modbender When to Use
Trigger on: automated deployment, continuous integration, pipeline setup, GitHub Actions, GitLab CI, build failing, deploy automatically, CI configuration, release automation.
Platform Selection
| Stack | Recommended | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Web (Next.js, Nuxt, static) | Vercel, Netlify | Zero-config, auto-deploys, preview URLs |
| Mobile (iOS/Android/Flutter) | Codemagic, Bitrise + Fastlane | Pre-configured signing, app store upload |
| Backend/Docker | GitHub Actions, GitLab CI | Full control, self-hosted runners option |
| Monorepo | Nx/Turborepo + GHA | Affected detection, build caching |
Decision tree: If platform handles deploy automatically (Vercel, Netlify) → skip custom CI. Only add GitHub Actions when you need tests, custom builds, or deploy to your own infra.
Quick Start Templates
For copy-paste workflows, see templates.md.
Common Pipeline Pitfalls
| Mistake | Impact | Fix |
|---|---|---|
Using latest image tags |
Builds break randomly | Pin versions: node:20.11.0 |
| Not caching dependencies | +5-10 min per build | Cache node_modules, .next/cache |
| Secrets in workflow files | Leaked in logs/PRs | Use platform secrets, OIDC for cloud |
Missing timeout-minutes |
Stuck jobs burn budget | Always set: timeout-minutes: 15 |
No concurrency control |
Redundant runs on rapid pushes | Group by branch/PR |
| Building on every push | Wasted resources | Build on push to main, test on PRs |
Mobile-Specific: Code Signing
The #1 pain point. iOS requires certificates + provisioning profiles. Android requires keystores.
The fix: Use Fastlane Match — stores certs/profiles in git repo, syncs across team and CI.
# One-time setup
fastlane match init
fastlane match appstore
# In CI
fastlane match appstore --readonly
For detailed mobile CI/CD patterns (iOS, Android, Flutter), see mobile.md.
Web-Specific: Build Caching
Next.js/Nuxt builds are slow without cache. The No Cache Detected warning = full rebuild.
# GitHub Actions: persist Next.js cache
- uses: actions/cache@v4
with:
path: .next/cache
key: nextjs-${{ hashFiles('**/package-lock.json') }}
For framework-specific configs, see web.md.
Debugging Failed Builds
| Error Pattern | Likely Cause | Check |
|---|---|---|
| Works locally, fails in CI | Environment drift | Node version, env vars, OS |
| Intermittent failures | Flaky tests, resource limits | Retry logic, increase timeout |
ENOENT / file not found |
Build order, missing artifact | Check needs: dependencies |
| Exit code 137 | Out of memory | Use larger runner or optimize |
| Certificate/signing errors | Expired or mismatched creds | Regenerate with Match/Fastlane |
What This Doesn't Cover
- Container orchestration (Kubernetes) → see
k8sskill - Server configuration → see
serverskill - Monitoring and observability → see
monitoringskill