Development teams need both the right tools and the right processes to deliver secure and capable software at scale. CI/CD pipelines and DevOps have emerged as a combined solution to meet this need.
DevOps provides the culture and processes that bridges the gap between development and operations teams. Meanwhile, CI/CD provides the automation tools that make rapid, secure, and reliable deployment possible.
Here’s a guide to the difference between CI/CD and DevOps and how to implement each one.
What Are CI/CD and DevOps?
DevOps is the collaborative approach for teams that are committed to continuous improvement, and CI/CD is just one part of it. This approach combines people, processes, and technology to streamline the software development lifecycle (SDLC) and ongoing operations. It focuses on rapid feedback and continuous improvement.
CI/CD is short for continuous integration and continuous delivery or continuous deployment. It provides a framework of automated practices that make development easier, and it’s one of the core practices that empower workflows and facilitate collaboration on DevOps teams.
Knowing the differences between CI and CD can also be helpful. Continuous integration automates the process of building and running tests on code changes, which makes sure new commits are deployable and don’t introduce bugs or regressions. Meanwhile, continuous delivery prepares those changes for production.
CI/CD Vs. DevOps: 5 Key Differences
Recognizing the difference between CI/CD and DevOps can help you understand how they work together during integration. Here are five key things that set them each apart:
1. Tools and Technologies
CI/CD tools mostly focus on automation and may include things like GitHub Actions, Jenkins, and CircleCI. These integrate with a wide range of other CI/CD tools, like a code repository and version control systems. DevOps tools span a wider spectrum and venture beyond automation to also include Agile development, communication, and infrastructure management.
2. Process
The CI/CD approach follows a structured workflow. It begins with a developer committing code changes to a code repository and ends with deployment to staging or production environments. The process is mostly tool-driven and focuses on automation, like automated testing, to reduce manual errors.
In contrast, DevOps requires more soft skills and cultural changes at the organizational or departmental level. It involves adopting new practices like continuous monitoring, collaborative planning, and feedback loops.
3. Implementation
Different processes require different implementation methods. Because CI/CD uses more technical tools and processes, its implementation is also more technical. Teams have to set up a CI/CD pipeline that triggers on every new code commit, runs automated build processes, and executes QA checks before deployment. Meanwhile, DevOps may require transitioning to new Agile methodologies and adjusting workflows for more cross-team collaboration.
4. Scope
CI/CD has a narrower focus: automating the delivery path from codebase to deployment. This is only one aspect of software development and operations teams. DevOps has a wider scope that begins much earlier in the process with project planning and then extends beyond a staging environment or deployment. For example, it might include microservices orchestration, Infrastructure as Code, and configuration management.
5. Goals
The primary objective behind CI/CD is to automate the software release processes, usually with adjacent goals to reduce bugs, improve security, and speed up deployment. Teams generally measure this success using key performance indicators (KPIs) like deployment frequency and failure rates. Meanwhile, DevOps has broader objectives that include the human element. KPIs go beyond technical metrics to include team satisfaction, organizational agility, and customer value.
Benefits and Challenges of Integrating DevOps and CI/CD
Continuous integration and DevOps are common companions, but they don’t always occur together. Teams should evaluate the pros and cons before deciding whether to incorporate both methods into their workflows.
Benefits of CI/CD and DevOps Integration
Meshing DevOps culture with CI/CD pipelines can enhance both technical and business outcomes:
- Faster delivery: Automation in the CI CD pipeline removes manual steps. This can help teams deploy code faster and improve their lead times.
- Enhanced code quality: Automation also reduces human errors, which can lead to fewer bugs and failed deployments.
- Improved collaboration: DevOps facilitates cross-collaboration so that teams can learn from each other and reduce duplicated efforts.
- Scalable infrastructure: Automation and cross-functional cooperation makes it easier for teams to scale to meet changing development and operational needs.
- Better creativity and reliability: Automation frees developers from tedious tasks so they can focus on the things that need a human touch, like coming up with new ideas and improving existing features.
Challenges of CI/CD and DevOps Integration
No development or operations solution is without its flaws or challenges, and this combination is no exception:
- Cultural resistance: Some workers might push back on changes to company culture and workflow, which could hinder successful implementation.
- Tool complexity: Adding technical solutions from CI/CD options can add some complexity at the start, though they do provide streamlining benefits down the line.
- Security compliance: Teams can create security risks if they start to prioritize faster deployments over security checks. On top of everything else, organizations must automate security into the pipeline.
How to Implement CI/CD Within a DevOps Culture
In tech businesses, cultural changes are often far more difficult changes to make than technical ones. If you already have a DevOps culture, you’ve already done half the work. Here’s how to close the loop with CI/CD integration:
- Define your goals: Always know your “why” before you begin making big organizational or technical changes. Prioritize the most impactful adjustments, such as faster lead teams, fewer production incidents, or increased productivity.
- Choose compatible CI/CD tools: Find tools that integrate with your existing tech ecosystem. Complete tool changes sound great on paper, but they’re expensive and can cost you extra time from the learning curve while your team adjusts.
- Implement in increments: Start with basic CI principles and tools before expanding. Making smaller changes allows your team time to adjust and reduces the risk of tasks, key assets, or workflows slipping through the cracks.
- Standardize configurations: Integration tests and staged iterations also allow you to check what works and what doesn’t. This helps you decide what to get rid of and what to standardize into your workflows.
- Automate security: AI-powered tools can secure systems from code to deployment. Integrating security from the start covers potential security gaps that might occur during changes to processes and tools.
Integrate CI/CD and DevOps With Legit Security
Merging DevOps and CI/CD together delivers optimal software deployment and operations. Legit Security keeps this integration secure at every layer.
The Legit ASPM platform continuously monitors CI/CD processes and environments and embeds security at every stage of the SDLC. Gain peace of mind and reap the benefits of faster deployments without compromising on safety in the cloud, on premises, or in hybrid setups.
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