Build CI/CD pipeline configurations for GitHub, GitLab, Jenkins, and more. Part of the DevTools Surf developer suite. Browse more tools in the DevOps / CI-CD collection.
Use Cases
Generate a starter GitHub Actions workflow for a Node.js or Python project
Build a multi-environment deployment pipeline with staging and production gates
Create a monorepo CI configuration with per-package change detection
Configure matrix builds for cross-platform testing (Node 18/20, Python 3.10/3.11)
Tips
Select your target platform (GitHub Actions, GitLab CI, Jenkins, CircleCI) first — the generated YAML syntax differs significantly between platforms
Use the stage ordering panel to set dependencies: test must pass before build, build before deploy. These become 'needs' in GitLab CI or 'depends-on' in GitHub Actions
Enable the secrets management section to generate proper secret variable references instead of hardcoded values — the format differs by platform
Fun Facts
The term 'continuous integration' was coined by Grady Booch in 1991, but the practice was popularized by Kent Beck and Martin Fowler in their Extreme Programming methodology around 1999. CI servers like CruiseControl (2001) made it automatable.
GitHub Actions was released in November 2019 and reached 1 million Actions workflows within 6 months of launch. By 2023 it had displaced Jenkins as the most widely used CI/CD platform among open-source projects.
The fastest CI/CD pipelines at hyperscale companies (Google, Facebook) complete in under 5 minutes despite testing millions of lines of code. They achieve this through distributed test sharding, hermetic builds, and build caching at massive scale.
FAQ
What is the difference between CI and CD?
CI (Continuous Integration) automatically builds and tests code on every push. CD covers both Continuous Delivery (builds are automatically ready to deploy with manual approval) and Continuous Deployment (every passing build deploys automatically). Most teams practice CI + Continuous Delivery.
Should I use GitHub Actions or Jenkins?
GitHub Actions is simpler for GitHub-hosted projects — no server to maintain, tight GitHub integration, and a massive marketplace. Jenkins offers more flexibility and self-hosted control, better for complex enterprise pipelines or multi-VCS environments.
How do I securely pass secrets to my pipeline?
Use your platform's native secret store (GitHub Secrets, GitLab CI Variables, Jenkins Credentials). Never hardcode secrets in YAML files. Reference them as environment variables: ${{ secrets.MY_SECRET }} in GitHub Actions.
