Introduction to automated WordPress deployments

These are the slides from a talk given at WordCamp Miami 2017.

Do you dread deploying new WordPress code for clients? *raises hand* It’s weird to feel that way. Deploying WordPress code isn’t rocket science after all (or maybe it is and no one told me!).

It tends to come down to opening our favorite FTP client and pressing the upload button. Easy-peasy, right? Of course, not! (Things are never that easy…) You’re also refreshing the web page in the browser while praying that you don’t get a white screen of death.

It doesn’t have to be that way. You can deploy your WordPress code with confidence! It just comes down to creating the proper workflows and the right automation.

This is what you’ll learn in this talk. We’ll go over what makes a successful deployment workflow. You’ll also get an overview of the tools that you can use to automate deployments. It’s everything that you need to get started on your quest for safer WordPress deployments!

You can read the companion article at: https://carlalexander.ca/introduction-automated-wordpress-deployment

Transcript

1. Introduction to automated WordPress deployments
2. Carl Alexander
3. @twigpress
4. carlalexander.ca
6. Let’s play a game
7. What do you do when you have to update a WordPress site? Let’s play a game…
8. Press the upload button Let’s play a game…
9. Mash the refresh button Let’s play a game…
10. Sigh when everything loads! Let’s play a game…
11. Pretty stressful way to work Let’s play a game…
12. You should be able to deploy code as often as you want Let’s play a game…
13. That’s where automated WordPress deployment comes in Let’s play a game…
14. Makes updating WordPress safer Let’s play a game… (But not bulletproof!)
15. Focus on shipping bug fixes and new features Let’s play a game…
16. What is it?
17. Part of a larger set of practices called DevOps What is it?
18. Moves code between deployment environments What is it?
19. For us, that’s moving our code from our computer to a server What is it?
20. Been doing this from day 1 What is it? (Just by hand)
21. What is it?
22. Workflow
23. Tools are important Workflow
24. But so is your workflow Workflow
25. Just a set of good habits Workflow
26. Version control system
27. Lots of tools require it Version control system
28. Has a lot of other benefits Version control system
29. History of all your code changes Version control system
30. Version control system
31. Also stores your code Version control system
32. Version control system • Bitbucket • GitHub • GitLab
33. Necessary for some automated deployment systems Version control system
34. Better collaboration too Version control system
35. No need to share your files Version control system
36. Lets anyone deploy code Version control system
37. Scary, but removes gatekeepers Version control system
38. Testing
39. Common to have testing with automated deployment Testing
40. Unit tests, traditional QA or both Testing
41. Derisks your workflow Testing
42. Helps you deploy code more often Testing
43. Reminder: this isn’t bulletproof Testing
44. Automated deployment prevents error deploying code Testing
45. But not deploying bad code Testing
46. Multiple environments
47. Testing and staging environments Environments
48. Testing is for… testing Environments
49. Staging mirrors production Environments
50. Lets clients preview changes Environments
51. Also to test high-risk operations Environments
52. Requires almost no extra effort Environments
53. Run into fewer problems Environments
54. Questions
55. Implemention
56. Hosts
57. Easiest option Hosts
58. Also costliest Hosts
59. How does it work?
60. How does it work?
61. Push to host repository How does it work?
62. Deploys your code to server How does it work?
63. Available hosts
64. Can be narrow or broad category Available hosts
65. Lots of hosts offer git support Available hosts
66. Most aren’t set up by default Available hosts
67. Only covering the ones that have it set up for you Available hosts
68. Leaves us with two hosts Available hosts
69. Pantheon and WP Engine Available hosts
70. Services
71. Cheaper alternative Services
72. Flexibility to chose your host Services
73. How does it work?
74. How does it work?
75. Service like GitHub mandatory How does it work?
76. Push to GitHub repository How does it work?
77. Allows for complex deployments How does it work?
78. Available services
79. Lots of services out there Available services
80. Only focus on two Available services
81. DeployBot and DeployHQ Available services
82. Plugins
83. Final option Plugins
84. Different from what we’ve seen Plugins
85. Can’t deploy a WordPress site Plugins
86. Only plugins and themes Plugins
87. How does it work?
88. How does it work?
89. Connects plugins and themes How does it work?
90. Let’s you install or update by hand How does it work?
91. Webhook required for automation How does it work?
92. How does it work?
93. Plugin is blind without webhook How does it work?
94. Available plugins
95. GitHub updater and WP Pusher Available plugins
96. Both plugins are almost identical Available plugins
97. The big difference is the price Available plugins
98. Questions
99. Do it yourself
100. More complicated to do Do it yourself
101. But also free Do it yourself
102. Remote repository
103. Works like hosts seen earlier Remote repository
104. Push code to repository to deploy Remote repository
105. Offered by some WordPress hosts Remote repository
106. Webhook
107. Similar to the services from earlier Webhook
108. Install custom webhook endpoint Webhook
109. Push code to GitHub Webhook
110. Also supported by some hosts Webhook
111. Deployment tools
112. Almost every language has a tool Deployment tools
113. Deployment tools
114. Your computer does all the work Deployment tools
115. Also requires server configuration Deployment tools
116. Not possible with regular hosts Deployment tools
117. Two server configuration projects support this kind of deployment Deployment tools
118. DebOps and Trellis Deployment tools
119. Taking the stress out
120. Lots of options available to you! No stress
121. Most aren't that complicated No stress
122. Never fear deploying code again No stress
123. Questions
124. Thank you!