CI/CD: Build, Test, Deploy

This course is ideal for professionals who are ready to take the next step in modern software delivery. Whether you're a junior developer looking to break into DevOps, an IT operations specialist exploring automation, or a QA engineer aiming to streamline deployment workflows, you'll find practical value here. It's also a great fit for Site Reliability Engineers and anyone involved in building or maintaining CI/CD pipelines who wants to deepen their hands-on experience with GitHub Actions, Docker, and Ansible.

• Explain the need for CI/CD and how it differs from traditional workflows  
• Describe the difference between Continuous Integration, Delivery, and Deployment  
• Build automated pipelines using tools like GitHub Actions  
• Implement automated testing workflows  
• Deploy applications using configuration tools like Ansible  
• Build and deploy Docker images through automated CI/CD workflows
  

1. What is DevOps? 

• Definition and core principles
• DevOps lifecycle and stages
• DevOps vs traditional development
• DevOps culture, collaboration, and benefits
• Real-world DevOps use cases

2. Introduction to CI/CD 

• CI/CD overview and importance
• CI vs CD vs CDP explained
• Business value of automation
• CI/CD tools and workflow diagram
• Feedback loops and adoption challenges

3. Breakdown of CI/CD Stages 

• Source, Build, Test, Release
• Deploy, Operate, Monitor
• Pipeline stage dependencies

4. Build Stage : Foundations  

• Understanding build stage and Git basics
• GitHub Actions and workflow triggers
• YAML syntax and folder structure

5. Build Stage – Workflow Authoring 

• Write GitHub Actions build workflow
• Install, build steps, and logging

6. Docker & Containerization 

• What is Docker and containerization
• Writing and tagging Dockerfiles
• Docker in CI/CD pipelines
• Docker security tips

7. Test Stage 

• Importance and types of testing
• Testing tools (PyTest, Jest)
• Add test job to GitHub Actions
• Handle test failures and visualize results

8. Deploy Stage 

• Deployment concepts and environments
• Deployment using GitHub Actions
• Docker image deployment

9. Ansible Basics for Deployment 

• What is Ansible and why use it
• Inventory files and SSH setup
• Playbook structure and common tasks

10. Adding Ansible to GitHub Actions 

• Trigger Ansible from GitHub Actions
• Use dawidd6/action-ansible-playbook
• Pass secrets and inventory securely

11. Securing Your Pipeline 

• GitHub secrets and .env files
• Avoid hardcoded values
• Compliance gates and approvals

12. Monitoring and Best Practices 

• GitHub logs and Prometheus basics
• What to monitor in CI/CD
• Caching and optimization tips

• To get the most out of this course, learners should have prior experience with software development and be comfortable working in a terminal environment. Familiarity with Git and GitHub is essential, as version control and GitHub Actions are core to the hands-on labs. A basic understanding of scripting—whether in shell, Python, or a similar language—will also help participants follow along with automation tasks and workflow authoring.
• While no prior experience with Docker or Ansible is required, having some exposure to infrastructure concepts or CI/CD pipelines will make the learning curve smoother. This course is designed to build on foundational skills, so learners should come prepared to engage with real-world tools in a fast-paced, practical setting.
• Practical Ansible Skills