How to build a DevOps pipeline: A complete guide

The software development landscape is constantly in flux. New technologies emerge, user demands shift, and competition intensifies. As a response, DevOps pipelines have become essential for efficient and reliable software delivery. By automating and streamlining the journey from code commit to production deployment, DevOps pipelines empower teams to innovate faster, adapt to change with agility, and deliver high-quality software that meets end-user needs. 

As we move through 2024, these pipelines are poised to evolve further, incorporating cutting-edge tools and practices to ensure a smooth and secure software delivery process.

What is a DevOps pipeline?

At its core, a DevOps pipeline is a series of automated processes and tools that bridge the gap between development and operations teams. It orchestrates the entire software delivery lifecycle, encompassing tasks like code building, testing, deployment, and monitoring. This collaborative approach eliminates silos, reduces manual work, and fosters a culture of continuous improvement. By automating repetitive tasks, DevOps pipelines free up valuable developer time for innovation and problem-solving, ultimately leading to faster software releases and improved user experiences.

DevOps pipeline components

DevOps pipelines rely on several key principles and components to function effectively. Here's a breakdown of essential best practices for each stage of your pipeline:

1. Continuous integration and delivery (CI/CD) starts with automation: 

• Automate everything: Leveraging tools like Jenkins, GitLab, or Bamboo, you can streamline your workflow, eliminate manual errors, and free developers to focus on innovation.

• Version control: A robust Version Control System (VCS) like Git acts as the backbone of your pipeline. It tracks every code change, facilitates collaboration among developers, and allows for easy rollbacks if needed. This ensures a clear history and a safety net in case of any issues.

• Fast feedback loops: Effective CI/CD pipelines provide rapid feedback to developers after every code commit. Now you can identify and fix bugs early in the development cycle, preventing problems from compounding later on.

2. Ensuring quality at every step with continuous testing (CT): 

• Multiple testing types: A strong CI/CD pipeline integrates various automated testing tools throughout the process. This may include unit tests (verifying individual code units), integration tests (ensuring different modules work together), performance tests (assessing application speed under load), and security tests (identifying vulnerabilities). This multi-layered approach helps ensure comprehensive source code quality.

• Shift left testing and prevention: The concept of "shifting left" emphasizes performing tests as early as possible in the development lifecycle. By catching and fixing bugs early on, you prevent them from reaching production and potentially causing larger issues.

• Striving for comprehensive test coverage: Aim for high test coverage within your pipeline. This means ensuring all critical functionalities of the application are thoroughly tested. High test coverage provides greater confidence in the overall quality and stability of your software.

3. Continuous deployment that delivers value faster:

• Managing risk with small, frequent deployments: Large deployments can be risky. CI/CD encourages breaking down these deployments into smaller, incremental releases. This reduces the risk associated with each deployment and allows for faster delivery of new features and bug fixes to your users in real time.

• Automated deployments for consistency and efficiency: Manual deployments are error-prone and time-consuming. CI/CD pipelines automate deployments to production, ensuring consistency and minimizing human intervention. This frees up valuable time for developers and operations teams.

• Rollback strategy for a safe production: Even with robust testing, unforeseen issues can arise. Having a well-defined rollback plan in place allows you to quickly revert to a previous, stable version of the application if any problems occur after deployment.

4. Continuously keeping your finger on the pulse:

• Keeping a close eye on performance: Continuously monitor application performance metrics like uptime, resource utilization, and error rates. You’ll get valuable insights into the health and stability of your application in production.

• Addressing issues before they reach users: Don't wait for problems to become user-facing. Leverage monitoring tools to proactively identify potential issues before they impact user experience (which allows for early intervention and helps to maintain a high-quality application).

• Building on user input with feedback: Incorporate user feedback into your development process. CI/CD pipelines can facilitate the gathering and analysis of user feedback, which can then be used to improve future iterations of the application. 

5. Maintaining efficiency and security with a continuous operations approach:

• Consistency through IaC automation: Managing and provisioning your infrastructure through code is possible. IaC (Infrastructure as code) tools allow for this, ensuring consistency, repeatability, and automated configuration of your infrastructure environment. This eliminates manual configuration errors and streamlines infrastructure management.

• Building securely from the start: Security shouldn't be an afterthought. Integrate security best practices throughout your CI/CD pipeline. This includes using secure coding practices, employing security testing tools, and ensuring secure deployments. By building security in from the beginning, you create a more robust and resilient application.

Breaking down silos for collaboration success: DevOps thrives on collaboration between development, operations, and security teams. By breaking down silos and working together, you can ensure a smooth development lifecycle and deliver high-quality software faster.

6 steps to create a DevOps pipeline

Building a robust DevOps pipeline requires careful planning and the integration of various tools and DevOps processes. Here's a breakdown of the key steps involved:

1. Choose a CI/CD tool

The foundation of your pipeline is a CI/CD (Continuous Integration and Continuous Delivery) tool. This platform automates the core stages of the CI/CD pipeline, such as building, testing, and deploying your code. Popular options include Jenkins, GitLab CI/CD, Azure Pipelines, and AWS CodePipeline. Consider factors like team size, project complexity, and budget when selecting the right tool for your needs.

2. Determine project management processes and tools

Integrate your DevOps pipeline with your existing project management tools and processes. This ensures a seamless workflow from planning and development to deployment and monitoring. Tools like Jira, Trello, or Asana can be effectively linked with your CI/CD platform to streamline task management and provide visibility across the entire development lifecycle.

3. Implement a control environment

A control environment acts as a staging ground for your code before deployment to production. This allows for thorough testing and identification of any potential issues before they impact real users. You can create separate control environments for development, testing, and staging purposes.

4. Configure a build server

The build server is responsible for compiling your code into a deployable artifact. This could involve tasks like code compilation, dependency management, and packaging. Your chosen CI/CD tool often comes with built-in build server functionalities, or you can leverage dedicated build servers like Jenkins or TeamCity.

5. Leverage automated testing

Automated testing is a cornerstone of a robust DevOps pipeline. Integrate automated tests within your pipeline to perform unit tests, integration tests, and even performance tests at each stage. This continuous feedback loop running tests ensures code quality and identifies bugs early on, preventing them from reaching production.

6. Deploy to production

The final stage involves deploying your tested code to production. DevOps pipelines allow for automated deployments, minimizing manual intervention and reducing the risk of errors. However, it's important to have a rollback strategy in place in case any unforeseen issues arise after deployment.

What are the stages of a Devops pipeline?

A DevOps pipeline breaks down the software delivery lifecycle into smaller, automated stages. These stages can be broadly categorized into two sections: Development and Operations.

Development stages

The development stages focus on building, testing, and preparing the code for deployment.

Planning stage

This stage involves defining project requirements, user stories, and dev tasks. Version control systems like Git are often used for code management and collaboration during this phase.

Coding stage

Developers write, review, and commit code changes to the version control system. This stage may involve unit testing to ensure individual code components function correctly.

Building stage

The build stage compiles the code into a deployable artifact. This might involve tasks like dependency management and packaging the code for deployment.

Testing stage

Automated testing tools are used to perform various tests on the built code. This could include unit tests, integration tests, and functional tests to ensure the overall functionality of the application.

Operation stages

Once the code has been built and tested, the operations stages focus on deploying the code to production and ensuring its smooth operation.

Releasing stage

This stage involves preparing the code for deployment to production. It might include tasks like code signing, security checks, and configuration management. Approval gates can be implemented at this stage to ensure code quality and adherence to compliance standards before deployment.

Deploying stage

The code is deployed to the production environment. DevOps pipelines automate deployment processes, minimizing manual intervention and reducing the risk of errors. Different deployment strategies like blue-green deployments or canary deployments can be employed at this stage for a controlled rollout.

Operating stage

This stage encompasses the ongoing management of the application in production. It may involve tasks like configuration management, resource provisioning, and scaling the application to meet user demands.

Monitoring stage

The application's performance and health are continuously monitored in production. This stage involves tools that track metrics like uptime, resource utilization, and error logs. Proactive monitoring allows for early detection and resolution of any issues that may arise after deployment.

Benefits of using DevOps pipelines in ITSM

By integrating DevOps pipelines within your ITSM framework, you can unlock a range of significant advantages like:

Faster development cycles and quicker delivery

Automation streamlines the process: DevOps pipelines automate repetitive tasks like building, testing, and deployment, freeing up development teams to focus on new features, which reduces overall development time and allows for faster delivery of new functionalities to users.

Smaller, more frequent releases: DevOps encourages breaking down large projects into smaller, more manageable chunks. This enables frequent releases with fewer changes in each iteration, minimizing risk and accelerating the delivery of value to the customer.

Better software quality and customer satisfaction

Continuous integration and testing: Code changes are automatically integrated and tested throughout the development lifecycle. This continuous feedback loop identifies and fixes bugs early on, preventing them from reaching production and impacting users.

Improved code consistency: Pipelines enforce coding standards and best practices, resulting in more consistent and reliable code. This translates to fewer errors and more stable customer service. 

Fewer incidents and quicker resolution

Early problem detection: Automated testing within the pipeline proactively identifies potential issues before they reach production. This allows for quicker bug fixes and reduces the number of incidents reported through your ITSM system.

Faster incident resolution: Streamlined deployment processes enable faster rollbacks or fixes in case of problems. This minimizes downtime and ensures a quicker resolution for any incidents that do occur.

DevOps pipeline best practices

With any new approach to your DevOps pipeline, it’s important to consider best practices to keep the process efficient for your team. DevOps pipeline best practices will ensure your development and deployment processes are efficient, reliable, and secure. Here’s how you can streamline your workflow, minimize errors, and deliver high-quality software faster.

1. Track changes with version control.

At the heart of collaboration and code management lies a robust Version Control System (VCS) like Git. It allows developers to track every change made to the codebase, facilitating collaboration, rollbacks to previous versions if necessary, and providing a clear audit trail. Branching strategies, such as feature branches for isolated development and clear merging procedures, further streamline the development process and minimize conflicts.

2. Let automation lead the way.

DevOps thrives on automation. Repetitive tasks like building, testing, and deployment are automated within the pipeline, freeing developers to focus on core functionalities. This not only saves valuable time but also ensures consistency and reduces human error. Popular tools like Jenkins, GitLab, or Bamboo excel in orchestrating these automated tasks within a CI/CD pipeline, enabling smoother and faster software delivery.

3. Catch vulnerabilities early.

Security is paramount. By integrating security testing tools early in the CI/CD pipeline ("shifting left"), we can identify vulnerabilities as soon as code is committed. This proactive approach prevents these issues from reaching production, saving time and resources compared to fixing them later in the development cycle.

4. Test for quality.

A robust testing strategy is essential for ensuring code quality. CI/CD pipelines should incorporate various automated tests, including:

• Unit Tests: These verify the functionality of individual units of code (e.g., functions, classes).

• Integration Tests: These ensure different code modules work seamlessly together.

• Regression Tests: These guarantee that new changes haven't broken existing functionalities.

• Performance Tests: These assess the application's speed and responsiveness under load.

• Security Tests: As mentioned earlier, these identify security vulnerabilities in the code.

5. Improve in iterations.

DevOps is a continuous process, not a one-time solution. As you gain experience and gather feedback from various stakeholders (developers, operations, users), revisit and refine your pipeline. This iterative approach ensures your DevOps practices remain optimized and continue to deliver value throughout the software development lifecycle.

Master DevOps pipeline management in ITSM with Freshservice

Freshservice, a popular IT service management (ITSM) platform, offers robust capabilities to integrate with DevOps pipelines, fostering a seamless development and deployment process. Here's how you can leverage Freshservice to master DevOps pipeline management within your ITSM:

1. Leverage Freshservice DevOps integrations:

Freshservice provides built-in integrations with leading DevOps tools like GitLab, Azure DevOps Pipeline, and Jenkins. These integrations enable bi-directional communication between your pipelines and Freshservice, allowing you to:

• Automate incident creation: Trigger incident tickets in Freshservice automatically upon failed deployments or identified issues within your pipeline.

• Enhance change management: Link code commits and deployments within your pipeline to corresponding change requests in Freshservice. This improves change visibility and facilitates auditing.

• Streamline approvals: Integrate approval workflows within Freshservice for deployments, ensuring adherence to governance and compliance standards.

2. Utilize Freshservice workflow automation:

Freshservice's workflow automation engine empowers you to build custom workflows that connect your DevOps pipeline with various ITSM functionalities. This allows for:

• Automated deployments: Trigger deployments in your pipeline based on specific events within Freshservice, such as service ticket resolution or approval for a change request.

• Improved communication: Automatically notify relevant stakeholders (developers, operations teams) within Freshservice upon key stages of your pipeline (deployment success, failure, etc.).

• Enhanced service delivery: Integrate automated testing results from your pipeline into Freshservice to proactively identify potential service disruptions before they impact users.

3. Leverage Freshservice CMDB for configuration management:

Freshservice Configuration Management Database (CMDB) provides a centralized repository for all your IT assets and their configurations. This can be extremely beneficial for DevOps pipeline management by:

• Maintaining infrastructure consistency: Use Freshservice CMDB to define and store infrastructure configurations as code. This ensures consistent infrastructure provisioning across different environments (development, testing, production).

• Streamlining rollbacks: In case of deployment issues, Freshservice CMDB allows you to quickly revert to a previous configuration state, minimizing downtime and impact on users.

• Improved service mapping: Map your applications and services within Freshservice CMDB to visualize dependencies and identify potential bottlenecks during deployments.

4. Utilize Freshservice analytics for improved visibility:

Freshservice offers comprehensive analytics that can be instrumental in optimizing your DevOps pipelines:

• Monitor pipeline performance: Track key metrics like deployment lead time, failure rate, and rollback frequency to identify areas for improvement within your pipeline.

• Identify trends: Analyze historical data to understand the impact of deployments on service incidents and user experience.

• Measure business value: Evaluate the effectiveness of your DevOps practices by correlating pipeline performance with key business metrics like customer satisfaction and revenue growth.

With Freshservice's functionalities, you can bridge the gap between development and operations. Sign up and see the difference with a more collaborative and efficient DevOps environment within your ITSM framework.