January 2019 Summaries

A series of blog posts explores how to use JFrog CLI, Artifactory, and GitHub Actions for software development, focusing on building and publishing a Go app as a module. The process involves two main steps: publishing the Go module to the Artifactory repository and collecting build information, which is stored immutably in Artifactory to track the build's progress. The post provides an example workflow, detailing the use of the JFrog CLI to publish modules and gather build data, with all relevant files available on GitHub. Readers are encouraged to try GitHub Actions and explore JFrog Artifactory's features through their demo environment, with an open invitation for questions or comments on the blog or Twitter.

Go, a popular programming language, has historically faced challenges with package versioning, prompting the development of tools like gb and glide before the introduction of the official Go Modules in Go 1.11. Go Modules were designed to address issues such as dependency management and the cumbersome practice of vendoring, while also introducing the GOPROXY environment variable for managing module downloads via a proxy. However, the current implementation of GOPROXY is limited, requiring all dependencies to be resolved from the proxy, which can cause failures if any are missing. A proposed solution involves allowing fallback options where some modules can be downloaded from the proxy and others from version control systems, which would enhance the system's flexibility. This approach would also enable developers to upload modules to the proxy, ensuring they are accessible for future use without repeated downloads, a feature that would significantly improve Go Modules' effectiveness for companies with restricted internet access for CI servers. The JFrog CLI exemplifies this logic, but there is a consensus that such functionality should be integrated into the language itself for optimal developer experience.

A blog series is being released to guide users in building software using JFrog CLI, Artifactory, and GitHub Actions, with a focus on constructing Go applications. The post discusses how Artifactory's support for Go modules, introduced last year, enables reproducible and secure builds by storing modules within Artifactory rather than relying on vendoring. The blog outlines a workflow consisting of four steps: obtaining module sources from GitHub, publishing these modules to Artifactory, capturing build information using Artifactory's Build Integration feature, and optionally running the application to ensure its functionality. These steps are demonstrated through a simple "Hello World" Go application, with detailed instructions provided for each stage. Users are encouraged to participate in GitHub's beta program for GitHub Actions and explore JFrog Artifactory's features through a demo environment.

Maslow's traditional hierarchy of needs, which outlines human requirements from basic needs to self-fulfillment, is being re-evaluated in the context of the digital age, suggesting a need for a "Maslow 2.0" model. This updated model incorporates technological necessities such as electricity, connectivity, and continuous software updates as fundamental components of modern life, reflecting the global digital transformation. The article emphasizes the pivotal role of DevOps in this evolution, arguing that it drives the continuous software updates crucial for maintaining the interconnected systems that underpin contemporary society. It highlights that in the current technological ecosystem, speed and security are paramount, and companies must balance both to succeed. Furthermore, it posits that the market for DevOps is poised for significant growth, as evidenced by major acquisitions and strategic shifts by leading technology firms, signaling a transition towards a hybrid cloud model and an increase in the total addressable market (TAM) for DevOps solutions. This transformation underscores the necessity of integrating best-of-breed solutions with end-to-end platforms, supporting developers' choices and enabling seamless operations across diverse software pipelines.

Azure DevOps, the successor to Microsoft Visual Studio Team Services (VSTS), supports continuous integration and continuous deployment (CI/CD) along with various build tools like Maven, NPM, Docker, and now NuGet, thanks to the enhanced JFrog Artifactory Extension. This integration allows for the triggering of builds with NuGet packages and the uploading of build information to Artifactory, which serves as a universal binary repository manager supporting all major package formats. The extension enhances Azure DevOps and Team Foundation Server (TFS) by providing full traceability of builds through the capture of build information, which can be associated with the build job that created them. Users can configure Azure DevOps to access the Artifactory instance, create a NuGet build pipeline, and configure tasks to push build info to Artifactory, which can then be accessed directly from the Artifactory tab in the build results. The JFrog Artifactory Extension is available in the Visual Studio marketplace, offering a streamlined process for managing Microsoft-based pipelines.

The blog post discusses the process of creating a custom GitHub Action that integrates with the JFrog CLI and Artifactory, allowing for enhanced automation within GitHub workflows. Initially highlighting the announcement of GitHub Actions as a means to automate CI/CD pipelines, the author outlines how they developed a GitHub Action that encapsulates the JFrog CLI, making it easier to connect and automate tasks with JFrog tools. This involves using Docker images for each action, and the blog provides a detailed example of setting up a GitHub Action to interact with Artifactory using various authentication methods. The post emphasizes the importance of storing sensitive information securely through GitHub's secret vault and illustrates the practical application of the action with a simple "ping" test to an Artifactory server. It concludes with an invitation for readers to explore GitHub Actions and JFrog Artifactory through available demo environments.

Kubernetes clusters' reliance on scalability has led enterprises to run containerized applications across multiple platforms, creating potential chaos in control and trust. Rancher Labs addresses this by offering a solution for managing multiple Kubernetes (K8s) clusters with enhanced features for centralized control. However, a multi-cloud DevOps strategy increases the risk of harmful containers affecting multiple environments. JFrog Artifactory provides a hybrid Kubernetes registry, ensuring trust by offering visibility into the code-to-cluster process. Rancher facilitates the installation of Artifactory by allowing users to set up high-availability instances through its application catalog, streamlining the deployment and management of a hybrid K8s registry across various infrastructures. This integration aids in enforcing uniform policies and managing applications effectively and safely across all clusters. Users can immediately install Artifactory through Rancher's catalog or request a free trial of Artifactory Enterprise licenses.