How do you continuously integrate and deliver your web app?

1 GitHub as a code repository

GitHub is a popular platform for hosting and managing your web app code. You can use GitHub to store your code in a remote repository, track changes, collaborate with other developers, and integrate with other tools. To use GitHub for CI/CD, you need to create a GitHub account, create a repository for your web app, and push your code to the repository. You also need to create a file called .github/workflows/main.yml in your repository, which will define the steps of your CI/CD pipeline.

2 Docker as a containerization tool

Docker is a tool that allows you to package your web app code and its dependencies into a portable and isolated unit called a container. A container can run on any machine that has Docker installed, regardless of the operating system or configuration. This makes it easier to build, test, and deploy your web app consistently and efficiently. To use Docker for CI/CD, you need to install Docker on your local machine, create a file called Dockerfile in your web app directory, and write the instructions to build your web app image. You also need to create a file called docker-compose.yml in your web app directory, and write the configuration to run your web app container.

3 Heroku as a deployment platform

Heroku is a cloud service that allows you to deploy and run your web app on the internet. You can use Heroku to scale your web app, monitor its performance, and manage its resources. To use Heroku for CI/CD, you need to create a Heroku account, create an app on Heroku, and link it to your GitHub repository. You also need to add a file called Procfile in your web app directory, and write the command to start your web app container.

4 How the CI/CD pipeline works

Now that the tools are set up, you can witness the CI/CD pipeline in action. Every time you make a change to your web app code and push it to GitHub, a workflow is triggered as defined in the main.yml file. This workflow will build your web app image using the Dockerfile and push it to a Docker registry. It will then run your web app container using the docker-compose.yml file and run some tests on it. Subsequently, it will deploy your web app container to Heroku using the Procfile and update your app on the internet. You will receive feedback on each step's status and be able to see the results of your web app on Heroku.

5 Benefits of CI/CD for your web app

Using CI/CD for your web app has many advantages, such as enabling you to deliver your web app faster and more frequently, so that you can better respond to user feedback and market changes. Additionally, it can improve the quality and reliability of your web app by catching and fixing errors early in the development cycle. Furthermore, CI/CD can reduce the complexity and risk of your web app deployment, as well as eliminate manual and tedious tasks. Finally, it can facilitate collaboration with other developers and promote the best practices of software development.

6 How to improve your CI/CD pipeline

The basic CI/CD pipeline can be improved and customized to your needs. To enhance your CI/CD pipeline, use branches and pull requests to organize code changes, review and merge them before deploying them to Heroku. Additionally, add more tests and code quality checks, and leverage tools like SonarQube or Codecov to measure and improve code coverage and quality. Environment variables and secrets should be used to store sensitive information, such as API keys or database credentials, so that they are not exposed in code or configuration files. Finally, use different environments and stages for web app deployment, such as development, testing, staging, and production; tools like Heroku pipelines or GitHub environments can help control and monitor them.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?