

A CI/CD tool provides various types of convenience while coordinating and automating the multiple stages of the software delivery pipeline: From kicking off the process following a commit to managing the build, triggering automated tests, publishing artifacts, and collating and relaying feedback.

Figure 1: An example of CI/CD workflow [1]

Choosing suitable tools is critical in implementing the CI/CD pipeline for your organization.

We have put together key points that you should keep in mind to choose the best tool for your organization

Figure 2: Key features OF CI/CD Tools[2]

· Integrating with existing infrastructure: Your tool’s job is to coordinate the activities of the whole system. Therefore, your CI/CD tool must be compatible with your technology stack and workflow.

· Scalability: The tool should be able to increase workloads and projects without compromising performance or reliability.

· Ease of use: Choose CI/CD tools that are user-friendly, and easy to set up and configure. Tools should have an intuitive user interface and comprehensive documentation.

· Reliability and Stability: Prioritize CI/CD tools that are reliable, stable, and well-maintained. Regular updates, bug fixes, and security patches are essential to ensure the tool’s performance and security over time.

· Cost and Licensing: Consider the cost and licensing model of the CI/CD tool, including upfront fees, subscription plans, and additional charges for premium features or support.

These items should initially be considered when choosing the best tool for your organization. You may also consider additional items according to your needs.

Let’s dive deep into some CI/CD tools based on the principles that we mentioned above.

Jenkins

Jenkins is an open-source CI/CD tool. Besides facilitating Continuous Delivery, it also offers Continuous integration, and real-time testing and reporting.

Figure 3: Jenkins Process [4]

Key features of Jenkins include:

• Available on Windows, Linux, and macOS platforms.
• Free of charge, making it a preferred choice for startups and large-scale organizations.
• Highly extensible architecture.
• Integrates with cloud platforms such as AWS, Google Cloud, Azure, Digital Ocean, and more.
• Used for implementing complex CD requirements.
• Distributed as a .war file.

TeamCity

TeamCity is a server-based CI/CD pipeline tool used in Java. It is developed by JetBrains and supports installation on Windows and Linux servers.

TeamCity offers an easy option for integrating with Azure DevOps and Jira Software Cloud for small teams. It also supports launching build agents in a Kubernetes cluster.

Key features of TeamCity include:

• Extensible and customizable.
• Can run parallel builds.
• Allows defining build configurations using an ordered layout feature, using Kotlin-based DSL (domain-specific language).
• Integrates with Docker, Visual Studio Team Services, Maven, NuGet, and more.
• Integrates with popular cloud platforms like Google Cloud, AWS, VMWare vSphere, and others.
• Provides powerful features for viewing run history and test progress reports in real time.

GitLab

GitLab CI is a tool built into GitLab.

To use GitLab CI/CD, you need to host your codebase in a Git repository and specify the command files that should be located in the root directory.

Figure 4: Gitlab CI process[5]

Key features of GitLab include:

• Provides developer APIs in GitLab CI.
• Available for platforms such as Windows, Linux, and macOS.
• User-friendly interface.
• GitLab CI’s caching mechanism is highly effective.
• Jobs in GitLab CI can run in parallel or sequentially.
• Transitioning from a tool like Jenkins or CircleCI to GitLab CI is straightforward.
• GitLab CI is easy to use.

Conclusion

DevOps is often described as requiring three key elements to put it into practice: culture, processes, and tools.

Choosing the right build and deployment tools for your organization will help you realize the benefits of CI/CD and allow you to keep evolving and improving your software development process and CI management.

REFERENCES

• [1] Rajaa, R. (2020, May 8). Top Continuous Integration (CI) Tools Comparison | BrowserStack
• [2] A Guide to CI/CD Tools | TeamCity CI/CD Guide | JetBrains. (n.d.). JetBrains.
• [3] What is CI/CD? (n.d.). https://www.redhat.com/en/topics/devops/what-is-ci-cd#ci/cd-tools
• [4] https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=PKcGy9oPVXg
• [5] GitLab CI/CD Nedir? (2023, November 28). Bilişim Evreni. https://bilisimevreni.com.tr/gitlab-ci-cd-nedir/

Authors

Düzgün Doğan

Beyza İrge