Challenges
Before adopting GoCD, PIXM team faced several challenges:
Overview
In the fast-paced world of software development, maintaining a smooth Continuous Integration (CI) and Continuous Delivery (CD) pipeline is key to rapid innovation and deployment. ThoughtWorks GoCD, an open-source CI/CD system, offers an ideal solution for organizations like PIXM seeking streamlined, purpose-built tools for delivery. This case study explores how GoCD revolutionized PIXM’s development process, providing unparalleled end-to-end visualization, complex workflow modeling, and advanced traceability.
Category
CD (DevOps)
Client
Pixm
Tags
- GoCD
- Git
Lack of Pipeline Visibility
It was difficult to get a holistic view of the end-to-end process, causing delays in identifying inefficiencies.
Complex Workflow Management
Managing multiple, interdependent pipelines with different environments (Dev, Test, Staging, Prod) was time-consuming and error-prone.
Troubleshooting Delays
It was hard to trace issues back to their root cause, often leading to longer downtimes.
Architecture
Solution
01. End-to-End Visualization
GoCD’s value stream map allowed PIXM team to visualize the entire path to production in one view. This feature helped PIXM easily navigate across jobs, pinpoint bottlenecks, and streamline processes. The intuitive interface ensured even non-technical stakeholders could understand the pipeline, fostering better cross-team collaboration.
02. Complex Workflow Modeling
We needed a system that could handle complex workflows without relying on plugins. GoCD stood out with its out-of-the-box support for parallel execution and dependency management. Its modeling constructs allowed PIXM to design intricate CD workflows while ensuring fast feedback loops.
- Pipelines: We ran multiple pipelines in parallel, ensuring that our builds could be processed simultaneously for different environments.
- Stages: Within each pipeline, stages were executed sequentially, allowing us to manage dependencies effectively.
- Jobs: Within stages, jobs were processed in parallel to optimize resource utilization.
- Tasks: Tasks within jobs were executed sequentially, simplifying complex setups.
03. Branching & GoCD pipeline triggers
In this implementation of GoCD, we employed a well-structured branching strategy and automated pipeline triggers to streamline development and release cycles. Authorized Git users manage Feature Branches and Hotfix Branches, ensuring code stability through the following automated triggers:
01 Dev CI/CD Trigger
For every commit to a Feature Branch or Hotfix Branch, the Dev CI/CD pipeline is automatically triggered. This ensures that the code is built and tested early, reducing integration issues later.
02 Pull Requests and Test CI/CD Pipeline
When a feature or fix is ready, a pull request to the Master Branch triggers the Test CI/CD pipeline, ensuring that the new code integrates seamlessly with the master branch and passes all tests before being merged.
03 Staging CI/CD Pipeline
Upon a successful merge into the master branch, the Staging CI/CD pipeline is triggered. This stage automatically deploys the application to the staging environment for further testing and validation before production.
04Production Pipeline
Finally, when the staging build is validated, the Production Pipeline is triggered, completing the release process by deploying the application to production. This fully automated setup ensures a smooth, hands-off deployment process across environments.
This structured approach, as visualized in the diagram, not only minimizes manual intervention but also speeds up feedback cycles and ensures consistent, high-quality releases. By automating key aspects of the development lifecycle, GoCD enhances both productivity and reliability in PIXM’s CI/CD process.
04. Advanced Traceability
One of the standout features of GoCD is its real-time tracking of every change from commit to deploy. This functionality drastically reduced troubleshooting time. If a pipeline broke, PIXM team could immediately trace the issue back to a specific commit, helping development team resolve the problem swiftly.
Automation and Integration
Hands-off Deployment Process
With GoCD, PIXM fully automated their deployment processes across environments (Dev, Test, Staging, and Prod). This hands-off approach allowed PIXM’s development team to focus on writing code rather than managing deployments.
Integrated Testing
We integrated automated product component testing, ensuring that each change was rigorously tested before reaching production. GoCD also facilitated automated deliveries to Chrome, Firefox stores, and Azure storage accounts, ensuring timely releases.
Automation Tools
- Azure Services: PowerShell scripts, VMs, and storage accounts were integrated for complex scenario setups involving desktops and agent lifecycle management.
- Selenium: Automated web UI and extension testing were seamlessly handled with GoCD.
- JMeter: API test automation became straightforward, ensuring each API change was thoroughly tested before deployment.
- Robot Framework & Gherkin: We relied on these tools for end-to-end product automation testing, further boosting our testing efficiency.
Results
After implementing GoCD, we saw significant improvements in PIXM’s CI/CD pipeline:
30% Reduction in Build Time
Parallel pipelines and job executions reduced build times, improving overall efficiency.
50% Faster Issue Resolution
Advanced traceability helped us trace issues faster, reducing downtime and enhancing productivity.
Enhanced Process Visibility
The value stream map gave us full visibility into PIXM’s pipelines, enabling us to spot and address inefficiencies instantly.
Conclusion
Our implementation of GoCD has transformed the way PIXM handle CI/CD by offering end-to-end visualization, streamlined workflows, and powerful automation capabilities. Its out-of-the-box features reduced our dependency on plugins and external tools, providing a simple yet effective solution for managing complex delivery pipelines. For any team focused on achieving fast, reliable deployments, our implementation of GoCD is a valuable asset.
