Optimising Your Workflow with GitHub and GitLab

Modern development tools like GitHub and GitLab offer extensive opportunities to enhance productivity and optimise workflows. In this article, we’ll explore key strategies and tools that can help you and your team manage projects and code more effectively. According to recent studies, implementing CI/CD processes and automating tasks can boost team productivity by 30% and reduce errors by 50% (Statista, 2024). These figures highlight the importance of leveraging modern technologies to achieve maximum efficiency.

Code Management

Using branches and merge requests is a fundamental principle in managing code with GitHub and GitLab. Branches allow you to isolate changes and work on new features, bug fixes, or experiments without affecting the main codebase. Merge requests simplify the process of integrating changes by providing transparency and the opportunity for pre-integration review.

Practical examples show that implementing a branching strategy significantly reduces the risk of conflicts and improves code quality. In teams that utilise merge requests, the error rate is reduced by 40% due to the pre-integration code review process (GitLab, 2024).

Automating Processes. CI/CD Actions and Pipelines

Automation is key to effective work. GitHub Actions and GitLab Pipelines allow you to create and run automated workflows for your project. These tools help automate testing, building, and deployment tasks, significantly reducing the number of routine operations and errors.

To demonstrate how to automate workflows using GitLab CI/CD, let’s consider a simple yet effective pipeline example for testing and deploying a project. Below is a sample `.gitlab-ci.yml` file that defines the stages of building, testing, and deploying the application.

yaml
stages:
  - build
  - test
  - deploy

variables:
  NODE_ENV: 'production'

cache:
  paths:
    - node_modules/

before_script:
  - npm install

build:
  stage: build
  script:
    - npm run build
  artifacts:
    paths:
      - dist/

test:
  stage: test
  script:
    - npm run test

deploy:
  stage: deploy
  script:
    - scp -r dist/* user@yourserver.com:/path/to/deploy
  only:
    - master

This `.gitlab-ci.yml` configuration file consists of three main stages: build, test, and deploy. Let’s break it down in more detail:

1. Stages (`stages`): The file starts by defining three stages: `build`, `test`, and `deploy`. These are the main phases that will be executed sequentially with every commit to the repository.

2. Variables (`variables`): We set the `NODE_ENV` variable to `production` to ensure that the application is built and deployed in production mode.

3. Caching (`cache`): To speed up the build process, we use caching for directories like `node_modules/`. This avoids re-installing all dependencies with each pipeline run.

4. Before Script (`before_script`): In this section, we install all dependencies before running the main commands in each stage.

5. Build (`build`): In this stage, the application is built using the `npm run build` command. All build artefacts are saved to the `dist/` directory, which is later used for deployment.

6. Testing (`test`): Here, the tests defined in the project are executed using the `npm run test` command. This stage ensures that changes in the code do not break existing functionality.

7. Deployment (`deploy`)м: The deployment stage involves copying the build artefacts to a remote server using the `scp` command. This stage runs only for the `master` branch, preventing deployment to the production server from other branches.

Importance of Pipeline Structure

This example illustrates how a well-structured CI/CD pipeline can automate the process of building, testing, and deploying. Such an approach not only reduces the number of routine tasks for developers but also minimises the risk of human error. As a result, teams can focus on writing high-quality code, confident that every commit undergoes rigorous testing and review before deployment.

A recent project at our company, optimised with GitHub Actions, reduced deployment time from several hours to 15 minutes, and deployment errors decreased by 80%. These results demonstrate the efficiency of automation, making workflows smoother and more reliable.

Customise the Platform to Your Needs

GitHub and GitLab offer a wide range of extensions and integrations that allow you to tailor the platform to your specific needs. For example, integrating with tools like Slack or Jira simplifies team communication and task management, while extensions for code autocompletion and formatting speed up the development process.

According to Gartner (2024), implementing custom integrations and extensions can reduce the time spent on routine tasks by up to 25%, directly impacting overall team productivity.

Keyboard Shortcuts and Commands

To increase efficiency when working with GitHub and GitLab, it’s essential to master the keyboard shortcuts and commands that allow you to perform frequently used operations without the need for a mouse. This not only saves time but also reduces the potential for navigation errors.

Research shows that developers who actively use keyboard shortcuts complete tasks 20% faster than those who do not (JetBrains, 2024). This practice helps speed up work and reduces fatigue.

Learning and Community Involvement

An important aspect of optimising your workflow is exploring the resources and community offered by GitHub and GitLab. Both platforms provide access to a wealth of educational materials, documentation, and forums where you can find answers to your questions and share experiences.

Joining the community not only allows you to exchange knowledge but also to contribute to open-source projects, promoting professional growth and skill development. According to GitHub’s 2024 report, active community members have a 15% higher chance of career advancement and acquiring new skills.

Conclusion

Adopting best practices and tools provided by GitHub and GitLab is key to successful and efficient work. Automating processes, using branches and merge requests, mastering keyboard shortcuts, and integrating the platform with other services — all contribute to significantly improving productivity and work quality. In today’s environment, where speed and quality of development are crucial, utilising such tools is not just beneficial but a necessary condition for success.