December 2016 Summaries

Version 1611.1 of the platform has been released, featuring the addition of several new programming languages and updates. The platform now includes Node.js versions 7.3.0 and 4.7.0, PHP 7.1.0 with several new features, and Ruby 2.4.0, which brings numerous enhancements and performance improvements. Users can access a comprehensive list of changes through the platform changelog, and discussions about the update are encouraged on the platform's Discord channel.

Deploying services using lightweight Docker images offers numerous advantages, such as isolation, ease of deployment, and rapid boot times, but large image sizes can negate these benefits. Initially, Rendered Text faced challenges with oversized Docker images for their services, which led to lengthy deployment times. Through iterative improvements, they succeeded in reducing image sizes from several gigabytes to around 20 megabytes, achieving boot times under three seconds. Key strategies included minimizing Docker layers, using smaller base images, and effectively utilizing Docker caches. As they transitioned technologies from Ruby to Elixir, they leveraged the compact nature of compiled languages to further shrink image sizes, with some images being as small as 5 megabytes. Building custom base images for frequent service deployments also contributed to their efficiency. Despite initial hurdles, embracing Docker practices ultimately enhanced their deployment speed and reliability.

Semaphore's Activity Monitor is designed to tackle the complexities of managing multiple ongoing CI/CD processes by providing a comprehensive overview of what is currently running, including builds, deploys, and SSH sessions. As developers face challenges such as blocked builds and determining the sequence of operations in a crowded pipeline, Activity Monitor offers a solution akin to a desktop process monitor, displaying all processes and highlighting those involving the user's commits. Deploys are prioritized over builds, and the tool clearly shows waiting times and capacities, helping users better understand their work's position in the CI processing order. Accessible via affected builds and the organization’s profile page, Activity Monitor aims to enhance user insight into Semaphore's workflow and invites user feedback for further improvement.

Semaphore's report reveals that over 80% of commercial PHP projects utilize version 5.x, with 5.6 being the most popular, despite PHP 7.0's release in December 2015. Among new projects added in 2016, about a third opt for PHP 7.0, reflecting a gradual shift towards newer versions, while versions 5.3, 5.4, and 5.5 have reached end of life and no longer receive security updates, urging users to upgrade to 5.6, which will be supported until the end of 2018. The report highlights the importance of considering hosting platform support for PHP versions, as detailed on PHPVersions.info, and notes that Semaphore CI/CD offers all discussed versions preinstalled on its platform. This is Semaphore’s inaugural annual PHP report, setting the stage for future comparisons, and the platform encourages community discussion and learning through tutorials on various PHP development practices.