8 Best-Selling CI/CD Books Millions Trust
Discover CI/CD books written by leading experts like Jez Humble and Brent Laster, featuring best-selling practices transforming software delivery.
There's something special about books that both critics and crowds love—especially in the fast-evolving world of CI/CD. As organizations race to deliver software faster and more reliably, these books have become go-to resources, providing proven frameworks that countless developers and teams rely on.
Written by experienced practitioners and industry insiders, these titles dive deep into the nuts and bolts of continuous integration, delivery, and deployment. Authors like Jez Humble offer rich insights into automation, pipeline architecture, and collaboration strategies, making these works cornerstones for those serious about mastering CI/CD.
While these popular books provide proven frameworks, readers seeking content tailored to their specific CI/CD needs might consider creating a personalized CI/CD book that combines these validated approaches into a focused guide designed just for you.
Jez & Farley Humble David·
Jez & Farley Humble David·
What started as a response to the often slow and error-prone software release cycle, Jez Humble and David Farley's "Continuous Delivery" offers a detailed blueprint for transforming how teams ship software. You gain deep insights into automating the build, deployment, and testing process, along with fostering collaboration across development, testing, and operations. The book breaks down complex topics like deployment pipelines, infrastructure management, and risk mitigation with practical examples, such as managing zero-downtime releases and configuring automated acceptance testing. If you're part of a software delivery team aiming to accelerate releases without sacrificing quality, this book speaks directly to your challenges and opportunities.
When Jez Humble noticed the persistent struggles teams faced with slow and error-prone software releases, he crafted this detailed guide to reshape how delivery works. You’ll explore how to automate builds, testing, and deployments to achieve rapid, reliable releases, with concrete frameworks like the deployment pipeline that streamline every change from code check-in to production. The book lays out collaboration strategies across development, testing, and operations, plus infrastructure management and compliance considerations, making it valuable for developers, testers, and managers aiming to accelerate delivery without sacrificing quality. If you want to understand the nuts and bolts behind continuous delivery and reduce friction in software release cycles, this book offers practical insights without fluff.
This tailored CI/CD Mastery Blueprint explores detailed strategies for mastering continuous integration and continuous deployment with a focus on automation that aligns with your specific background and goals. It combines widely validated knowledge with personalized emphasis on the automation tools and pipeline designs that matter most to you. The book examines core CI/CD concepts such as pipeline architecture, testing automation, and deployment workflows, while tailoring the depth and topics to your experience level and interests. By concentrating on what directly supports your learning objectives, it reveals how to accelerate software delivery while maintaining quality and reliability through automation. This personalized approach helps you build expertise efficiently by focusing on the aspects of CI/CD that are most relevant to your projects and career.
Brent Laster·
When Brent Laster discovered the limitations of traditional Jenkins setups, he set out to capture the evolution of continuous delivery pipelines in Jenkins 2. This book walks you through defining pipelines as code using Jenkins domain-specific language, migrating legacy jobs, and integrating tools like artifact management and containerization. You’ll gain hands-on insights into managing pipeline security, leveraging Blue Ocean’s graphical interface, and distinguishing between declarative and scripted syntax. It’s especially useful if you’re already familiar with Jenkins but want to modernize your pipelines and automate with greater flexibility and control.
After years working closely with Java development teams, John Ferguson Smart developed this guide to demystify Jenkins and its role in Continuous Integration. You’ll learn how to install and configure Jenkins, automate builds, integrate tests, and deploy software smoothly, with practical examples such as setting up build pipelines and managing distributed builds. The book’s detailed chapters on securing Jenkins servers and organizing matrix builds make it ideal for developers and project managers looking to enhance their CI workflows. If you want hands-on knowledge that bridges theory with real-world Jenkins setups, this book fits perfectly.
Brandon Atkinson, Dallas Edwards·
Brandon Atkinson, Dallas Edwards·
Brandon Atkinson brings over 14 years of software engineering expertise to this focused guide on creating reusable, platform-agnostic CI/CD pipelines using Docker and shell scripts. You’ll learn how to build modular pipelines that any DevOps team can adopt, regardless of technology stack or cloud environment, which is especially useful when managing microservices and agile workflows. The book details practical implementations for combining Docker with generic pipeline methodology, offering insight into both centralized and federated DevOps team approaches. If you aim to streamline deployments and reduce pipeline maintenance overhead, this book delivers a clear path without unnecessary complexity.
TailoredRead AI·
This tailored book explores the step-by-step actions necessary for rapidly building and improving CI/CD pipelines, focusing on your individual background and goals. It examines key pipeline components such as integration, deployment automation, and optimization techniques that match your specific interests. By concentrating on practical implementation tailored to your skill level, it reveals how to accelerate pipeline development without sifting through broad materials. The book combines proven, widely validated concepts with a personalized lens, allowing you to grasp complex pipeline systems efficiently while addressing your unique challenges in continuous integration and delivery. This personalized guide ensures your learning journey aligns precisely with what you need to master fast pipeline deployment and enhancement.
Tarun Arora, Utkarsh Shigihalli·
Tarun Arora, Utkarsh Shigihalli·
Tarun Arora and Utkarsh Shigihalli leverage their deep expertise in DevOps and software development to guide you through practical techniques for mastering Azure DevOps Server 2019. The book breaks down complex workflows into actionable recipes, such as implementing branch policies, automating CI/CD pipelines, and securing deployments with Azure KeyVault. You’ll learn how to manage Agile projects, integrate testing frameworks, and create marketplace extensions, making it especially useful if you’re aiming to elevate your development team’s efficiency and collaboration. This book suits developers, testers, and release managers looking to adopt a mature DevOps culture with hands-on, scenario-based instruction.
Shane Preater
During his work helping JavaScript developers transition into DevOps, Shane Preater developed a practical guide that breaks down the complexities of continuous delivery using AWS and JavaScript. You’ll learn hands-on skills like setting up a Jenkins CI/CD server on AWS, automating builds with automated testing, and integrating code analysis tools like SonarQube, all illustrated with clear, actionable steps. The book is ideal if you’re a JavaScript developer eager to adopt cloud infrastructure and improve your deployment pipelines without getting lost in abstract theory. Its step-by-step chapters make the concepts tangible, especially the process of automatically deploying successful builds to the cloud, which will boost your development workflow.
Chaminda Chandrasekara, Pushpa Herath·
Chaminda Chandrasekara, Pushpa Herath·
When Chaminda Chandrasekara first explored the challenges of software delivery automation, he saw a gap in practical guidance for integrating Azure DevOps pipelines across diverse platforms and languages. This book walks you through setting up Azure build and release pipelines, using tools like the Visual Editor, PowerShell scripts, and YAML configurations to streamline continuous integration and deployment. You’ll gain concrete skills such as managing artifact feeds, creating extensions, and applying deployment strategies tailored to Azure services. If you’re a software developer or test automation engineer involved in delivery workflows, this book offers clear, hands-on instruction, though it’s less suited if you’re seeking conceptual DevOps theory rather than practical pipeline implementation.
Conclusion
These eight books collectively highlight the importance of automation, pipeline design, and collaboration in making CI/CD effective. Whether you prefer foundational strategies, hands-on pipeline construction, or platform-specific guidance, this collection covers the spectrum of proven approaches.
If you lean towards well-established practices, starting with Jez Humble's "Continuous Delivery" books will ground you in the core principles. For those focused on tooling, combining Jenkins guides with platform cookbooks like Azure DevOps Server 2019 Cookbook offers practical insights.
Alternatively, you can create a personalized CI/CD book to combine proven methods with your unique needs. These widely-adopted approaches have helped many readers succeed in optimizing their software delivery.
Frequently Asked Questions
I'm overwhelmed by choice – which CI/CD book should I start with?
Start with Jez Humble's "Continuous Delivery" for a solid foundation on CI/CD principles. It's detailed yet accessible and sets the stage for more specialized tools and practices.
Are these books too advanced for someone new to CI/CD?
Not at all. Books like "Jenkins" provide practical, beginner-friendly guidance. Many of these titles build from fundamentals to advanced topics, letting you grow at your own pace.
What's the best order to read these books?
Begin with foundational books like "Continuous Delivery," then explore tooling-specific titles such as "Jenkins 2" or "Azure DevOps Server 2019 Cookbook" to apply concepts in real environments.
Should I start with the newest book or a classic?
Classic books by Jez Humble remain relevant for core concepts. Newer titles like "Jenkins 2" address recent tooling advances. Combining both gives you a balanced perspective.
Do these books assume I already have experience in CI/CD?
Some experience helps, but many books like "Continuous delivery with AWS and JavaScript" offer step-by-step instructions suitable for those transitioning into CI/CD roles.
How can I tailor CI/CD learning to my specific needs?
These expert books provide proven methods, but personalizing your learning with a tailored CI/CD book lets you focus on your unique projects and goals. Learn more here.
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