Setting Up a CI/CD Pipeline with Jenkins and GitLab
Introduction: The DevOps Awakening
There comes a time in every developer’s life when deploying manually just doesn’t cut it anymore. Mine came after a late Friday deployment that broke production and ruined my weekend plans.
The logs looked like ancient hieroglyphics, the rollback failed, and Jenkins stared at me silently, probably judging.
That was my DevOps awakening. I knew I needed a CI/CD pipeline, and fast.
I’d heard tales of Jenkins and GitLab working together like peanut butter and jelly—awkward at first, but surprisingly delightful when done right.
So, buckle up. I’m going to walk you through how I set up a real CI/CD pipeline with Jenkins and GitLab, mistakes and caffeine-fueled rants included.
Wait, What Even Is CI/CD?
Let’s break it down like a tech therapist:
- CI (Continuous Integration): Every time you or your teammates push code, it gets automatically tested and merged into the main branch—no more “But it worked on my machine!” excuses.
- CD (Continuous Delivery/Deployment): Your code goes from source control to production without manual steps. Yes, it’s like magic—but with YAML.
A (Not-So-Brief) History of My CI/CD Misadventures
Before Jenkins and GitLab, I relied on human rituals:
Zip the code. Upload via FTP.
Pray to the deployment gods.
One day, our site went down because I forgot to include a .env file.
My manager looked at me like I had kicked a puppy.
I needed automation.
I needed a system that could build, test, and deploy code like clockwork.
That’s when I turned to Jenkins and GitLab.
Tips from the Trenches
- Use webhooks! Set up GitLab to ping Jenkins automatically on push.
- Keep Jenkinsfiles small and modular. If it starts to feel like a spaghetti mess, split logic into shared libraries.
- Start small. Even automating a basic test run saves time and sanity.
- Use Docker. Isolating build environments = fewer “works on my laptop” moments.
Pros and Cons (Because Nothing Is Perfect Except Tacos)
Benefits
- No more manual deploys (hallelujah).
- Builds are reproducible and consistent.
- Errors surface early—not in production at 2 AM.
- GitLab + Jenkins = free if you self-host.
Cons
- Jenkins UI is... let’s say vintage.
- Plugin maintenance can feel like patching an old boat.
- Debugging pipeline failures is occasionally rage-inducing.
Real-Life Payoff: How It Saved Our Sanity
Before the pipeline:
Deployments required an annotated checklist, a human sacrifice, and someone to yell “NOW!” across the office.
After the setup:
- New feature? Merged and live in under 10 minutes.
- Rollbacks? One click.
- Testing? Automated.
One junior dev called it “wizardry.”
I called it finally sleeping through the night.
The Future Scope: Where Does This Take Us?
The beauty of Jenkins + GitLab is scalability. You can:
- Add test coverage reports.
- Set up blue-green deployments.
- Trigger Slack or email notifications.
- Go full DevOps Jedi with Kubernetes integrations.
This setup isn’t just a project—it’s a foundation.
You can build enterprise-level CI/CD workflows without being held hostage by enterprise software licenses.
Conclusion: From Chaos to Calm
Setting up Jenkins with GitLab wasn’t exactly a Disney montage—it was more like trying to build IKEA furniture without the manual.
But once it clicked, everything changed.
I stopped fearing deployments.
My team started trusting the process.
And I got my weekends back.
If you're on the edge, thinking,
“Is this worth the time?” — Yes. A thousand times yes.
Automate the boring stuff. Let your future self high-five you.
And hey, if you break prod again?
At least now you’ll have logs, rollback scripts, and a pipeline that has your back.