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CI/CD Pipeline Explained for Beginners

Automation fundamentals

What is a CI/CD pipeline?

A CI/CD pipeline is an automated process that:

  • Builds code
  • Tests applications
  • Deploys software automatically

It reduces manual errors and speeds up releases.

What tools are used for CI/CD?

Popular CI/CD tools:

  • Jenkins
  • GitHub Actions
  • GitLab CI
  • AWS CodePipeline
  • Azure DevOps

Learn more about essential DevOps tools.

What are the stages of a CI/CD pipeline?

Typical stages include:

  1. Code commit
  2. Build
  3. Test
  4. Security scan
  5. Deployment
  6. Monitoring

Is Jenkins still relevant in 2026?

Yes. Jenkins is still widely used in enterprises and legacy systems, even though newer tools exist.

Should beginners start with Jenkins or GitHub Actions?

Beginners should start with Jenkins to understand CI/CD fundamentals, then move to GitHub Actions or GitLab CI.

Follow our DevOps roadmap for the right learning sequence.

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