Continuous deployment (CD) tools automate the process of delivering your code to users. They eliminate manual release processes, enabling changes to deploy as soon as they’re ready. This increases your software deployment throughput, giving you a competitive edge.
Continuous deployment simplifies DevOps processes, but it also creates new risks. Automated deployments must be reliable, easy to monitor, and capable of quick rollbacks if a problem occurs. CD implementations should be backed by robust tooling that provides all these capabilities, as well as speed and flexibility.
In this article, we’ll look at 12 of the top continuous deployment tools to try this year. We’ll cover each tool’s key features and primary use cases so you can find the best choice for your workload. First, let’s clarify exactly what continuous deployment is.
Continuous deployment is the practice of automatically deploying changes to live environments as soon as they’re ready. It extends traditional CI/CD (continuous integration & deployment) pipelines by adding an extra stage to the end of the workflow.
Once changes have been successfully integrated and prepared for delivery, a continuous deployment tool releases them to production environments without any input from developers or operators, making the deployment process faster and simpler.
Features, bug fixes, and security patches go live as soon as they’re integrated, meaning users experience new changes sooner.
Continuous deployment vs continuous delivery
The difference between continuous deployment and continuous delivery in the software development lifecycle is a common source of confusion. People often write continuous delivery when they mean continuous delivery and deployment — the topics are actually two distinct things:
- Continuous delivery: Changes are automatically prepared for release but are not actually deployed. With this technique, new code is always ready to release once it’s passed through the pipeline, but deployment is blocked until a certain event — such as manual approval — occurs.
- Continuous deployment: Under this model, automated pipelines deploy directly to production as soon as changes are ready. There’s no gap between changes being prepared and released.
For example, in continuous delivery, a team may prepare a new feature for deployment but hold off until a scheduled release. In continuous deployment, that feature would be deployed immediately after passing automated tests. Continuous deployment requires a mature DevOps pipeline with strong testing, rollback mechanisms, and monitoring to ensure reliability.
Let’s look at some of the most popular tools for implementing continuous deployment. This isn’t an exhaustive list, but we’ve tried to compile several of the top solutions for different use cases. Many of these options are also featured in round-ups of CI/CD solutions because continuous deployment is a natural progression from continuous delivery pipelines.
Top continuous deployment tools include:
Spacelift is not exactly a DevOps continuous deployment tool, but it allows you to connect to and orchestrate all of your infrastructure tooling, including infrastructure as code, version control systems, observability tools, control and governance solutions, and cloud providers.
Key features of Spacelift:
- Flexibility: Bring your own image, control what happens before and after every runner phase, and integrate with any third-party tool you want.
- VCS integration: It integrates with popular VCS providers such as GitHub, GitLab, BitBucket, and Azure DevOps.
- Policies at multiple decision levels: You can control the number of approvals you need for a run, which resources can be created, which parameters those resources can have, what happens when a pull request is open, and where to send your notifications data.
- Cloud integrations: Dynamic temporary credentials for AWS, Azure, and GCP
- Drift detection and remediation: It ensures the reliability of your infrastructure by detecting and remediating drift.
- Contexts: Reusable environment variables and mounted files
- Self-service infrastructure with Blueprints: You can define infrastructure templates that can be easily deployed. These templates can have policies/integrations/contexts/drift detection embedded inside them for reliable deployment.
- Stack dependencies: Create dependencies between stacks and pass outputs from one to another. This can help to build an environment promotion pipeline easily.
- Visibility: Easily see all the deployed resources and details about them.
- Self-hosted capability: Spacelift can be self-hosted in AWS and AWS Gov Cloud.
Website: https://spacelift.io
Use case example: How to improve your infrastructure orchestration with Spacelift
GitLab is an all-in-one DevSecOps platform. It provides Git hosting, CI/CD, operations, and compliance functions within one solution. App deployment is one of its key capabilities.
GitLab CI/CD pipelines allow you to configure continuous deployment processes that run after your tests and builds are complete. GitLab natively integrates with Kubernetes via an in-cluster agent component, simplifying container deployments in your pipelines. You can then monitor your cluster’s resources and start and stop different environments from within GitLab, removing the need to switch between tools.
GitLab can deploy many projects without needing any configuration. Its AutoDevOps feature automates the entire process of building a container image from your repository’s source code and then starting a deployment in your Kubernetes cluster. This removes complexity and can drastically speed up bootstrap times for new projects.
Key features of GitLab:
- Complete software delivery platform
- Integrated support for managing deployments to Kubernetes
- Supports basic monitoring of deployed resources
Website: https://about.gitlab.com/
Use case example: How to Manage Terraform State with GitLab
Argo CD is a tool used for continuous deployment, purpose-built for Kubernetes. It uses a declarative GitOps-based architecture to automatically sync changes from your repositories into your Kubernetes cluster.
Argo CD works with Kubernetes manifest files and Helm charts. To implement a continuous deployment workflow, you should run a CI/CD job that updates your manifests to reference a new image tag after you make code changes. Argo CD will then automatically reconcile the state in your cluster, causing the new image to be deployed. A fully automated image updater is also being developed.
One of Argo CD’s strengths is its simplicity and ease of use. It comes with a CLI, API, and comprehensive web interface for monitoring your deployments. If a deployment fails, you can easily roll back to previous releases. Built-in access management and audit logging capabilities ensure you can effectively govern deployment activity.
Key features of Argo CD:
- Declarative CD for Kubernetes environments
- Continually reconciles cluster state to your Git repositories
- Powerful web UI and integrated access management system
Website: https://argoproj.github.io/cd
Use case example: Using ArgoCD & Terraform to Manage Kubernetes Cluster
Buddy is a purpose-built continuous deployment tool designed to automate complex deployment processes at scale. It supports thousands of connected deployment targets, enabling robust management of large infrastructure environments that span many compute nodes.
Buddy connects to your Git repositories, fetches their code, and applies the necessary actions to deploy your stack. It includes prebuilt actions for the most common deployment tasks, such as installing dependencies and executing pre-deployment tests. Pipelines can be configured to run periodically or based on Git events, such as a new push to a branch.
Buddy supports many different deployment methods and hosting platforms, including AWS, Google Cloud, Azure, and DigitalOcean services. You can also use direct FTP uploads, rsync, and Git pushes to deploy directly to your deployment destinations. If a rollout fails, Buddy’s automated rollback mechanism ensures your app recovers quickly.
Key features of Buddy:
- Automated deployments to popular cloud hosts and compute platforms
- Assemble deployment pipelines from preconfigured actions
- Robust management of revisions and rollbacks across multiple environments
Website: https://buddy.works/
Octopus Deploy is a continuous delivery and deployment platform that’s designed to simplify deployments to all types of infrastructure. It works with Kubernetes clusters and multicloud, hybrid-cloud, and on-premises deployment targets.
Octopus Deploy natively supports incremental deployment strategies including canary and blue-green releases. This simplifies the process of launching new deployments gradually and enables rapid rollbacks if a problem is found. Developers and operators can control the release process within Octopus Deploy’s UI.
Octopus Deploy’s advanced multi-tenancy features allow you to customize deployments for individual environments or customers. You can configure your deployment process once, then set up custom configurations and compliance requirements on a per-tenant basis.
When your code changes, Octopus Deploy will deploy it to all your environments while respecting each tenant’s unique configuration. This minimizes complexity when maintaining large tenant rosters.
Key features of Octopus Deploy:
- Specifically designed for scalable continuous deployment
- Robust multi-tenancy system with centralized monitoring
- Enterprise-oriented security and compliance controls
Website: https://octopus.com
AWS CodeDeploy automates app deployments to your AWS infrastructure. It takes source code, config files, and other content from Git repositories and S3 buckets, then deploys them to an EC2 instance, Lambda function, or ECS environment in your AWS account.
CodeDeploy is a quick and easy deployment option when you’re heavily invested in the AWS ecosystem. It fully automates your whole release process, letting you focus on building new app features. CodeDeploy lets you quickly scale your deployments, set up canary and blue/green rollout strategies, and initiate rollbacks when errors occur.
Key features of CodeDeploy:
- Automated deployments to AWS EC2, ECS, and Lambda from Git and S3
- Supports linear, canary, and blue/green rollouts
- Can automatically abort and rollback deployments upon failures
Website: https://aws.amazon.com/codedeploy
Jenkins is one of the longest-standing CI/CD solutions. It’s most commonly used for integration pipelines, but as a general-purpose automation server, it’s also easy to use for deployment tasks.
Jenkins’ flexibility enables you to model any deployment process you need. Although you have to configure your pipelines yourself, the payoff is the ability to implement unique requirements that don’t exist in managed deployment services.
Jenkins’s large ecosystem of plugins and extensions enables integration with popular cloud platforms, container environments, and PaaS solutions.
Key features of Jenkins:
- Flexible automation server suitable for continuous integration, delivery, and deployment
- Powerful pipeline configuration using Groovy scripts, supported by an active plugin ecosystem
- Open-source, self-hosted, and capable of distributing jobs across multiple compute instances
Website: https://www.jenkins.io/
Use case example: How to Manage Terraform with Jenkins
Semaphore is a cloud CI/CD service with an extensive suite of deployment orchestration capabilities. It allows you to automate deployment workflows, check the integrity of your releases, and run security audits and updates in your deployed environments.
Semaphore supports complex deployment strategies, including conditional rollouts and chained releases. You can configure deployments to proceed only when specific criteria are met, such as a successful previous release to a QA environment. This enables you to improve deployment reliability and maintain effective governance of your release process.
Key features of Semaphore:
- Combined platform for CI/CD, deployment automation, observability, and security
- Supports complex conditional deployment rollout and promotion strategies
- Includes precise deployment access controls and auditable deployment history
Website: https://semaphoreci.com
Spinnaker is an enterprise-oriented continuous delivery platform that’s designed for multicloud operations. It supports direct integrations with cloud providers and Kubernetes clusters.
Spinnaker can subscribe to many different events as deployment triggers. For instance, you can deploy after pushing to a Git repository or when a pipeline in another CI system like Jenkins is complete. Spinnaker will then deploy your code to your linked cloud environments. It automatically configures the required infrastructure and prepares the deployment based on the requirements you declare.
Spinnaker is a powerful platform, but it’s also often cited as complex to configure and maintain. It’s best reserved for large-scale enterprise architectures that need robust multicloud operations. Other options on this list could be better suited to other use cases.
Key features of Spinnaker:
- Multicloud support with direct provider integrations for AWS, Azure, Google Cloud, and more
- Supports many different deployment triggers, including Git events, Docker image updates, schedules, and other CI systems
- Built-in canary and blue/green deployments with integrated rollbacks
Website: https://spinnaker.io
Heroku is one of the best-known and most popular PaaS (Platform-as-a-Service) solutions. It’s a cloud service that fully automates your project’s deployment process.
When code changes, Heroku automatically builds your app from your repository. It then launches a deployment using fully managed container instances you can scale, monitor, and roll back.
The platform has built-in support for programming languages, including Go, Java, Node.js, PHP, Python, and Ruby. An extensive add-on library and strong open-source community support provide integrations with many more tools and frameworks. Deployments are billed per hour, and a broad selection of instance types is available.
Key features of Heroku
- Fully automated deployments requiring no infrastructure configuration
- Horizontally and vertically scalable deployments
- Includes optional managed PostgreSQL and Redis services
Website: https://www.heroku.com
Google Cloud Deploy enables simple automated deployments to Google Kubernetes Engine (GKE) clusters and Cloud Run serverless environments.
Cloud Deploy is configured using the Skaffold Kubernetes workflow management tool. Skaffold lets you use one process to deploy your apps to any environment, whether locally on a developer workstation or in the cloud. Cloud Deploy consumes your project’s existing Skaffold file to prepare your deployments automatically.
Cloud Deploy can natively manage multiple deployment targets, such as separate staging and production clusters. You can promote releases between environments automatically, either using a schedule or event triggers. The service integrates with Google Cloud’s standard security and governance controls, including IAM authentication and Cloud Audit Logs.
Key features of Google Cloud Deploy:
- Simple setup with no new infrastructure to configure
- Can deploy to Cloud Run or a GKE cluster
- Works with existing Skaffold Kubernetes deployment configs
Website: https://cloud.google.com/deploy
DeployHQ is a deployment automation tool but not a full continuous deployment (CD) solution. It automates deployments by pulling code from repositories and pushing updates to servers, but it does not include advanced CI/CD pipeline features like automated testing, build management, or release approvals.
However, it supports continuous deployment workflows when integrated with version control systems like GitHub, GitLab, or Bitbucket. Developers can configure DeployHQ to trigger automatic deployments when new commits are pushed to a branch, making it suitable for teams that want a lightweight CD process without the complexity of full CI/CD platforms like Jenkins or GitLab CI/CD.
Key features of DeployHQ:
- Enables direct code deployment from version control repositories to servers
- Allows users to revert to a previous deployment if needed
- Supports configurable scripts and commands for environment-specific tasks
Website: https://www.deployhq.com/
GoCD is an open-source CI/CD solution that emphasizes cloud-native delivery and deployment. It integrates natively with Kubernetes and can run within your cluster. You can then configure deployment jobs that release your apps into your environments.
GoCD became popular because it’s simple, focused, and designed for self-hosted operations. Nonetheless, its advanced process modeling system can support highly complex deployment workflows. Pipelines support intricate dependencies and concurrency requirements, letting you specify the exact conditions when deployments run. This optimizes efficiency and helps prevent accidental deployments.
GoCD development was previously funded by Thoughtworks, but this arrangement ended in 2020. It’s now maintained by a small group of individuals who deliver regular bug fixes and minor improvements.
Key features of GoCD
- Open-source, self-hosted CI/CD engine with native Kubernetes support
- Dynamically provisions and scales build infrastructure
- Can model and visualize complex deployment pipelines
Website: https://www.gocd.org/
Here are some other options to consider:
- CircleCI – A cloud-based CI/CD tool that automates software builds, testing, and deployment across various environments. It offers advanced caching, parallel execution, and integration with popular version control platforms like GitHub and Bitbucket.
- GitHub Actions – A CI/CD tool integrated directly into GitHub, allowing developers to automate workflows, run tests, and deploy code. It supports event-driven automation, reusable workflows, and seamless integration with GitHub repositories.
- TeamCity – A JetBrains CI/CD tool that provides automated build and deployment capabilities with extensive customization options. It supports parallel execution, real-time feedback, and integration with various version control systems and cloud platforms.
- Bamboo – An Atlassian CI/CD server designed for automated build, test, and release management in software development. It integrates seamlessly with Jira, Bitbucket, and other Atlassian tools to streamline DevOps workflows.
- Travis CI – A cloud-based and self-hosted CI/CD service that automates software testing and deployment for open-source and private projects. It supports multiple programming languages, version control platforms, and parallel testing environments.
Continuous deployment involves changes being deployed to production automatically after they’ve been integrated into your project. The practice accelerates software development throughput by eliminating manual deployment processes. Users see features and fixes sooner, potentially enabling you to outpace competitors.
The tools we’ve shared in this article let you implement reliable continuous deployment pipelines that are easy to govern and configure. Using dedicated platforms ensures you can confidently automate your deployments without sacrificing control.
It’s worth noting that continuous deployment doesn’t work for every software development project, though. Systems with specific compliance requirements may still need manual approvals, while projects that produce large binaries are rarely suitable for release multiple times a day.
Ready to learn more DevOps automation strategies? Check out how to automate your infrastructure management processes with our guide to the top IaC tools. Finally, don’t forget to try Spacelift to provision, configure, and govern your infrastructure using one cohesive continuous delivery workflow.
The best infrastructure automation tool
Spacelift is a DevOps infrastructure automation tool that can be used as an alternative to homegrown solutions on top of a generic CI solution. It allows you to automate, audit, secure, and continuously deliver your infrastructure.
