Introduction 🚀

Welcome to our beginner-friendly guide on setting up GitLab CI/CD pipelines! Think of a CI/CD pipeline like a cooking recipe - you follow a series of steps to create something amazing. In this case, we're creating an automated way to deliver your code from development to production.

What You'll Learn 📚

• Basic concepts of CI/CD pipelines
• How to create a
  .gitlab-ci.yml
  file
• Setting up multiple environments
• Best practices and optimization tips

Prerequisites 🛠️

Before we start, make sure you have:

• A GitLab account
• A project repository on GitLab
• Basic understanding of Git commands
• Docker installed (optional but recommended)

Understanding CI/CD Basics 🎓

CI/CD stands for Continuous Integration and Continuous Deployment/Delivery. Let's break it down:

• Continuous Integration (CI) 🔄

  • Automatically building and testing your code
  • Finding and fixing bugs early
  • Keeping your code quality high

• Continuous Deployment (CD) 🚀

  • Automatically deploying your code
  • Managing different environments
  • Ensuring smooth releases

Creating Your First Pipeline 🎯

Let's create a simple pipeline. Create a file named

in your project root:

stages:
  - build
  - test
  - deploy

build-job:
  stage: build
  script:
    - echo "Building the application..."
    - npm install
    - npm run build

test-job:
  stage: test
  script:
    - echo "Running tests..."
    - npm run test

deploy-staging:
  stage: deploy
  script:
    - echo "Deploying to staging..."
  environment:
    name: staging
  only:
    - develop

deploy-production:
  stage: deploy
  script:
    - echo "Deploying to production..."
  environment:
    name: production
  only:
    - main

Pipeline Stages Explained 🔍

1. Build Stage 🏗️

This is where we prepare our application:

• Install dependencies
• Compile code
• Create artifacts

2. Test Stage ✅

Here we ensure everything works:

• Run unit tests
• Run integration tests
• Check code quality

3. Deploy Stage 🚀

Finally, we deploy our application:

• Deploy to staging
• Deploy to production
• Verify deployment

Environment Variables and Secrets 🔐

Keep sensitive information secure using GitLab's CI/CD variables:

1. Go to Settings > CI/CD
2. Expand Variables section
3. Add your variables:
   • API keys
   • Database credentials
   • Environment-specific configs

Best Practices 💡

1. Keep It Simple

   • Start small and expand gradually
   • Use clear, descriptive names

2. Cache Dependencies

cache:
  paths:
    - node_modules/

3. Use Pipeline Templates

   • Create reusable configurations
   • Maintain consistency across projects

4. Monitor Performance

   • Watch pipeline duration
   • Optimize slow stages

Troubleshooting Tips 🔧

Common issues and solutions:

1. Pipeline Fails to Start

   • Check runner availability
   • Verify
     .gitlab-ci.yml
     syntax

2. Build Errors

   • Check dependency versions
   • Verify build scripts

3. Deploy Failures

   • Check environment variables
   • Verify deployment credentials

Next Steps 🎯

Now that you have your basic pipeline:

1. Add more test stages
2. Implement code quality checks
3. Add deployment notifications
4. Set up monitoring

Conclusion 🎉

Congratulations! You've created your first GitLab CI/CD pipeline. Remember:

• Start simple
• Test thoroughly
• Monitor and optimize
• Keep learning and improving

Need help? Check out:

• GitLab Documentation
• Community Forums
• Stack Overflow

Happy coding! 🚀