A modern Golberg Machine, the CI Pipeline
Tags: ci, continuousdelivery, gitlab
Published: 2023-05-20 15:44:35

As a child, I was fascinated by the concept of a [Goldberg Machine](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rube_Goldberg_machine). I vividly remember watching an episode of Tom and Jerry where Jerry, the clever little mouse, created an intricate contraption to achieve a simple task. The sheer complexity and creativity in making everyday objects trigger one another in a chain reaction that left me in awe. Little did I know that years later, this childhood fascination would find its way into my work as a software developer, specifically in the realm of [Continuous Integration (CI)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Continuous_integration) pipelines.

![Image description](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/ejd2nu8p39zh45j0g2jf.jpg)

One of my favourite Rube Goldberg machines was featured in an episode of Tom and Jerry. In the episode, Tom tries to catch Jerry, but Jerry always manages to outsmart him. Finally, Tom builds a Rube Goldberg machine that will crush Jerry. The device is incredibly complex and involves various objects and mechanisms. Ultimately, the machine worked almost perfectly, just an small failure at the end, and Jerry ends safe, but that was a failure by design, or at least I want to believe that.

{% youtube GvnEBX9aedY %}

As I grew older and embarked on my journey as a software developer, I discovered the world of CI pipelines. These pipelines are a fundamental part of modern software development, automating integrating code changes into a shared repository. They ensure multiple developers' work can seamlessly merge while detecting issues early on.

The same principles of creativity and patience needed to build a Goldberg Machine apply to create CI pipelines. CI pipelines are automated workflows used to build, test, and deploy software. They can be very complex, requiring a lot of planning and design. But if you are creative and patient, you can create a CI pipeline that is both efficient and effective.

There are a few things to remember when designing a CI pipeline. First, you need to think about the different steps that need to be performed in the pipeline. These steps might include the following:

* Building the software
* Running unit tests
* Running integration tests
* Deploying the software to production

Once you have identified the steps to be performed, you need to decide how they will be executed. You can use various tools and technologies to automate the actions in the pipeline. Some popular tools include [Jenkins](https://www.jenkins.io), [CircleCI](https://circleci.com), or, my favourite, [GitLab](https://gitlab.com).

Once you have chosen the tools and technologies you will use, you must start designing the pipeline. This involves creating a workflow that specifies the order in which the steps will be executed. You also need to define the inputs and outputs for each step.

![Image description](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/lbv9d8vtvp5l5o05755x.png)

However, as I delved deeper into CI pipelines, I realized that more than merely following standard practices was needed. To truly harness their potential, a touch of creativity was required. I started drawing parallels between the Goldberg Machine's imaginative design and the process of building an effective CI pipeline.

Building a CI pipeline can be a lot of work, but it is worth it. A CI pipeline can help you to improve the quality of your software, and it can also help you to save time and money. If you are creative and patient, you can create a CI pipeline that will help you to be more successful in your software development career.

Similar to a Goldberg Machine, a well-designed CI pipeline involves a series of interconnected components that perform specific tasks synchronized. Here's how I applied the concept of creative problem-solving to CI pipeline development.

Rather than relying on generic templates, I learned to tailor the pipeline architecture to fit the project's specific needs. Modularizing the pipeline allowed me to incorporate flexibility, enabling developers to add or remove stages effortlessly based on the project's requirements.

Embracing a creative mindset, I explored innovative testing strategies beyond the standard unit tests. I incorporated integration, performance, and security tests, ensuring a comprehensive approach to quality assurance. This might involve leveraging parallelization techniques, distributed testing, or even exploring cutting-edge technologies like machine learning-based testing for enhanced test coverage.

Inspired by the visual appeal of the Goldberg Machine, I integrated visually informative feedback mechanisms into the CI pipeline. This involved generating insightful reports, creating interactive dashboards, and even incorporating intelligent bots that provided code quality analysis and actionable suggestions for improvement.

Just as a Goldberg Machine requires a dynamic environment to enable each component to function flawlessly, I realized the importance of efficient environmental management in CI pipelines. Adopting technologies like Docker for containerization and Kubernetes for orchestration allowed reproducible and scalable environments that facilitated seamless testing and deployment.

Creativity and patience are essential qualities for anyone who wants to create a CI pipeline. A CI pipeline is a complex tool but can be a valuable asset for any software developer. By following the principles of creativity and patience, you can create a CI pipeline that will help you to improve the quality of your software, save time, and save money.