Gitlab CI CD pipelines & Terraform - Part 1 (install Gitlab-runner & register it on Gitlab server)

Introduction

This tutorial provides a step-by-step guide on integrating GitLab CI/CD with Terraform by installing the GitLab runner and registering it on a local GitLab server. This setup allows you to automate infrastructure management using GitLab, making deployment processes efficient and effective.

Step 1: Install GitLab Runner

To begin, you need to install the GitLab runner on your local machine or server. Follow these steps:

1. Update your package list:

   sudo apt-get update
   

2. Install the GitLab runner:

   sudo apt-get install gitlab-runner
   

3. Verify the installation:

   gitlab-runner --version
   

Practical Tip: Always ensure you are using the latest version of GitLab runner to benefit from security updates and new features.

Step 2: Register GitLab Runner

Once the GitLab runner is installed, you need to register it with your GitLab server.

1. Access your GitLab instance and obtain the registration token:

   • Go to your GitLab project.
   • Navigate to Settings > CI / CD > Runners section.

2. Register the runner: Run the following command in your terminal:

   sudo gitlab-runner register
   

3. Provide the prompted information:

   • GitLab instance URL: Enter the URL of your GitLab server.
   • Registration token: Paste the token you obtained earlier.
   • Description: Enter a description for your runner (e.g., "My GitLab Runner").
   • Tags: Optionally, add tags to categorize your runner.
   • Executor: Choose an executor type (e.g., shell, docker, etc.).

4. Verify the runner registration: Return to the Runners section in your GitLab settings to ensure your runner appears in the list.

Common Pitfall: Make sure the GitLab runner has the necessary permissions and network access to communicate with your GitLab server.

Step 3: Create a Basic CI/CD Configuration File

Now that the runner is registered, you can set up your CI/CD pipeline.

1. Create a new file in your project: Name it .gitlab-ci.yml.

2. Define the basic structure:

   stages:
     - build
     - deploy
   
   build_job:
     stage: build
     script:
       - echo "Building the project..."
   
   deploy_job:
     stage: deploy
     script:
       - echo "Deploying the project..."
   

3. Customize parameters:

   • Use before_script to define commands that should run before any job:

     before_script:
       - echo "This runs before every job"
     

   • Use artifacts to specify files to keep after the job finishes:

     artifacts:
       paths:
         - build/
     

Practical Tip: Keep your .gitlab-ci.yml file organized and well-documented for easier maintenance.

Conclusion

In this tutorial, you learned how to install GitLab runner, register it with a GitLab server, and create a basic CI/CD configuration using a .gitlab-ci.yml file. This setup is crucial for automating your infrastructure management with GitLab and Terraform.

Next steps could include exploring more advanced CI/CD configurations, integrating Terraform for infrastructure as code, and optimizing your deployment pipelines.