Get started with GitLab CI/CD

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CI/CD is a continuous method of software development, where you continuously build, test, deploy, and monitor iterative code changes.

This iterative process helps reduce the chance that you develop new code based on buggy or failed previous versions. GitLab CI/CD can catch bugs early in the development cycle, and help ensure that all the code deployed to production complies with your established code standards.

Common terms

If you're new to GitLab CI/CD, start by reviewing some of the commonly used terms.

The .gitlab-ci.yml file

To use GitLab CI/CD, you start with a .gitlab-ci.yml file at the root of your project which contains the configuration for your CI/CD pipeline. This file follows the YAML format and has its own syntax.

You can name this file anything you want, but .gitlab-ci.yml is the most common name.

Get started:

• Create your first .gitlab-ci.yml file.
• View all the possible keywords that you can use in the .gitlab-ci.yml file in the CI/CD YAML syntax reference.
• Use the pipeline editor to edit or visualize your CI/CD configuration.

Runners

Runners are the agents that run your jobs. These agents can run on physical machines or virtual instances. In your .gitlab-ci.yml file, you can specify a container image you want to use when running the job. The runner loads the image, clones your project and runs the job either locally or in the container.

If you use GitLab.com, runners on Linux, Windows, and macOS are already available for use. And you can register your own runners on GitLab.com if you'd like.

If you don't use GitLab.com, you can:

• Register runners or use runners already registered for your self-managed instance.
• Create a runner on your local machine.

Get started:

• Create a runner on your local machine.
• Learn more about runners.

Pipelines

Pipelines are made up of jobs and stages:

• Jobs define what you want to do. For example, test code changes, or deploy to a staging environment.
• Jobs are grouped into stages. Each stage contains at least one job. Typical stages might be build, test, and deploy.

Get started:

• Learn more about pipelines.

CI/CD variables

CI/CD variables help you customize jobs by making values defined elsewhere accessible to jobs. They can be hard-coded in your .gitlab-ci.yml file, project settings, or dynamically generated.

Get started:

• Learn more about CI/CD variables.
• Learn about dynamically generated predefined variables.

CI/CD components

A CI/CD component is a reusable single pipeline configuration unit. Use them to compose an entire pipeline configuration or a small part of a larger pipeline.

Get started:

• Learn more about CI/CD components.

Videos

• GitLab CI/CD demo.
• GitLab CI/CD and the Web IDE.
• Webcast: Mastering continuous software development.

Related topics

• Five teams that made the switch to GitLab CI/CD.
• Make the case for CI/CD in your organization.
• Learn how Verizon reduced rebuilds from 30 days to under 8 hours with GitLab.
• Use the GitLab Workflow VS Code extension to validate your configuration and view your pipeline status.