Set Up a Continuous Deployment Pipeline Using AWS CodePipeline
Introduction
Implementation
Create a deployment environment
Your continuous deployment pipeline will need a target environment containing virtual servers, or Amazon EC2 instances, where it will deploy sample code. You will prepare this environment before creating the pipeline.
To simplify the process of setting up and configuring EC2 instances for this tutorial, you will spin up a sample environment using AWS Elastic Beanstalk. With Elastic Beanstalk you can easily host web applications without needing to launch, configure, or operate virtual servers on your own. It automatically provisions and operates the infrastructure (such as virtual servers and load balancers) and provides the application stack (such as OS, language and framework, and web and application server) for you.
1. Create an application
To start, open the Elastic Beanstalk console and choose Create Application.
2. Configure the application
For Application name, enter Deployment Tutorial. Select PHP from the dropdown menu under Platform, and choose Create application.
Note: If you have created an Elastic Beanstalk application before, choose Create New Application on the upper-right corner. Name your application and create a new web server environment. Select PHP as your Platform and Single Instance as your Environment type. If you are planning to remote login to your instances, select a key pair. Otherwise, leave default values for the remaining options and create the environment for your continuous deployment pipeline.
3. Create a sample environment
Elastic Beanstalk will begin creating a sample environment for you to deploy your application to. It will create an Amazon EC2 instance, a security group, an Auto Scaling group, an Amazon S3 bucket, Amazon CloudWatch alarms, and a domain name for your application.
Note: This will take several minutes to complete.
Get a copy of the sample code
In this step, you will retrieve a copy of the sample app’s code and choose a source to host the code. The pipeline takes code from the source and then performs actions on it.
You can use one of three options as your source: a GitHub repository, an Amazon S3 bucket, or an AWS CodeCommit repository. Select your preference and follow the steps below.
To use GitHub as your source, go to Use GitHub.
To use Amazon S3 as your source, go to Use Amazon S3.
To use AWS CodeCommit as your source, go to Use AWS CodeCommit.
Use GitHub
Use this procedure if you would like to use your GitHub account as your source.
1. Fork the repository
If you would like to use your GitHub account:
Visit our GitHub repository containing the sample code at https://github.com/aws-samples/aws-codepipeline-s3-codedeploy-linux.
Fork a copy of the repository to your own GitHub account by choosing the Fork button in the upper-right corner.
Then, go to Create your pipeline.
Use Amazon S3
Use this procedure if you would like to use Amazon S3 as your source.
1. Navigate to the sample code
If you plan to use Amazon S3 as your source, you will retrieve the sample code from the AWS GitHub repository, save it to your computer, and upload it to an Amazon S3 bucket.
Visit our GitHub repository containing the sample code at https://github.com/aws-samples/aws-codepipeline-s3-codedeploy-linux
Select the dist folder.
2. Download the files
Save the source files to your computer:
Select the file named aws-codepipeline-s3-aws-codedeploy_linux.zip.
Choose View raw.
Save the sample file to your local computer.
3. Create a bucket
Open the Amazon S3 console and choose Create bucket.
4. Configure bucket details
Bucket name: Enter a unique name for your bucket, such as awscodepipeline-demobucket-variables. All bucket names in Amazon S3 must be unique, so use one of your own, not one with the name shown in the example.
Region: In the dropdown, select the Region where you will create your pipeline, such as US East (N. Virginia).
Choose Create bucket.
5. View the created bucket
The console displays the newly created bucket, which is empty.
6. Open the bucket
You will now upload the sample code to the Amazon S3 bucket. Select the Amazon S3 bucket.
7. Upload the sample code
Select Upload.
8. Add files
Select Add files to upload the zip file you downloaded earlier or drag and drop the file. Then select Upload.
Then, go to Create your pipeline.
Use AWS CodeCommit
Use this procedure if you would like to use AWS CodeCommit as your source.
1. Navigate to the sample code
If you plan to use AWS CodeCommit as your source, you will retrieve the sample code from the AWS GitHub repository, save it to your computer, and upload it to an AWS CodeCommit repository.
Visit our GitHub repository containing the sample code at https://github.com/aws-samples/aws-codepipeline-s3-codedeploy-linux
Select the dist folder.
2. Download the files
Save the source files to your computer:
Select the file named aws-codepipeline-s3-aws-codedeploy_linux.zip.
Choose View raw.
Save the sample file to your local computer.
3. Create a repository
Open the AWS CodeCommit console and choose Create repository.
4. Configure repository settings
On the Create repository page:
Enter PipelineRepo for Repository name.
Choose Create.
5. Upload sample code
Once the repository is successfully created, scroll down to the PipelineRepo section and select Add file, then choose Upload file.
6. Select the sample code file
On the Upload a file page, choose the Choose file button and select the downloaded aws-codepipeline-s3-aws-codedeploy_linux.zip file.
7. Commit changes to main
Enter an Author name and Email address, then choose Commit changes.
Then, go to Create your pipeline.
Create your pipeline
In this step, you will create and configure a simple pipeline with two actions: source and deploy. You will provide CodePipeline with the locations of your source repository and deployment environment.
1. Create a pipeline
Open the AWS CodePipeline console.
On the Welcome page, choose Create pipeline.
2. Configure pipeline settings
On the Step 1: Choose pipeline settings page:
Pipeline name: Enter the name for your pipeline, DemoPipeline.
Choose Next.
Note: After you create a pipeline, you cannot change its name.
3. Choose your source
On the Step 2: Add source stage page, select the location of the source you selected.
If you chose GitHub, continue to Use GitHub as your source provider.
If you chose Amazon S3, continue to Use Amazon S3 as your source provider.
If you chose AWS CodeCommit, continue to Use AWS CodeCommit as your source provider.
Use GitHub as your source provider
1. Add source
Select GitHub (Version 2) for the Source provider.
Choose Connect to GitHub.
2. Enter a connection name
Enter Deployment Tutorial for Connection name and choose Connect to GitHub.
3. Grant permissions
Select Authorize AWS Connector for GitHub.
4. Install a new app
When redirected back to the connection screen, choose Install a new app.
5. Install the forked repository
On the Install AWS Connector for GitHub page, choose Only select repositories and select the aws-codepipeline-s3-codedeploy-linux repository forked in the previous step.
Choose Install.
6. Connect to GitHub
Once redirected back to the Connect to GitHub page, choose Connect.
7. Specify a repository and branch
The Add source page will be updated to reflect GitHub is ready to connect. Specify the repository and branch:
Repository name: In the dropdown list, select the GitHub repository you want to use as the source location for your pipeline. Select the forked repository in your GitHub account named aws-codepipeline-s3-codedeploy-linux.
Branch name: In the dropdown list, select the branch you want to use, master.
Output artifact format: Select CodePipeline default.
Choose Next.
8. Skip build stage
A true continuous deployment pipeline requires a build stage, where code is compiled and unit tested. CodePipeline lets you plug your preferred build provider into your pipeline. However, in this tutorial you will skip the build stage.
In Step 3: Add build stage, choose Skip build stage.
9. Choose Skip
In the confirmation dialog, select Skip.
10. Configure deploy stage
In the Step 4: Add deploy stage page:
Deploy provider: Select AWS Elastic Beanstalk.
Region: Retain the default region.
Application name: Select Deployment Tutorial.
Environment name: Select Deploymenttutorial-env.
Click Next.
Continue to Activate your pipeline to deploy your code.
Use Amazon S3 as your source provider
1. Add source
Select Amazon S3 for the Source provider, select the Amazon S3 bucket you created, and then enter the S3 object key for the file uploaded, for example: aws-codepipeline-s3-aws-codedeploy_linux.zip.
Choose Next.
2. Skip build stage
A true continuous deployment pipeline requires a build stage, where code is compiled and unit tested. CodePipeline lets you plug your preferred build provider into your pipeline. However, in this tutorial you will skip the build stage.
In Step 3: Add build stage, choose Skip build stage.
3. Choose Skip
In the confirmation dialog, select Skip.
4. Configure deploy stage
In the Step 4: Add deploy stage page:
Deploy provider: Select AWS Elastic Beanstalk.
Region: Retain the default region.
Application name: Select Deployment Tutorial.
Environment name: Select Deploymenttutorial-env.
Click Next.
Continue to Activate your pipeline to deploy your code.
Use AWS CodeCommit as your source provider
1. Add source
Select AWS CodeCommit for the Source provider.
Repository name: In the dropdown list, choose the PipelineRepo repository you created to use as the source location for your pipeline.
Branch name: In the dropdown list, choose the branch you want to use, main.
Output artifact format: Choose CodePipeline default.
Choose Next.
2. Skip build stage
A true continuous deployment pipeline requires a build stage, where code is compiled and unit tested. CodePipeline lets you plug your preferred build provider into your pipeline. However, in this tutorial you will skip the build stage.
In Step 3: Add build stage, choose Skip build stage.
3. Choose Skip
In the confirmation dialog, select Skip.
4. Configure deploy stage
In the Step 4: Add deploy stage page:
Deploy provider: Select AWS Elastic Beanstalk.
Region: Retain the default region.
Application name: Select Deployment Tutorial.
Environment name: Select Deploymenttutorial-env.
Click Next.
Continue to Activate your pipeline to deploy your code.
Activate your pipeline to deploy your code
In this step, you will launch your pipeline. Once your pipeline has been created, it will start to run automatically. First, it detects the sample app code in your source location, bundles up the files, and then moves them to the second stage that you defined. During this stage, it passes the code to Elastic Beanstalk, which contains the EC2 instance that will host your code. Elastic Beanstalk handles deploying the code to the EC2 instance.
1. Review configuration and create pipeline
In the Step 5: Review page, review the information and choose Create pipeline.
2. Monitor the pipeline status
After your pipeline is created, the pipeline status page appears and the pipeline automatically starts to run. You can view progress as well as success and failure messages as the pipeline performs each action.
To verify your pipeline ran successfully, monitor the progress of the pipeline as it moves through each stage. The status of each stage will change from No executions yet to In progress, and then to either Succeeded or Failed. The pipeline should complete the first run within a few minutes.
2. Select Elastic Beanstalk
In the status area for the Beta stage, select AWS Elastic Beanstalk.
3. Select the environment
The AWS Elastic Beanstalk console opens with the details of the deployment.
Select the environment you created earlier, called Default-Environment Deploymenttutorial-env.
4. Select the URL of the sample website
Select the URL to view the sample website you deployed.
A webpage with a congratulations message indicating you successfully created a pipeline from your source to Amazon EC2 will open.
Commit a change and then update your app
In this step, you will revise the sample code and commit the change to your repository. CodePipeline will detect your updated sample code and then automatically initiate deploying it to your EC2 instance by way of Elastic Beanstalk.
Note that the sample web page you deployed refers to AWS CodeDeploy, a service that automates code deployments. In CodePipeline, CodeDeploy is an alternative to using Elastic Beanstalk for deployment actions. Let’s update the sample code so that it correctly states that you deployed the sample using Elastic Beanstalk.
If you used GitHub as your source, go to Update the code in GitHub.
If you used Amazon S3 as your source, go to Update the code in Amazon S3.
If you used AWS CodeCommit as your source, go to Update the code in AWS CodeCommit.
Update the code in GitHub
1. Edit the code
Visit your own copy of the repository that you forked in GitHub.
Open index.html.
Select the Edit icon.
2. Insert text
Update the webpage by copying and pasting the following text on line 30:
You have successfully created a pipeline that retrieved this source application from GitHub and deployed it to one Amazon EC2 instance using AWS Elastic Beanstalk. You’re one step closer to practicing continuous deployment!
3. Commit the change
Commit the change to your repository.
Then, go to View the page you updated with GitHub.
Update the code in Amazon S3
1. Edit the code
On your desktop, visit the zip file you downloaded called aws-codepipeline-s3-aws-codedeploy_linux.zip.
Edit the sample web app code:
Extract index.html from the zip file and open it using your preferred text editor.
Update the header text that comes after Congratulations! so that it reads:
You have successfully created a pipeline that retrieved this source application from Amazon S3 and deployed it to one Amazon EC2 instance using AWS Elastic Beanstalk. You’re one step closer to practicing continuous deployment!
Copy the updated index.html file back into aws-codepipeline-s3-aws-codedeploy_linux.zip and replace the older version of index.html.
2. Upload the file to your bucket
Return to the S3 bucket that you created earlier and select Upload.
3. Upload the file to your bucket
Select Add files to upload the updated aws-codepipeline-s3-aws-codedeploy_linux.zip file or drag and drop the file. Then choose Upload.
Note: Because you enabled versioning when you first created the S3 bucket, S3 will save a copy of every version of your files.
Then, go to View the page you updated in Amazon S3.
Update the code in AWS CodeCommit
1. Edit the code
On your desktop, visit the zip file you downloaded called aws-codepipeline-s3-aws-codedeploy_linux.zip.
Edit the sample web app code:
Extract index.html from the zip file and open it using your preferred text editor.
Update the header text that comes after Congratulations! so that it reads:
You have successfully created a pipeline that retrieved this source application from AWS CodeCommit and deployed it to one Amazon EC2 instance using AWS Elastic Beanstalk. You’re one step closer to practicing continuous deployment!
2. Upload the file
From the CodeCommit PipelineRepo page, choose Add file and select Upload file.
2. Upload the file
On the Upload a file page, choose the Choose file button and select the updated aws-codepipeline-s3-aws-codedeploy_linux.zip file.
3. Commit changes
Enter an Author name and Email address, then choose Commit changes.
View the page you updated with GitHub
1. Choose Elastic Beanstalk
Return to your pipeline in the CodePipeline console. In a few minutes, you should see the Source change to blue, indicating that the pipeline has detected the changes you made to your source repository. Once this occurs, it will automatically move the updated code to Elastic Beanstalk.
After the pipeline status displays Succeeded, in the status area for the Beta stage, choose AWS Elastic Beanstalk.
2. Select the environment
The AWS Elastic Beanstalk console opens with the details of the deployment. Select the environment you created earlier, called Deploymenttutorial-env.
3. Select the URL
Select the URL to view the sample website again.
4. View the page
Confirm that the updated text appears on the webpage.
View the page you updated with Amazon S3
1. Choose Elastic Beanstalk
Return to your pipeline in the CodePipeline console. In a few minutes, you should see the Source change to blue, indicating that the pipeline has detected the changes you made to your source repository. Once this occurs, it will automatically move the updated code to Elastic Beanstalk.
After the pipeline status displays Succeeded, in the status area for the Beta stage, choose AWS Elastic Beanstalk.
2. Select the environment
The AWS Elastic Beanstalk console opens with the details of the deployment. Select the environment you created earlier, called Deploymenttutorial-env.
3. Select the URL
Select the URL to view the sample website again.
4. View the page
Confirm that the updated text appears on the webpage.
View the page you updated with AWS CodeCommit
1. Choose Elastic Beanstalk
Return to your pipeline in the CodePipeline console. In a few minutes, you should see the Source change to blue, indicating that the pipeline has detected the changes you made to your source repository. Once this occurs, it will automatically move the updated code to Elastic Beanstalk.
After the pipeline status displays Succeeded, in the status area for the Beta stage, choose AWS Elastic Beanstalk.
2. Select the environment
The AWS Elastic Beanstalk console opens with the details of the deployment. Select the environment you created earlier, called Deploymenttutorial-env.
3. Select the URL
Select the URL to view the sample website again.
4. View the page
Confirm that the updated text appears on the webpage.
Clean up your resources
To avoid future charges, you will delete all the resources you launched throughout this tutorial, which includes the pipeline, the Elastic Beanstalk application, and the source you set up to host the code.
1. Delete the pipeline
First, you will delete your pipeline. In the Pipelines view, select the pipeline radio button and select Delete pipeline.
2. Confirm deletion
To confirm deletion, enter delete in the field and choose Delete.
3. Delete the Beanstalk application
Second, delete your Elastic Beanstalk application. Visit the Elastic Beanstalk Applications page. Select the radio button for the Deployment Tutorial. Select Actions and Delete application.
4. Confirm deletion
In the Confirm Application Deletion window, enter the name of the application to be deleted and choose Delete.
Delete Amazon S3 resources
If you used Amazon S3 as your source, delete the resources to avoid future charges.
1. Empty the bucket contents
Visit the S3 console. First, we will empty the S3 bucket. Select the radio button next to the awscodepipeline bucket and choose Empty.
2. Confirm deletion
When a confirmation message appears, enter permanently delete in the text input field and choose Empty.
3. Delete the bucket
Now we will delete the bucket. Select the radio button next to the awscodepipeline bucket and choose Delete.
4. Confirm deletion
When a confirmation message appears, enter the bucket name and then choose Delete bucket.
Delete AWS CodeCommit resources
If you used AWS CodeCommit as your source, delete the resources to avoid future charges.
1. Delete the repository
Open the AWS CodeCommit repository. Select the radio button next to the repository you created and choose Delete repository.
2. Confirm deletion
A confirmation window will pop up. Enter delete and choose Delete.
Conclusion
Congratulations! You have successfully created an automated software release pipeline using AWS CodePipeline. Using CodePipeline, you created a pipeline that uses GitHub, Amazon S3, or AWS CodeCommit as the source location for application code and then deploys the code to an Amazon EC2 instance managed by AWS Elastic Beanstalk. Your pipeline will automatically deploy your code every time there is a code change. You are one step closer to practicing continuous deployment!
Next steps
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