How do I create a QA/Testing pipeline in my CI/CD process?
Asked by
TechieBear42
I've set up CI/CD pipelines for Dev, Staging, and Production environments, but I've never actually built a pipeline focused on automated testing. I understand why a production pipeline usually doesn't include these tests—because the code is already vetted. However, I'm curious if anyone here has experience with building a dedicated QA/testing pipeline. What insights can you share about its integration with overall CI/CD processes? Also, I've only got about 1.5 years in DevOps, and this was my first full-time job!
Answers
Start with the basics—automate your unit tests first, and then move on to integration tests. Don't overlook database testing; we use DBmaestro for that. For managing tests, platforms like GitHub Actions or Azure DevOps work great, and you can gradually expand your coverage as you get more comfortable.
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If automated testing isn’t preventing broken changes from reaching production, you might want to reconsider its value. It’s often a good idea to integrate testing into your regular deployment pipeline as much as you can.
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Check out this example CI/CD pipeline that includes extensive testing: https://www.cogini.com/blog/breaking-up-the-monolith-building-testing-and-deploying-microservices/
The GitHub Actions code is really handy: https://github.com/cogini/phoenix_container_example/blob/main/.github/workflows/ci.yml
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When building your artifact, you can structure the pipeline like this:
```
unit tests/style linting/SAST/etc
-> (if pass) build
-> artifact testing (DAST, container image scans, etc.)
-> (if pass) deploy: dev
-> e2e tests: dev
-> (if pass) deploy: staging
-> e2e + regression + load tests
-> (if pass) deploy: prod
-> smoke tests
-> (if fail) roll back
```
This way, you can ensure each phase has the necessary tests.
QuickDeploy45: Looks like you've got a solid plan! Thanks for breaking that down.
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CuriousCat33: This is exactly the kind of resource I was hoping to find! Thanks!