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CircleCI vs GitHub Actions: Choosing a CI/CD platform

Greg Foster
Greg Foster
Graphite software engineer
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CircleCI and GitHub Actions are prominent continuous integration and continuous deployment (CI/CD) platforms. While both aim to automate the software development lifecycle, they offer distinct features, integrations, and optimizations. This guide provides a comprehensive comparison to help you decide which tool aligns best with your project's needs.

FeatureCircleCIGitHub Actions
IntegrationSupports multiple VCS providers (GitHub, Bitbucket)Tightly integrated with GitHub repositories
ConfigurationUses .circleci/config.yml; supports Orbs for reusable configsUses .github/workflows/*.yml; supports reusable workflows and actions
ParallelismAdvanced parallelism with test splitting and automatic groupingSupports matrix builds; manual setup for parallelism
Docker supportNative Docker support with layer caching and custom imagesSupports Docker; limited caching capabilities
CachingBuilt-in caching mechanisms, including Docker layer cachingManual caching setup using actions/cache
SSH debuggingAllows SSH into running builds for debuggingNo native SSH access; requires custom solutions
PricingFree tier with 6,000 build minutes/month; paid plans offer more resourcesFree for public repositories; paid plans based on usage for private repos
CI optimizationsSupports CI optimizations via third-party tools like GraphiteIntegrates with Graphite for CI optimizations
  • Complex workflows: If your project requires intricate workflows with advanced parallelism and caching, CircleCI offers robust features to handle such scenarios.
  • Multi-VCS support: For teams using multiple version control systems, CircleCI's support for various VCS providers is advantageous.
  • Docker-intensive projects: CircleCI's native Docker support and caching mechanisms make it suitable for projects heavily reliant on Docker.
  • GitHub-centric projects: If your codebase resides on GitHub, GitHub Actions provides seamless integration and a unified experience.
  • Simpler workflows: For straightforward CI/CD pipelines, GitHub Actions offers easy setup with extensive community support.
  • Cost considerations: For open-source projects or those with limited CI/CD needs, GitHub Actions' free tier can be sufficient.

Graphite provides specialized CI optimizations that specifically enhance GitHub Actions workflows:

  • Conditional CI runs: Run CI only on selected pull requests or specific conditions, reducing redundant builds.
  • Stacked pull request management: Optimize CI workflows by executing builds selectively in stacked pull request scenarios.

An example GitHub Actions integration with Graphite:

Terminal
jobs:
optimize_ci:
runs-on: ubuntu-latest
outputs:
skip: ${{ steps.check_skip.outputs.skip }}
steps:
- name: Optimize CI
id: check_skip
uses: withgraphite/graphite-ci-action@main
with:
graphite_token: ${{ secrets.CI_OPTIMIZER_TOKEN }}
your_job:
needs: optimize_ci
if: needs.optimize_ci.outputs.skip == 'false'
steps:
- run: echo "Running necessary CI steps."

Both CircleCI and GitHub Actions are robust CI/CD tools tailored to different needs. Choose based on project complexity, infrastructure, and integration preferences. For GitHub-focused teams, Graphite further optimizes your CI pipeline, ensuring efficient use of resources.

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