Platform

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.