Many teams embark on a journey to strengthen operations and development. Whether it’s battling monolithic applications by adopting containers and microservices or attempting to elevate a mature architecture by switching CI/CD tools, it is important to have a solution with robust cloud native support. When containers and cloud native workflows are easy to set and maintain, teams increase operational efficiency and can focus on delivering better products faster.
What goes into a cloud native architecture?
Cloud native applications are built using microservices rather than a monolithic application structure. You can think of microservices as smaller pieces that unite to perform a specific action. Microservices can be scaled based on load, creating a more resilient environment. Container orchestration tools, like Kubernetes, enable developers to manage the way an application’s containers function, including scaling and deployment.
Embracing cloud native architectures results in an increase in developer time, a decrease in the amount of money spent on monitoring and scaling application resources (through cloud orchestration and container schedulers), and faster shipping.
GitLab is designed for cloud native architectures
GitLab’s Kubernetes integration, built-in container registry, and advanced CI/CD features support microservices, such as multi-project pipelines, and monorepo projects. Furthermore, teams can keep the same workflow regardless of which cloud apps they are deploying to, so there’s no need to rework your entire process.
Why choose GitLab for your cloud native needs
GitLab has a prominent place in the cloud native ecosystem and according to Forrester: “GitLab’s simple and cohesive approach lands it squarely as a leader. GitLab's approach of having a single application to manage each phase of software development comes through in its developer experience”.
GitLab doesn’t require manual and painstaking scripts. Our tool has native capabilities for Kubernetes integration and an out-of-the-box solution for advanced deployment flows for progressive delivery, like incremental rollout and canary deploys. GitLab also comes with feature flagging as a built-in capability, eliminating the need for a third-party solution.
GitLab’s multicloud strategy with workflow portability increases operational efficiencies and makes it the easiest way to build cloud native applications.
Cover image by Julian Santa Ana on Unsplash
