In a hypothetical scenario where a team of 6 people is actively developing a JavaScript application, a CI setup for the project is explained below:
CI Steps and Tools: Common CI steps to be taken for Javascript application development are linting, testing, and building. For linting, tools like ESLint can be employed to enforce coding standards. Testing can be done using frameworks like Jest, Mocha, Supertest, or Vitest depending on user choice and building the application can be handled with build tools like Webpack or Parcel.
Alternative CI Tools: Aside from Jenkins and GitHub Actions, other CI tools that can be considered are Travis CI, CircleCI, and GitLab CI/CD which fully support JavaScript projects. They offer various features, integrations, and pricing models, allowing teams to choose based on their preferences and project requirements.
Self-hosted vs. Cloud-based Environment: The decision between these two CI environment depends on several factors. A self-hosted setup provides more control over infrastructure but requires maintenance and resources. Cloud-based solutions, such as GitHub Actions, offer scalability, easy integration with repositories, and reduced maintenance overhead. The decision should consider factors like team expertise, infrastructure availability, and project scalability requirements.
In my own opinion, a cloud-based CI setup may be advantageous due to its convenience, scalability, and seamless integration with other development tools. However, the final decision would depend on specific needs and constraints of the project.