Cicd

No Plugin CI/CD Builds

TL;DR

Avoid over-reliance on CI/CD plugins that obscure processes and hinder local reproducibility. Instead, use scripts and Makefiles to automate builds, tests, and linting, ensuring consistency across local and CI environments. Plugins should complement, not replace, developer workflows—for tasks like environment provisioning, secrets management, or caching. Scripted automation simplifies switching CI tools and maintains fast feedback cycles, critical for developer productivity.

CI and plugins

A continuous integration pipeline that automatically lints, builds, and tests code changes is part of most if not all teams. There are many tools and products in this ecosystem to support and enable teams with managing their CI setup.

Don’t Be Too Rigid When Building CI/CD Platforms

TL;DR

The DORA 2024 report emphasizes how CI/CD platforms that automate test execution, reporting, and environment management help teams focus on writing high-quality tests. This is a major advantage, but there’s a slippery slope: overly prescriptive platforms risk reducing autonomy and engagement. Platforms like GitHub Actions strike a balance by offering reusable workflows with “escape hatches” for customization. By adopting simple contracts for test reporting (e.g., xUnit XML files), platforms can provide structure while preserving team flexibility, making it easier to integrate customized workflows into centralized analysis—thus combining the benefits of a golden path while avoiding ’lock-in’ into a prescriptive, rigid delivery pipeline.