The CI/CD Pipeline Architecture Framework: Systematic Approach to Pipeline Design

After two decades of building CI/CD pipelines, I’ve noticed teams repeatedly solving the same architectural challenges without a shared framework.

I developed the „CI/CD Pipeline Architecture Framework“ to provide structure:

Golden Path (Sequential Foundation): 1. Code Commit 2. Automated Build 3. Automated Testing 4. Staging Deployment 5. Production Deployment 6. Monitoring & Feedback

Pipeline Pillars (Flexible Capabilities): – 🟣 Multiple Environments & Promotion – 🟠 Feature Flags & Progressive Rollouts – 🟢 Metrics & Observability – 🔴 Advanced Testing Strategies – 🟡 Pipeline Control & Orchestration – 🔵 Multi-Platform & Multi-Cloud Support – 🟤 Access Control & Security Architecture

Full guide with practical examples: https://cimatic.io/blog/cicd-pipeline-architecture

How do you approach pipeline architecture decisions in your projects?