CI/CD Pipeline Setup

task:

• Write a simple CI/CD pipeline configuration (e.g., in GitLab CI/CD or GitHub Actions) that:
  1. Builds a basic Node.js application.
  2. Runs tests using npm test.
  3. Deploys the application to a staging server.
• Explain the YAML file structure and its components.

---

Explain YAML File Structure

• name:
  Defines the name of the workflow.

• on: Specifies the events that trigger the workflow:

  • A push to the main branch.
    note: I configured a trigger to automate the build, test, and deployment processes on specific events.

• jobs:
  Defines the tasks to execute. Each job runs independently.

Build Job

1. runs-on: Specifies the environment to run the job (ubuntu-latest).
2. steps: Contains a sequence of actions:
   • Checkout code: Use the GitHub-provided checkout action to retrieve the code;
   • Set up Node.js: Install the required Node.js version using the setup-node action;
   • Install dependencies: Use npm install to fetch dependencies;
   • Run tests: Execute tests using npm test;
   • Build application: Build the app with npm run build.

Deploy Job

1. needs:
   Specifies a dependency on the build job. This ensures that deployment only happens if the build succeeds.
2. env:
   Defines environment variables like staging server details. These are stored securely in GitHub Secrets.
3. run:
   Executes deployment commands:
   • Uploads the build directory to the staging server using scp;
   • Restarts the application service on the server using ssh.