January 2021 Summaries

Building a custom, in-house solution is often viewed as easier, cheaper, and faster than using an existing one, but this perception is misleading. In reality, building a system that provides high levels of availability and performance requires significant resources and expertise. Despite the challenges, many enterprises still choose to build their own solutions, likely due to misconceptions or a desire for control over the development process. However, purchasing an existing solution can provide numerous benefits, including access to proven technology, reduced costs, and improved scalability and reliability. By understanding the differences between building and buying DevOps solutions, organizations can make informed decisions that align with their specific needs and goals.

To get started with Docker and Cloudsmith, build a Docker image by creating a new directory, initializing a new Docker project using `docker-compose`, and defining the application code. Push the Docker image to a private Cloudsmith repository using the Cloudsmith API or CLI tool. Then, pull the Docker image from the Cloudsmith repository and run it on your local machine using `docker run`. This demo showcases how developers can use Docker and Cloudsmith to streamline their development workflow and deploy applications quickly and securely. The process involves defining the Dockerfile, building the image, pushing it to a private repository, pulling it back down, and finally running the application.

The partnership between Cloudsmith and CircleCI enables seamless integrations for building and deploying software in a performant and modern way. Cloudsmith's repository network is integrated with CircleCI's CI/CD platform, allowing developers to easily deploy their build artifacts to Cloudsmith repositories as part of their CircleCI pipelines. The use of the CircleCI Cloudsmith Orb simplifies this process by abstracting away additional steps, making it easy to push artifacts to Cloudsmith without requiring extensive configuration or scripting knowledge. By leveraging this partnership and the Cloudsmith CircleCI Orb, developers can increase build velocity, enable repeatable workflows, and level up their DevOps processes, ultimately automating everything from build to deployment and distribution.