Top 25 Deployment Tools in DevOps
Monday, October 9, 2023
DevOps technology has revolutionized how the world works. Thanks to the various DevOps tools the technology offers. From automation tools to CI/CD tools to deployment tools, everything is a great way to bridge the gap between the software development and IT operations teams.
The main challenge faced during the process of product or application development is releasing the product successfully. To cater to this challenge, the deployment tools become handy. Therefore, this blog is an excellent introduction to the best DevOps deployment tools available on the market.
Without further ado, let’s begin with the list of DevOps deployment tools that help in the successful integration of the software development life cycle. Before that, it is important to understand what DevOps is!
What is meant by deployment tools in DevOps?
The deployment tools play a major role in the continuous integration and continuous deployment pipelines. To ease the delivery process of software development and product release, these tools play a major role in a variety of processes such as software development process, set up staging environments, automation deployment and releases, launch integration tests, and much more.
The list of best deployment tools in DevOps is given below:
Ansible
Jenkins
Docker
Travis CI
Kubernetes
Puppet
Chef
Amazon Web Services
GitLab
Octopus Deploy
Capistrano
TeamCity
SaltStack
CircleCI
Spinnaker
Microsoft Azure
Juju
Go Continuous Delivery
Codeship Inc.
GitHub Actions
Buildbot
Git
Azure DevOps Server
DeployBot
Bamboo
Let’s discuss each one of them in detail. Also, let us understand the benefits of these tools!
List of Most Used Top 25 DevOps Deployment Tools
Here is the list of the best deployment tools to help enhance application performance and speed up the deployment process in the CI/CD pipelines.
Ansible:
Ansible is a configuration management tool that is open-source. It is used to automate, deploy and orchestrate. By using the infrastructure as Code (IaC) along with SSH connection, this tool is able to push nodes without any agent. Ansible has very high readability as the codes are very less and written in YAML.
The features of Ansible are as follows:
It is a CM tool and helps in application development.
It provides orchestration, security and compliance.
It is able to manage cloud resources such as virtual machines, storage, etc.
The benefits of Ansible are as follows:
It is open-source, that is, it is free.
It is agentless.
it is very powerful and efficient.
The playbooks are highly readable.
2. Jenkins:
Jenkins is a continuous integration (CI) tool for DevOps. The ultimate goal of this CI tool is to make sure that all the code changes are compatible for successfully running the software development lifecycle. Such tools are often integrated with version-controlled systems such as Git that check over the code repositories.
The features of Jenkins are as follows:
It is open-source.
It is a Java-based automation server.
It can be designed for both internal and plugin extensions.
The benefits of Jenkins are as follows:
It is supported by many Operating Systems (OSs) such as MacOS, Windows, etc.
It can be deployed on cloud platforms such as AWS, GCP, etc.
It is easy to install and configure.
Docker:
The creation, deployment, and management of containerized applications on single nodes are all automated by the Docker engine.
The features of Docker are as follows:
It is an open-source tool.
It can be integrated with cloud vendors such as AWS, GCP, etc.
It can run on various operating systems such as Windows and Linux.
Travis CI:
Travis CI is a continuous integration platform that helps you to write code more quickly and confidently deploy apps. By prioritizing integration rather than delaying it until the end, it assists teams in avoiding “integration hell” as the initial CI service tool.
The features of Travis CI are as follows:
It is an open-source CI/CD tool.
It is easy to use with smooth workflow available.
It can easily be integrated with GitHub.
Note: Travis CI is less popular than Bamboo or Jenkins as it is not as supportive as a DevOps CI/CD tool.
Kubernetes:
In order to scale, manage and automate software development, Kubernetes is a free container orchestration software to get started. This tool is necessary for the development and maintenance stages of the software cycle.
The features of Kubernetes are as follows:
It is open-source.
It increases the agility of processes very efficiently.
It is portable and scalable.
The benefits of Kubernetes are as follows:
It provides container orchestration by scaling, managing and deploying containerized apps.
It is highly available and scalable.
It supports various cloud providers such as AWS, Microsoft Azure, GCP, etc.
Puppet:
Puppet is a configuration management tool that configures systems in their desired state. It is also one of the best testing tools since it uses Infrastructure as Code (IaC) to test the environment. Therefore, it can also be used for automated testing.
The features of Puppet are as follows:
It is a wonderful visualization and reporting tool.
It helps in managing tasks and automating infrastructure.
It also helps in orchestration.
The benefits of Puppet are as follows:
It is an open-source tool.
It is easy to learn.
It provides cron-like support.
It can easily be integrated with other platforms.
It is easy to manage.
Chef:
Chef is an excellent configuration management tool as it helps in controlling and maintaining the parts of large, complex systems in a desired state throughout the implementation of DevOps life cycle. It is indeed one of the most popular DevOps tools to automate configuration of various infrastructures.
The features of Chef are as follows:
It is an open-source automation tool.
It is based on the Ruby language.
It is great for managing and deploying cloud servers.
The benefits of Chef are as follows:
It is one of the best tools that integrate and deploy the cloud.
Since it is coded in ruby, it hits the list of top 10 tools to understand easily.
8. Amazon Web Services:
Amazon Web Services (AWS) is one of the best cloud computing and storage tools in DevOps. It provides a large number of services to the DevOps team in SaaS, PaaS, and IaaS categories.
The features of AWS are as follows:
It provides various services such as storage, compute, identity and access management (IAM), etc.
It allows you to choose from public, private and hybrid clouds.
GitLab:
Tools like GitLab are one of the version control tools out of a bucket of tools offered by Git (such as GitHub, and Bitbucket). GitLab is a cloud-hosted git repository (code) service. With the help of this tool, you can record all the changes made in the code. This could be very useful in making the software delivery process faster and more efficient.
Octopus Deploy:
Octopus Deploy is a wonderful DevOps tool to perform automated deployments to deploy ASP.NET applications easily. In other words, you can automate application development either on cloud or on-premise with the Octopus Deployment tool.
The features of this tool are as follows:
It allows multi-tenancy, i.e., it could be run on cloud as well as locally.
It can easily be integrated with other CI servers/tools such as Jenkins, Kubernetes, Docker, etc.
The benefits of Octopus Deploy are as follows:
It doesn’t require YAML.
It allows faster deployments.
It is quite flexible.
DevOps Deployment Tools: Unveiling the Key Features
In the realm of DevOps, the right deployment tools can be a game-changer. They streamline processes, enhance efficiency, and ensure seamless workflows. Let’s delve into the essential features that define top-notch DevOps deployment tools.
Scalability and Flexibility
One of the paramount features of a robust deployment tool is its scalability. It should effortlessly adapt to the evolving needs of your project, regardless of its size or complexity. A tool that can handle increasing workloads and accommodate diverse environments is a priceless asset in any DevOps arsenal.
Continuous Integration (CI) and Continuous Deployment (CD)
Efficient CI/CD pipelines are the lifeblood of DevOps. A deployment tool should seamlessly integrate with your existing CI/CD processes, automating the build, test, and deployment phases. This ensures rapid and reliable code delivery, minimizing downtime and accelerating time-to-market.
Version Control Integration
A top-tier deployment tool must seamlessly integrate with popular version control systems like Git. This enables precise tracking of code changes, promotes collaboration among team members, and ensures version control management is a breeze.
Robust Security Measures
Security is non-negotiable in any DevOps environment. The deployment tool should offer robust security features, including encryption, access controls, and vulnerability scanning. It should also facilitate compliance with industry standards and regulations, providing a secure foundation for your applications.
Monitoring and Analytics Capabilities
Visibility into your deployment process is crucial for identifying bottlenecks, performance issues, and opportunities for optimization. A comprehensive deployment tool should provide robust monitoring and analytics features, offering real-time insights into the health and performance of your applications.
Easy Configuration and Customization
A user-friendly interface and intuitive configuration options are key aspects of a valuable deployment tool. It should allow for easy setup and customization, enabling teams to tailor the tool to their specific requirements without a steep learning curve.
Rapid Rollback Capabilities
In the dynamic landscape of software development, mistakes can happen. A proficient deployment tool should offer seamless rollback capabilities, allowing you to revert to a stable version in case of unexpected issues or errors.
Documentation and Support
Comprehensive documentation and a responsive support system are invaluable when utilizing a deployment tool. This ensures that teams can quickly access resources, troubleshoot issues, and maximize the tool’s potential.
It's a wrap!
That’s it for the different types of DevOps tools. In this blog you’ve learned about the magnificent features of various open source tools like Jenkins, Ansible, Chef, Puppet, Travis CI and many more. These play a significant role in DevOps application/product release lifecycle and the software deployment processes.
You can start learning the fundamentals of these deployment tools to become a DevOps engineer and get started with your career.