CI/CD pipeline basics in Django - Interactive Code Practice

Practice - 5 Tasks

1fill in blank

easy

Complete the code to define a basic GitHub Actions workflow file for Django.

Django

name: Django CI

on: [push]

jobs:
  build:
    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
    steps:
      - uses: actions/[1]@v3

Drag options to blanks, or click blank then click option'

Arun

Bsetup-python

Cdeploy

Dcheckout

Attempts:

3 left

💡 Hint

Common Mistakes

Using 'setup-python' instead of 'checkout' in the first step.

Trying to run commands before checking out the code.

The actions/checkout action is used to check out your repository code so the workflow can access it.

2fill in blank

medium

Complete the code to set up Python 3.12 in the GitHub Actions workflow.

Django

- name: Set up Python
  uses: actions/setup-python@v3
  with:
    python-version: '[1]'

Drag options to blanks, or click blank then click option'

A3.6

B3.12

C2.7

D3.8

Attempts:

3 left

💡 Hint

Common Mistakes

Using an outdated Python version like 2.7.

Forgetting to specify the Python version.

Python 3.12 is the latest stable version and recommended for new Django projects.

3fill in blank

hard

Fix the error in the command to install dependencies in the workflow.

Django

- name: Install dependencies
  run: pip [1] -r requirements.txt

Drag options to blanks, or click blank then click option'

Aupgrade

Bupdate

Cinstall

Ddownload

Attempts:

3 left

💡 Hint

Common Mistakes

Using 'pip update' which is not a valid pip command.

Using 'pip upgrade' which upgrades pip itself, not packages.

The correct pip command to install packages from a requirements file is pip install -r requirements.txt.

4fill in blank

hard

Fill both blanks to run Django tests and collect static files in the workflow.

Django

- name: Run tests
  run: python manage.py [1]

- name: Collect static files
  run: python manage.py [2] --noinput

Drag options to blanks, or click blank then click option'

Atest

Bmigrate

Ccollectstatic

Drunserver

Attempts:

3 left

💡 Hint

Common Mistakes

Using 'migrate' instead of 'test' to run tests.

Using 'runserver' instead of 'collectstatic' to collect static files.

python manage.py test runs tests, and python manage.py collectstatic --noinput collects static files without prompts.

5fill in blank

hard

Fill all three blanks to define a job that runs on Ubuntu, sets up Python, and installs dependencies.

Django

jobs:
  build:
    runs-on: [1]
    steps:
      - uses: actions/[2]@v3
      - name: Set up Python
        uses: actions/setup-python@v3
        with:
          python-version: '[3]'

Drag options to blanks, or click blank then click option'

Acheckout

Bubuntu-latest

C3.12

Dwindows-latest

Attempts:

3 left

💡 Hint

Common Mistakes

Using Windows runner instead of Ubuntu.

Mixing up the order of steps.

The job runs on Ubuntu latest, checks out code with actions/checkout, and sets Python 3.12.

Practice

1. What is the main purpose of a CI/CD pipeline in a Django project?

easy

A. To automate testing and deployment for faster and safer code delivery

B. To manually review code changes before deployment

C. To write Django models automatically

D. To create database backups

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand CI/CD pipeline purpose

   A CI/CD pipeline automates the process of testing and deploying code changes to reduce errors and speed up delivery.

2. Step 2: Match purpose with options

   To automate testing and deployment for faster and safer code delivery correctly states automation of testing and deployment, which is the core of CI/CD pipelines.

3. Final Answer:

   To automate testing and deployment for faster and safer code delivery -> Option A

4. Quick Check:

   CI/CD automates testing and deployment = D [OK]

Hint: CI/CD means automating tests and deploys [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Confusing CI/CD with manual code review
• Thinking CI/CD creates Django code automatically
• Assuming CI/CD is for backups

2. Which of the following is the correct syntax to define a job named test in a GitLab CI/CD pipeline YAML file?

easy

A. test:
script:
- python manage.py test

B. job test {
run: python manage.py test
}

C. - job: test
steps:
- script: python manage.py test

D. test => {
script: 'python manage.py test'
}

Solution

1. Step 1: Recall GitLab CI YAML job syntax

   GitLab CI jobs are defined as job_name: followed by script: list with commands.

2. Step 2: Compare options with correct YAML syntax

   test: script: - python manage.py test matches the correct YAML format for a job named test running the Django test command.

3. Final Answer:

   test:\n script:\n - python manage.py test -> Option A

4. Quick Check:

   GitLab CI job syntax uses job_name: and script: list = A [OK]

Hint: GitLab CI jobs use job_name: and script: list [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Using curly braces or other languages syntax
• Missing the dash before script commands
• Confusing job syntax with other CI tools

3. Given this GitHub Actions workflow snippet for a Django project:

jobs:
  test:
    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
    steps:
      - uses: actions/checkout@v3
      - name: Set up Python
        uses: actions/setup-python@v4
        with:
          python-version: '3.12'
      - name: Install dependencies
        run: pip install -r requirements.txt
      - name: Run tests
        run: python manage.py test

What will happen when this workflow runs?

medium

A. The workflow will fail because Python version is not specified

B. The workflow will check out code, set Python 3.12, install dependencies, and run Django tests

C. The workflow will skip installing dependencies

D. The workflow will deploy the Django app automatically

Solution

1. Step 1: Analyze each step in the workflow

   The workflow checks out code, sets up Python 3.12, installs dependencies from requirements.txt, then runs Django tests.

2. Step 2: Confirm expected behavior

   All steps are valid and will run in order, so tests will execute after setup.

3. Final Answer:

   The workflow will check out code, set Python 3.12, install dependencies, and run Django tests -> Option B

4. Quick Check:

   Steps run in order: checkout, setup, install, test = A [OK]

Hint: Read steps top to bottom to predict workflow actions [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Assuming Python version missing causes failure
• Thinking dependencies are skipped
• Confusing test run with deployment

4. You have this GitLab CI job snippet:

test:
  script:
    - python manage.py test
  only:
    - main
    - develop

But tests are not running on your feature branch pushes. What is the likely problem?

medium

A. The script command is incorrect

B. The pipeline YAML file is missing

C. The job is limited to run only on main and develop branches

D. The tests are skipped because of syntax error in Python code

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand the 'only' keyword in GitLab CI

   The 'only' keyword restricts job execution to specified branches, here main and develop only.

2. Step 2: Analyze why feature branches don't run tests

   Since feature branches are not listed, the job does not run on them.

3. Final Answer:

   The job is limited to run only on main and develop branches -> Option C

4. Quick Check:

   'only' limits branches = B [OK]

Hint: 'only' controls branches where job runs [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Thinking script command is wrong without checking
• Assuming pipeline file is missing
• Blaming test code syntax without evidence

5. You want to create a CI/CD pipeline for your Django app that runs tests only if code changes affect models.py or views.py. Which GitLab CI configuration snippet correctly implements this?

hard

A. test:
script:
- python manage.py test
only:
refs:
- main
- develop

B. test:
script:
- python manage.py test
except:
changes:
- models.py
- views.py

C. test:
script:
- python manage.py test
when: manual

D. test:
script:
- python manage.py test
only:
changes:
- models.py
- views.py

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand 'only: changes' in GitLab CI

   This setting runs the job only if specified files change in the commit.

2. Step 2: Match requirement with options

   test: script: - python manage.py test only: changes: - models.py - views.py uses 'only: changes' with models.py and views.py, so tests run only if these files change.

3. Final Answer:

   test:\n script:\n - python manage.py test\n only:\n changes:\n - models.py\n - views.py -> Option D

4. Quick Check:

   'only: changes' triggers job on file changes = C [OK]

Hint: 'only: changes' runs job on specific file changes [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Using 'except' instead of 'only' for changes
• Using branch refs instead of file changes
• Setting job to manual instead of automatic