Hey everyone! I'm new here and a web developer who dabbles in various side projects. I often find myself in a tough spot when it comes to automating my deployments. To give you an idea of my current workflow, when I finish coding, I end up running tests, building a Docker image, pushing it to a registry, and then pulling the new image on my server using Portainer or sometimes WatchTower.
After doing some research, I keep coming across the suggestion to implement a CI/CD pipeline, but I'm curious about why I should bother using GitHub Actions for this process. I feel like I could just write a Bash script to automate these steps locally and run it whenever I finish coding. Is there a significant advantage to using GitHub Actions over a simple local script?
Also, I'd love to hear your thoughts on the best way to pull the new Docker image on my server: should I go with SSH or call an endpoint? Thanks!
4 Answers
One reason to use GitHub Actions is that it centralizes your build process, allowing it to run automatically on each push. This means you don't have to worry about running it locally, which can be a hassle, especially in a team. If 20 developers are working on the same code, they all need access to push images, but GitHub Actions can handle that with a single service account, simplifying permissions and security.
Using GitHub Actions takes away a lot of the risks associated with manual deployments. Developers won't need privileged access to servers because all deployment processes are managed through GitHub, using their secrets for security. It streamlines the way you handle testing and deployment, minimizing human error while giving you peace of mind as you scale your projects or work in teams.
In general, utilizing Actions is about consistency and reliability. If you write a Bash script, it won't be as reproducible on different machines as running the same processes through GitHub Actions. You get the benefit of running everything in a controlled environment set up by GitHub automatically. It integrates seamlessly into your workflow, responding to repo events and automating your CI/CD pipeline effectively.
When you're collaborating with others, GitHub Actions really shines. It automates deployments after a pull request is merged, ensuring that your main branch gets the most stable and tested code. Plus, it allows you to have all your integration tests running in a consistent environment, which is crucial for catching errors that might not appear on your local machine. What works for one dev might not work for another, so standardization becomes really beneficial in a team setting.
Plus, remote servers usually have more resources than dev machines, which means your builds can run faster. Having GitHub manage your deployments also allows you to keep your local setup out of the equation, ensuring everything stays standardized.