Azure Pipelines or GitHub Actions: Which DevOps Tool Is Better?

Microsoft’s GitHub is a code hosting platform for version control and collaboration. It is a Microsoft product, so it can be integrated into Azure Pipelines and used as a continuous integration and delivery system (CI/CD), much like GitHub Actions. 

With GitHub Actions and Azure Pipelines both being in the Microsoft family, how do you choose which tools to use? Keep reading to learn more.

GitHub Actions

GitHub Actions is a CI/CD platform, but it is not explicitly aimed at Azure products and services. It has features that allow it to automate software development workflows and will allow DevOps engineers to build, test and deploy code. It is easy to use and is a good introduction for new users who haven’t previously dealt with CI/CD. GitHub Actions is open-source and community-led, making it appealing for smaller companies that might not find vendor lock-in attractive for their business needs. This makes it a more affordable option if flexibility is what the organization is after.

Azure Pipelines

Azure Pipelines is part of Azure’s CI/CD capabilities. It allows software applications to be delivered and updated continuously and automated, making software maintenance and DevOps tasks far less labor intensive. Azure Pipelines also integrates with other Azure tools and services, making it a key component for Azure DevOps. Code is built, tested and deployed through Azure Pipelines quickly, effectively and reliably. Azure Pipelines also supports different programming languages, platforms and DevOps tools.

Is GitHub Actions or Azure Pipelines Best for Me?

Consider your organization's needs and conditions to decide which solution is best for you.

If you are in the Azure ecosystem, Azure Pipelines is probably the way to go. It plugs into your existing Azure cloud infrastructure and has CI/CD capabilities that don’t need much configuration or changes to set it up. Azure Pipelines also has work tracking, version control and plenty of testing. It works within the Azure product stack and is incredibly effective as a software delivery and development system. Here is a snapshot of the solution with Azure Pipelines:

• Integration. Azure Pipelines integrates with Microsoft Azure services, tools and products. 

• Services. It offers delivery, testing and CI/CD and is a full-featured software development and deployment solution.

• Usability. If you are new to Azure, then setting it up is quite challenging in complicated environments, but the actual interface is easy to use.

• Pricing and Cost Considerations. If you still need to get Azure, then getting set up can be quite expensive. The baseline architecture required to set up a CI/CD pipeline can be found on Microsoft’s website, and the pricing calculator can show you what you need to have in place to create one of these pipelines. If you use the standard default options for a CI/CD for Azure Web Apps then the pricing starts at around the $6000 mark per month, but this will depend on what you need, and what you already have in place.

• Support. Microsoft offers enterprise support to its Azure customers.

GitHub Actions makes sense for companies already using it and who don’t need to integrate it into their infrastructure. It is open source, and it does not require other infrastructure components to be purchased first, so it is affordable. 

Here is a snapshot of the solution with GitHub Actions:

• Integration. It works best with GitHub’s version control system.

• Services. GitHub Actions focuses more on software automation workflows, including building, testing and code deployment.

• Usability. The user interface is easy to use, and the system and concepts are good for users that are new to CI/CD concepts.

• Pricing and Cost Considerations. This is an affordable option for smaller businesses, and there is a free tier for individuals and small projects in public repositories or self-hosted ones. Pricing tiers start at $0 for the Free plan, $4 per user for the Team Tier and $21 per user for the Enterprise Tier. The GitHub pricing page shows what each tier offers at the different price points.

• Support. The product has some support options and a helpful community.

Azure Pipelines or GitHub Actions: Which DevOps Tool Is Better?

Azure Pipelines and GitHub Actions are excellent products for the tasks associated with DevOps operations, such as CI/CD automation and testing, but the scenarios where they are most useful are different. It largely depends on the workflows and deployment preferences of the organization. 

Azure Pipelines is better suited to organizations that use Microsoft Azure and other tools that belong to the Microsoft stack. The costs will be manageable if you already use Azure, and there won't be much of a learning curve.

GitHub Actions has its own features that make it attractive to organizations that don’t necessarily need to integrate into the Azure ecosystem. The free tier version of GitHub Actions makes it a good choice for public projects and individuals with personal requirements that don’t justify the cost of a traditional CI/CD platform. 

Getting the Right Training for Azure DevOps

If you want to pursue a career in DevOps, check out Knox Hutchinson’s AZ-400 training. It has all the information and resources you need to get certified and ready to work with Azure DevOps. You will learn about Azure Pipelines and other essential features that make Microsoft Azure such a versatile platform for modern businesses and organizations.

Not a CBT Nuggets subscriber? Sign up for a one-week no-strings-attached trial to explore this course and others.