How to Set Up Continuous Deployment with Ninefold

Continuous Deployment (CDep) automates the deployment of every code change passing automated tests directly to production. Unlike Continuous Delivery, which deploys to a staging environment for further testing, CDep demands high confidence in comprehensive automated testing.

Ninefold, a Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS), excels in hosting Rails applications. It simplifies deployment, offers numerous plugins (Redis, PostgreSQL, etc.), and uniquely allows the addition of raw virtual servers for hosting software lacking dedicated plugins. Ninefold integrates seamlessly with CI platforms like Codeship, TravisCI, and CircleCI.

Codeship, a CI/CD service, monitors source code repositories, executes tests for each change, and deploys the code. Its integration with Ninefold streamlines CDep setup; users simply input their Ninefold deployment URL into Codeship for automatic deployment after successful builds.

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Remember the manual deployments of yesteryear? The agonizing wait times? Continuous Integration has become standard practice, but Continuous Deployment takes efficiency to the next level.

Continuous Deployment automatically deploys code changes to production after successful automated tests. This differs from Continuous Delivery, which uses a staging environment for rigorous integration testing. CDep requires extensive test coverage ensuring application functionality. While achieving this level of test coverage is challenging, the benefits—reduced regression risks and eliminated manual deployment time—are substantial.

The rise of PaaS platforms like Ninefold has fueled the adoption of CDep.

Ninefold specializes in Rails applications, providing easy deployment, numerous plugins, and the crucial ability to add raw virtual servers for software without plugin support. It integrates with Codeship, TravisCI, and CircleCI.

This guide demonstrates using Ninefold and Codeship to create a CDep workflow for a Rails application.

A Simple Rails App: NineThings

Our example is a basic Rails app, "NineThings," allowing users to list items in multiples of nine. (Think of it as a niche social media platform!)

The app's setup is straightforward: a standard Rails app generated using the scaffold generator, enhanced with the foundation-rails gem for improved structure, and utilizing PostgreSQL. The source code is available on GitHub.

Setting Up Ninefold

Sign up for a Ninefold account. The dashboard allows you to "Deploy New App," requiring your source code repository location (e.g., GitHub). After authorizing Ninefold's access, select your repository and branch. Choose whether to deploy on every push.

Configure your deployment environment (resource allocation, Ruby version, etc.). For testing, a smaller, cost-effective setup is ideal.

Finally, specify your application name, plugins, and deployment plans. Click "Deploy."

The Ninefold CLI (installed via the ninefold gem) provides additional control. The ninefold signin command logs you in, and ninefold app list displays your applications. The ninefold app redeploy_command provides the command for redeploying your app.

Once deployed, the Ninefold dashboard provides an overview of your application, including its URL and deployment URL (crucial for Codeship integration).

The "Configuration" tab allows for environment variable management, custom deployment commands, and plugin configuration.

Integrating Codeship

Sign up for a Codeship account and create a new project, linking it to your GitHub repository (NineThings). Configure the setup and test commands (installing Ruby, bundling, setting RAILS_ENV, loading the schema).

Set up Continuous Deployment by clicking the appropriate button and entering your Ninefold deployment URL (found on the Ninefold dashboard). Uncheck the automatic deployment option in Codeship to ensure deployments only occur after successful tests.

Testing the CDep Workflow

Make a code change, introduce a test failure, commit, and push. Codeship will report the build failure. Correct the test, commit, and push again. Codeship will run the tests, and upon success, deploy to Ninefold.

Conclusion

Continuous Deployment simplifies the development process, allowing developers to focus on code while Ninefold and Codeship handle infrastructure and deployment. The result is increased efficiency and reduced deployment-related stress.

Frequently Asked Questions

(The original FAQ section is retained here, with minor stylistic adjustments for consistency.)

How does Ninefold compare to Codeship in terms of continuous deployment?

Ninefold (PaaS) focuses on Rails and Node.js, offering a user-friendly interface and robust features. Codeship (CI/CD) supports various languages and frameworks, providing features like parallel test pipelines and Docker support. The best choice depends on your specific needs and technologies.

Can I use environment variables with Ninefold?

Yes, Ninefold supports environment variables for sensitive data and configuration options. Set these in the Ninefold dashboard.

What are the pricing options for Ninefold?

Ninefold offers various pricing tiers, including a free tier and paid tiers with increased resources. Pricing is resource-based.

How does Ninefold handle build and configuration?

Ninefold uses Procfiles (specifying startup commands) and configuration files for build processes and environment setup.

Does Ninefold support Docker?

Currently, Ninefold doesn't natively support Docker, but you can use Docker in development and deploy to Ninefold.

How does Ninefold ensure the security of my application?

Ninefold employs firewalls, secure connections, isolated environments, two-factor authentication, and role-based access control for security.

Can I use Ninefold for non-Ruby or non-Node.js applications?

While primarily for Rails and Node.js, Ninefold might support other technologies with additional configuration. Contact support for advice.

Does Ninefold offer support for database management?

Yes, Ninefold supports various database types (PostgreSQL, MySQL, MongoDB) with features like automatic backups and scaling.

Can I use Ninefold for continuous integration?

Ninefold offers some CI features (automatic deployments on branch pushes), but a dedicated CI service is recommended for advanced CI needs.

How does Ninefold handle scaling?

Ninefold allows easy scaling of resources via the dashboard and offers automatic scaling based on application load.

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