Project Overview

This project contains the backend code for the News Backend application. The backend provides essential API endpoints for managing and serving news-related data. It is hosted on a Raspberry Pi, with Docker-based deployment to ensure consistency and reliability.

Project Structure

/home/backend/
├── Dockerfile            # Docker image configuration
├── docker-compose.yml    # Compose file to manage multi-container setup
├── .env.local            # Environment variables for the application
├── src/                  # Source code for the backend
└── README.md             # Project documentation

Deployment Environment

• Host: Raspberry Pi (running Linux-based OS)
• Proxy Manager: Traefik
• Containerization: Docker and Docker Compose

CI/CD Pipeline

The CI/CD process automates the deployment of the backend from GitHub to the Raspberry Pi. Here's an overview of the steps involved:

Workflow Trigger

The pipeline is triggered whenever a commit is pushed to the main branch of the repository.

CI/CD Steps

1. Code Checkout:

   • The workflow checks out the latest code from the main branch.

2. Docker Build and Push:

   • Builds a Docker image locally.
   • Tags the image as your-dockerhub-username/your-image-name:latest.
   • Pushes the Docker image to Docker Hub.

3. Raspberry Pi Deployment:

   • Uses sshpass to securely connect to the Raspberry Pi via SSH.
   • Verifies if the project directory (/home/<your-username>/backend/test) exists. If not, it clones the Git repository.
   • Creates a .env.local file containing environment variables, such as DATABASE_URL.
   • Pulls the latest Docker image from Docker Hub.
   • Runs the container using docker-compose.

Prerequisites

1. Raspberry Pi Setup

• Install Docker and Docker Compose.
• Configure Traefik for reverse proxy management.
• Ensure SSH access is enabled on the Raspberry Pi.

2. GitHub Secrets

The following secrets must be configured in your GitHub repository:

• DOCKER_USERNAME: Docker Hub username
• DOCKER_PASSWORD: Docker Hub password
• RASPBERRY_PI_HOST: Raspberry Pi’s hostname or IP address
• RASPBERRY_PI_USER: Username for Raspberry Pi login
• RASPBERRY_PI_PASSWORD: Password for Raspberry Pi login
• DATABASE_URL: Database connection string for the backend

Pipeline Configuration

The CI/CD pipeline is defined in the .github/workflows/main.yml file.

What I Learned

Throughout the process of setting up the CI/CD pipeline for deploying the backend API to a Raspberry Pi, I gained valuable knowledge and experience in the following areas:

• Automating Backend Deployment: Leveraged GitHub Actions and Docker to automate the entire deployment process, from code changes to production, streamlining and simplifying the workflow.

• Docker and Docker Compose Expertise: Gained hands-on experience with Docker, including building images and managing containers with Docker Compose, ensuring consistent behavior across both local and production environments.

• Automating Secure Deployment: Automated remote deployment processes by integrating SSH and sshpass, allowing for seamless code updates and deployment to the Raspberry Pi without manual intervention.

• Secure Environment Management: Learned to manage environment variables securely using GitHub Secrets to handle sensitive information, such as database credentials, effectively within the pipeline.

• Enhanced Debugging Skills: Improved troubleshooting skills by resolving issues related to SSH connections, Git operations, and Docker deployments, utilizing tools such as Docker logs and network configuration analysis.

• Scheduled News Updates: Set up a cron job to fetch and update fresh news three times daily, ensuring up-to-date content availability.

Usage

1. Push changes to the main branch of your GitHub repository.
2. The CI/CD pipeline will automatically:
   • Build and push a Docker image.
   • Deploy the updated backend to your Raspberry Pi.

Troubleshooting

• SSH Errors: Ensure the Raspberry Pi username, password, and IP address are correct.
• Git Clone Issues: Verify the repository URL and network connectivity.
• Docker Issues: Check Docker logs on the Raspberry Pi for detailed error messages.