CI/CD

Automated Java Application Deployment to AWS Elastic Beanstalk using GitHub Actions

AkcaTech Team

23/10/2024

Automated Java Application Deployment to AWS Elastic Beanstalk using GitHub Actions

When developing modern applications, having a robust CI/CD pipeline is crucial. Learn how to set up automated deployments to AWS Elastic Beanstalk using GitHub Actions for both staging and production environments.

When developing modern applications, having a robust CI/CD pipeline is crucial. In this guide, we'll walk through setting up automated deployments to AWS Elastic Beanstalk using GitHub Actions for both staging and production environments.

Prerequisites

Java application with Maven
GitHub repository
AWS Elastic Beanstalk environment
AWS IAM credentials

Setting Up GitHub Actions

We'll create two workflow files: one for staging and one for production. These files should be placed in the .github/workflows/ directory of your repository.

Staging Deployment Configuration

name: Deploy staging
on:
  push:
    branches:
      - staging

jobs:
  build-and-deploy:
    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
    steps:
      - name: Checkout source code
        uses: actions/checkout@v4

      - name: Setup Java
        uses: actions/setup-java@v4
        with:
          distribution: 'temurin'
          java-version: '21'

      - name: Setup Maven
        uses: stCarolas/setup-maven@v5
        with:
          maven-version: 3.8.2

      - name: Build project
        run: mvn clean package -DskipTests

      - name: Deploy to EB
        uses: einaregilsson/beanstalk-deploy@v22
        with:
          aws_access_key: ${{ secrets.AWS_ACCESS_KEY_ID }}
          aws_secret_key: ${{ secrets.AWS_SECRET_ACCESS_KEY }}
          application_name: 'your-app-name-staging'
          environment_name: 'your-environment-name-staging'
          version_label: ${{ github.sha}}
          region: eu-central-1
          existing_bucket_name: 'elasticbeanstalk-eu-central-1-your-bucket'
          deployment_package: target/your-application.jar

Production Deployment Configuration

name: Deploy production
on:
  push:
    branches:
      - production

jobs:
  build-and-deploy:
    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
    steps:
      - name: Checkout source code
        uses: actions/checkout@v4

      - name: Setup Java
        uses: actions/setup-java@v4
        with:
          distribution: 'temurin'
          java-version: '21'

      - name: Setup Maven
        uses: stCarolas/setup-maven@v5
        with:
          maven-version: 3.8.2

      - name: Build project
        run: mvn clean package -DskipTests

      - name: Deploy to EB
        uses: einaregilsson/beanstalk-deploy@v22
        with:
          aws_access_key: ${{ secrets.AWS_ACCESS_KEY_ID }}
          aws_secret_key: ${{ secrets.AWS_SECRET_ACCESS_KEY }}
          application_name: 'your-app-name-prod'
          environment_name: 'your-environment-name-prod'
          version_label: ${{ github.sha}}
          region: eu-central-1
          existing_bucket_name: 'elasticbeanstalk-eu-central-1-your-bucket'
          deployment_package: target/your-application.jar

Setting Up GitHub Secrets

To securely manage AWS credentials, you must add them as GitHub secrets. Here's how:

Navigate to your GitHub repository
Go to Settings > Secrets and Variables> Actions
Click "New repository secret"
Add the following secrets:
- AWS_ACCESS_KEY_ID: Your AWS access key
- AWS_SECRET_ACCESS_KEY: Your AWS secret key

How It Works

Let's break down the key components of our workflow:

1. Trigger Configuration

on:
  push:
    branches:
      - main  # or production for prod deployment

The workflow triggers when code is pushed to the specified branch.

2. Environment Setup

- name: Setup Java
  uses: actions/setup-java@v4
  with:
    distribution: 'temurin'
    java-version: '21'

- name: Setup Maven
  uses: stCarolas/setup-maven@v5
  with:
    maven-version: 3.8.2

Sets up the Java and Maven environment for building the application.

3. Build Process

- name: Build project
  run: mvn clean package -DskipTests

Builds the Java application and creates the JAR file.

4. Deployment

- name: Deploy to EB
  uses: einaregilsson/beanstalk-deploy@v22
  with:
    aws_access_key: ${{ secrets.AWS_ACCESS_KEY_ID }}
    aws_secret_key: ${{ secrets.AWS_SECRET_ACCESS_KEY }}
    application_name: 'your-app-name'
    environment_name: 'your-environment-name'
    version_label: ${{ github.sha}}
    region: eu-central-1
    existing_bucket_name: 'elasticbeanstalk-eu-central-1-your-bucket'
    deployment_package: target/your-application.jar

Deploys the built application to AWS Elastic Beanstalk.

Important Notes

Security: Never commit AWS credentials directly in the workflow files.
Version Label: We use github.sha it for version tracking, ensuring unique deployments.
Skip Tests: The current configuration skips tests during the build (-DskipTests). Consider enabling tests for production deployments.
Region: Use the correct AWS region where your Elastic Beanstalk environment is hosted.
Bucket Name: The existing_bucket_name should match your Elastic Beanstalk S3 bucket.

Benefits

Automated deployments triggered by code pushes
Separate workflows for staging and production environments
Secure credential management using GitHub secrets
Consistent build and deployment process
Version tracking using Git SHA

Conclusion

This setup provides a robust CI/CD pipeline for Java applications, automating the deployment process to AWS Elastic Beanstalk. By maintaining separate workflows for staging and production, we ensure a proper deployment strategy while keeping our sensitive credentials secure.

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