2.1.1. Implementing CI/CD Pipelines: Overview & Core Components

First Principle: A well-designed CI/CD pipeline embodies the principle of "flow," ensuring a smooth, automated progression of code from development to production.

Implementing CI/CD pipelines on AWS involves orchestrating various services to automate the software release process. The core components work together to ensure code changes are built, tested, and deployed efficiently and reliably.

Core CI/CD Pipeline Components:

1. Source Control: Where code changes are stored and versioned (e.g., AWS CodeCommit, GitHub).
2. Build Service: Compiles code, runs tests, and produces artifacts (e.g., AWS CodeBuild).
3. Deployment Service: Automates the deployment of applications to various environments (e.g., AWS CodeDeploy).
4. Orchestration: Coordinates the flow between different stages (e.g., AWS CodePipeline).

Scenario: A development team is manually deploying application updates, which is slow and prone to errors. A DevOps engineer proposes building a CI/CD pipeline to automate this process.

Reflection Question: How does orchestrating AWS CodeCommit, AWS CodeBuild, AWS CodeDeploy, and AWS CodePipeline within a single pipeline fundamentally improve the "flow" of software delivery, reducing manual effort and accelerating time-to-market?

These components form the backbone of an automated delivery system, reducing manual effort and accelerating time-to-market.

💡 Tip: Start with a simple pipeline and gradually add complexity. Focus on automating the most repetitive and error-prone steps first to gain immediate value.