Day 52: Deep Dive into AWS CodeDeploy - Part 3 of Your CI/CD Pipeline Journey

Introduction

As we advance through the 90 Days of DevOps Challenge, our exploration into AWS services takes a pivotal turn with AWS CodeDeploy. This deployment service holds the key to automating the deployment process across diverse AWS environments.

Understanding AWS CodeDeploy

Core Concepts:

1. Versatility in Deployment Scenarios:

   • CodeDeploy caters to a spectrum of deployment scenarios, from EC2 instances and Lambda functions to serverless architectures, providing a versatile solution for diverse application architectures.

2. Source Flexibility:

   • CodeDeploy gracefully handles applications residing in various sources such as Amazon S3, GitHub repositories, and Bitbucket repositories. Importantly, it accomplishes this without necessitating modifications to the existing codebase.

3. Agent-Based Deployment:

   • The deployment mechanism involves an agent that operates on EC2 instances. This agent facilitates the deployment process, ensuring a seamless and reliable update of your application.

Unpacking the appspec.yaml

Appspec.yaml Role:

The appspec.yaml file serves as the guiding hand during the deployment process. This crucial configuration file outlines how your application should be deployed, specifying pre and post-deployment actions, scripts, and lifecycle hooks.

Tasks for the Day

Task-01: Delving into appspec.yaml

Before initiating deployment tasks, let's dissect the anatomy of the appspec.yaml. Understanding its structure and components is fundamental to orchestrating effective deployments.

Task Explanation:

• Locate appspec.yaml:

  • Navigate to your CodeCommit repository and locate the appspec.yaml file. This file holds the deployment instructions that CodeDeploy follows.

    

    

• Understand Lifecycle Hooks:

  • Delve into the lifecycle hooks defined in the appspec.yaml. These hooks govern events before and after deployment, offering a nuanced control over the process.

Task-02: Orchestrating Deployment

With insights into the appspec.yaml, we will proceed to deploy an index.html file on an EC2 machine, leveraging the capabilities of the nginx web server. This task sets the stage for a hands-on application of the theoretical knowledge gained.

Task Explanation:

• Setup EC2 Instance:

  • Launch an EC2 instance where the deployment will occur. Ensure that the necessary IAM roles and permissions are in place for CodeDeploy.

    

• Define Deployment Instructions:

  • Edit the appspec.yaml to include instructions for CodeDeploy, specifying how the deployment should unfold on the EC2 instance.

    

• Deploy and Validate:

  • Initiate the deployment process and monitor the logs to ensure a successful deployment. Validate by accessing the deployed application on the EC2 instance.

    

    

    

Conclusion

Mastering AWS CodeDeploy empowers us to automate deployments seamlessly across a multitude of AWS environments. This theoretical exploration, coupled with practical insights, sets the groundwork for building a robust CI/CD pipeline