Deploying with GitLab CI/CD

This guide explains how to set up a GitLab CI/CD pipeline that automatically triggers a new deployment on seenode whenever a commit is pushed to a specified branch.

Prerequisites

• A GitLab repository containing your application.
• An existing seenode application linked to that repository.
• An API token for the seenode API.
• Permissions to configure CI/CD settings in your GitLab project.

Getting an API Token Learn how to generate and manage API tokens for authenticating with the **seenode** API.

1. Add CI/CD Variables to GitLab

   To keep your credentials secure, store them as masked and protected CI/CD variables in your GitLab project.

   1. In your GitLab project, go to Settings > CI/CD.
   2. Expand the Variables section.
   3. Click Add variable and add the following:
      • Key: SEENODE_APPLICATION_ID Value: The ID of your seenode application.
      • Key: SEENODE_API_TOKEN Value: Your seenode API token.

   Tip

   You can find your application ID in the URL of your application’s dashboard on seenode: https://cloud.seenode.com/dashboard/applications?applicationId=969217 → 969217

2. Configure the GitLab CI/CD Pipeline

   Create a .gitlab-ci.yml file in the root of your repository to define your deployment pipeline.

   .gitlab-ci.yml

   stages:
     - deploy
   
   deploy_to_seenode:
     stage: deploy
     image: curlimages/curl:latest
     rules:
       - if: $CI_COMMIT_BRANCH == "main" # Trigger on pushes to the main branch
     script:
       - |
         curl -X POST \
           -H "Authorization: Bearer $SEENODE_API_TOKEN" \
           -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
           -d '{"gitCommitSha": "'"$CI_COMMIT_SHA"'"}' \
           "https://api.seenode.com/v1/applications/$SEENODE_APPLICATION_ID/deployments"

   This pipeline defines a deploy stage that runs a script to trigger a new deployment on seenode. It uses a minimal curl image to execute the request. The job is configured to run only on pushes to the main branch.

3. Commit and Push

   Commit the .gitlab-ci.yml file to your repository to activate the pipeline.

   Terminal

   git add .gitlab-ci.yml
   git commit -m "ci: Add GitLab CI/CD pipeline for **seenode** deployment"
   git push

4. Verify the Deployment

   Once you’ve pushed the pipeline configuration, you can verify that it’s working correctly.

   1. In your GitLab project, go to Build > Pipelines. You should see the pipeline running.
   2. In the seenode Dashboard, navigate to your application’s Deployments tab. You should see a new deployment in progress.

Troubleshooting

• Pipeline Not Triggering: Ensure you are pushing to the correct branch specified in the rules section of your .gitlab-ci.yml file.
• Authentication Error: Double-check that your SEENODE_API_TOKEN and SEENODE_APPLICATION_ID variables are correct and that they are not configured to be protected if your branch is not a protected branch.
• Command Not Found: The example uses an image with curl pre-installed. If you are using a different Docker image, ensure curl is available.
• Invalid Request: Verify the API endpoint in the curl command. Ensure the application ID is correct.

Conclusion

You have now successfully set up a GitLab CI/CD pipeline to automatically deploy to seenode when changes are pushed to the repository. This automation ensures that your deployments stay consistent and efficient.