Get Started with GitLab CI/CD in One Hour - Crash Course

💡GitLab CI/CD is a continuous integration and continuous deployment platform that allows you to automate code testing, building, and deployment processes.

🚀A CI/CD pipeline is a series of steps that are executed whenever changes are made to the codebase. It helps ensure code quality, enables faster delivery, and reduces manual intervention.

🔨Key components of a GitLab CI/CD pipeline include jobs, stages, runners, and variables. Jobs are individual tasks, stages represent the overall flow, runners execute the jobs, and variables store and pass data.

📚GitLab is striving to become a one-stop shop for building DevOps processes. The platform integrates different DevOps features, including CI/CD pipelines, to streamline development workflows.

🔍The GitLab CI/CD pipeline is written in a YAML file, which allows for easy configuration and version control. The pipeline code can be stored alongside the application code in the GitLab repository.

What is the difference between continuous integration and continuous deployment?

—Continuous integration is the practice of automatically testing and merging code changes, while continuous deployment involves automatically deploying those changes to the production environment.

How does GitLab CI/CD compare to other CI/CD tools?

—GitLab CI/CD offers a seamless integration with GitLab repositories, making it easy to set up and configure pipelines. It also provides a complete DevOps platform, allowing for a unified workflow.

Can I use GitLab CI/CD with applications written in different programming languages?

—Yes, GitLab CI/CD is language-agnostic and can be used with applications written in any programming language. It supports a wide range of runners and allows for customization to fit your specific needs.

What are the advantages of using GitLab CI/CD?

—Some advantages of using GitLab CI/CD include seamless integration with GitLab repositories, easy pipeline configuration using a YAML file, scalability and flexibility, and a complete DevOps platform with additional features.

Is it possible to use self-managed runners with GitLab CI/CD?

—Yes, GitLab allows you to set up and manage your own runners for more control and security. This is especially useful for organizations with specific requirements or restrictions.

00:00Introduction to the GitLab CI/CD crash course and the instructor's background.

01:26Explanation of what GitLab CI/CD is and why it is important for DevOps processes.

03:36Overview of the GitLab CI/CD architecture and how it works with GitLab runners.

05:27Demonstration of the demo project, a Python web application, that will be used to build the CI/CD pipeline.

08:11Explanation of how tests are executed in the application and demonstration of running the tests locally.

12:02Starting the application locally and accessing it in the browser to verify its functionality.

12:50Introduction to creating a GitLab CI/CD pipeline using a YAML file.

13:50Demonstration of writing the pipeline configuration in the GitLab UI and explaining the main building blocks.

17:30Executing the CI/CD pipeline and monitoring the pipeline status and logs in GitLab.

20:15Deploying the application to a remote server using the GitLab CI/CD pipeline.