CI/CD Pipelines
A defined pipeline that builds, checks and deploys your code automatically whenever a change is pushed, replacing manual copy-and-restart deploys with the same sequence run the same way every time.
What a Pipeline Actually Does
A CI/CD pipeline is a fixed sequence that fires on a trigger — usually a code push — and runs the same build, check and deploy steps in the same order every time, so a release stops depending on who is available or what they remember.
Choosing the Right Tool for Your Repository
GitHub Actions
The natural choice when your code already lives on GitHub, with pipeline definitions kept in the same repository.
GitLab CI
Built into GitLab if that is where your code and issue tracking already sit, avoiding a separate pipeline tool.
Bitbucket Pipelines
A fit for teams already using Bitbucket and Jira, keeping the pipeline inside the same ecosystem.
Jenkins
Self-hosted and highly configurable, suited to teams that need it running on their own infrastructure or have unusual build requirements.
What Goes Into the Pipeline
Trigger and Branch Rules
Which branch feeds which environment, and what event — a push, a merge, a tag — starts a run.
Build Stage
Compiling, installing dependencies and producing a versioned artifact from your source code.
Check Stage
Running the tests and checks you already have as automated gates, with a clear rule for what stops a release.
Approval Gate to Production
A named person confirms the production step, with that approval recorded against the release.
Common Pipeline Patterns
- Every push to a feature branch builds and runs checks, blocking a merge if anything fails.
- A merge to the main branch deploys automatically to staging, with production requiring a manual approval.
- A tagged commit triggers a versioned release, keeping ad hoc production deploys out of the picture entirely.
- A scheduled nightly run rebuilds and checks the application even without a new commit, to catch drift early.
Frequently asked questions
We only release a few times a year — is a pipeline worth it?
Often still yes for the build and check stages, even if you keep production deploys manual and infrequent. Catching a broken change at commit time is useful regardless of how often you ship.
What drives the cost of a pipeline setup?
The number of applications and branches involved, how many environments each one deploys to, and how much of the build process is undocumented today.
What drives how long the setup takes?
How quickly repository and hosting access is granted, and whether the application's build process already works reliably by hand or needs fixing first.
Can you build this around our existing repository and tool?
Yes. We work with GitHub, GitLab, Bitbucket and self-hosted Git, and configure the pipeline in the tool your code already lives with rather than asking you to move.
Who owns the pipeline configuration afterwards?
You do. The pipeline definition is committed to your own repository, so it moves and is reviewed like any other file in your codebase.
What do we need to provide to get started?
Repository access, a description of the build steps you follow today, and a decision on who approves a production release.
Does this include writing our test suite?
No. This wires whatever tests already exist into the pipeline as gates. Building a test suite for an application that has none is separate work.
Tell us what you need.
Send a short brief and one of our engineers will come back to you — usually the same day.
- No obligation
- We reply the same working day
- Your details stay private