To set up a CI/CD pipeline for a Java project, choose tools like Git, Maven or Gradle, and GitHub Actions, define a branch strategy with main and develop branches, configure CI to build and test using automation, and implement CD for deployment via SSH or Docker. 1. Choose Git, Maven/Gradle, Jenkins/GitHub Actions, JUnit, and optionally Docker. 2. Use Git with main, develop, and feature branches. 3. Configure CI to checkout code, install dependencies, build, and run tests. 4. Automate deployment through SSH or containerization with Docker. 5. Secure secrets, consider advanced deployment strategies, and monitor deployments.

Setting up a CI/CD pipeline for a Java project is a solid way to automate testing, building, and deployment. It helps reduce manual errors, speeds up development cycles, and keeps your codebase stable.

Here’s how to do it without overcomplicating things.

Choose Your Tools

The first step is picking the right tools for your pipeline. Most Java teams use:

• Git (or GitHub/GitLab) for version control
• Maven or Gradle as the build tool
• Jenkins, GitHub Actions, or GitLab CI for automation
• A testing framework like JUnit
• A container platform like Docker (optional but recommended)

You don’t need all of them, but having a clear stack makes setup smoother. If you're just starting, GitHub Actions is a good pick because it integrates well with GitHub repositories and doesn’t require managing a separate server.

Set Up Version Control and Branch Strategy

Before diving into automation, make sure your project is in a Git repository. Then define a branch strategy — most teams go with something like:

• main or master for production-ready code
• develop for ongoing development
• Feature branches for individual changes

This structure makes it easier to trigger automated builds only when needed — for example, run tests on every pull request and deploy only when merging into main.

Also, make sure your .gitignore includes build artifacts, IDE files, and local config so you don’t accidentally commit unnecessary stuff.

Configure the CI Part: Build and Test

CI (Continuous Integration) usually starts by checking out the code, installing dependencies, building the project, and running tests.

If you’re using Maven, your CI config might look like this (in GitHub Actions):

jobs:
  build:
    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
    steps:
      - uses: actions/checkout@v3
      - name: Set up JDK
        uses: actions/setup-java@v3
        with:
          java-version: '17'
          distribution: 'adopt'
      - name: Build with Maven
        run: mvn clean package

This will compile your code, run unit tests, and create a JAR file. If any test fails, the pipeline stops — which is exactly what you want.

A few tips:

• Make sure your tests are fast and reliable.
• Use caching for dependencies if supported (like ~/.m2/repository for Maven).
• Run static analysis or code quality checks here too if possible.

Add CD: Automate Deployment

Once the build passes, it’s time to deploy. CD (Continuous Delivery/Deployment) can be as simple as copying a JAR to a server or as complex as pushing a Docker image to a registry and triggering a Kubernetes rollout.

For basic deployments, you can use SSH or SCP commands from your pipeline to copy and restart your app:

scp target/myapp.jar user@server:/opt/app/
ssh user@server "systemctl restart myapp"

But for better scalability and isolation, consider packaging your app into a Docker image and deploying it with tools like Helm or ArgoCD.

Some key points:

• Keep secrets (like SSH keys or API tokens) secure — never hardcode them in config files.
• Consider rolling updates or blue-green deployments to avoid downtime.
• Monitor your deployments — especially if they fail silently.

Final Notes

That's basically it. Once everything is wired up, every push to your repo can kick off a chain of automated steps that ensure your app stays healthy and deployable.

It might take some trial and error to get the config right, especially around environment variables and permissions, but once it works, it saves a ton of time in the long run.

The above is the detailed content of How to set up a CI/CD pipeline for a Java project?. For more information, please follow other related articles on the PHP Chinese website!