# CI CD Pipeline

> Workflow for designing and maintaining high-performance, vendor-decoupled CI/CD pipelines. Use when setting up new build systems or optimizing existing automation. Not for configuring specific CI providers or writing pipeline YAML directly — use Justfile (preferred) or Makefile targets instead.

- Skill: `pngdeity/ci-cd-pipeline` (Agent Skill, multi-file: 2 files)
- Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add pngdeity/ci-cd-pipeline`
- Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/pngdeity/ci-cd-pipeline/raw
- Safety review: pending
- Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex
- Category: DevOps & Infra
- Author: pngdeity (https://skillmd.com/u/pngdeity)
- Updated: 2026-09-17
- Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/pngdeity/ci-cd-pipeline

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# CI/CD Pipeline Skill

This skill governs the design of resilient and efficient automation pipelines. It prioritizes local reproducibility and fast feedback loops.

## Workflow: Pipeline Construction

1. **Interface with Task Runner:**
   - Check if a `Makefile` already exists in the project root.
   - If a `Makefile` exists, ensure every CI step corresponds to a `make` target.
   - If no `Makefile` exists (greenfield), initialize a `Justfile` and ensure every CI step corresponds to a `just` recipe.
2. **Implement Fail-Fast:** Order the jobs so that the fastest, most critical checks (linting) run first.
3. **Configure Matrix:** Use matrix strategies for High-Performance Architecture (HPA) builds.
4. **Reference Best Practices:** Adhere to the standards in [references/best-practices.md](references/best-practices.md).

## Workflow: The "Verify-then-Publish" Gate

- **Mandate:** Before any remote repository push, the agent MUST run the local `just test` (or `make test`) suite.
- **Reporting:** If a local check fails, stop and fix the issue before attempting to push.

## Workflow: Infrastructure Simulation

- For complex deployments, use a two-tier simulation (e.g., Local Container -> Staging -> Prod) to verify environment-specific variables before final delivery.

## Workflow: Error Recovery

- **If local checks fail:** Read the failure output, fix the issue, and re-run (`just test` or `make test`). Never skip or silence a failing test.
- **If `ci` target is not defined:** Create it as a `just` recipe (or `make` target) that runs lint, test, and build in sequence.
- **If matrix build fails for a single platform:** Investigate platform-specific issues. Do not disable the failing platform without documenting the rationale.

## Verification
Verify this skill produces correct pipeline configuration:
1. Verify every CI step has a corresponding `just` or `make` target.
2. Confirm fail-fast ordering: linting runs before tests, tests before builds.
3. Confirm the pipeline includes a local verification gate (`just test` or `make test`) before any remote push step.
4. For matrix builds, confirm at least two platform variants are configured.