TejasQ / basically-continuous-deployment

A simple project that aims to explain the process of continuous deployment.

Basically, Continuous Deployment

This project was created to help introduce the concept of Continuous Deployment to anyone interested.

Basically how it works is:

• You git push to a GitHub (or something else) server.
• The git server uses a WebHook to connect with a CI/CD system.
• The CI/CD thing builds your project, and deploys it somewhere.

Simple, right? This webpage actually, was built with a Continuous Deployment script!

Check out the source code to understand how it works.

How does this project work?

Glad you asked!

• It was created with create-react-app.
• It uses Travis CI as the CI/CD thing, which starts a new build on git push.
• When Travis starts a new build, it executes this script.
  • It is instructed to use the script, with this script.
• I highly recommend reading the deploy script above. It is heavily documented for you in true Basically fashion, in order to help you understand what's actually happening.
• After Travis is done, everything's deployed on gh-pages, and things are live.

What's this about keys? 🗝

Basically, Travis is going to be pushing to your GitHub account. Travis needs to be able to say HEY IM TEJAS in order to use Tejas' GitHub: it needs my key; my SSH key.

And so, I've got to:

• Generate some keys:
  • In a terminal, type:
    ssh-keygen -t rsa -b 4096 -C "[e-mail]" # YOUR EMAIL HERE
  • It'll ask you where to save it. Save the key somewhere familiar.
  • It'll ask you for a passphrase. I usually leave this blank.
  • It'll generate 2 files for you:
    • One ending with .pub (make a note of this).
    • And one with the name you gave it.
• Encrypt them with Travis:
  • Make sure you have the Travis CLI installed.
  • In the terminal, run:
    travis encrypt-file WHATEVER_YOU_NAMED_YOUR_KEY
  • It will then create a .enc file based your key's filename.
  • It'll also say something back to you like:
    openssl aes-256-cbc -K $encrypted_0a6446eb3ae3_key -iv $encrypted_0a6446eb3ae3_key -blah blah
  • Copy the portion where we have 0a6446eb3ae3 written above. You'll need it.
• Add them (the encrypted ones!) to my project:
  • At this point, you have add your .enc file to your git repo and commit it.
  • You can throw away your key at this point.
• Tell Travis how to decrypt them:
  • In your .travis.yml, you'll want to add an ENCRYPTION_LABEL with that red thing you copied above.
  • See this project's .travis.yml as an example.
• Add the keys to my GitHub account:
  • The last step is actually adding the public part of your key to your GitHub profile to say "yes, the Travis thing using my key is basically me".
  • Go here, click the green New SSH Key, and paste the contents of your .pub file in the key field, giving it an appropriate title.
  • Bam!

Whew! Now, Travis can properly push your shiny new gh-pages to your GitHub project.

Thanks to

• ThoughtWorks for an excellent article on the subject.