PickYourTechPickYourTech home
GoCD logo

GoCD

Automate, visualize, and deliver software with GoCD pipelines

CI/CD Pipelines

GoCD is a continuous delivery server that automates the build‑test‑release cycle, offering pipeline visualization, value stream mapping, and extensible plugins for reliable, end‑to‑end software delivery.

GoCD banner

Overview

Highlights

Pipeline visualization and value‑stream mapping
Config‑as‑code support (YAML/JSON)
Extensible plugin ecosystem
Scalable Java‑based architecture

Pros

  • Clear end‑to‑end pipeline visibility
  • Mature plugin ecosystem
  • Strong support for complex deployment workflows
  • Apache‑2.0 open source license

Considerations

  • User interface can feel dated
  • Steeper learning curve for advanced concepts
  • Requires a Java runtime environment
  • Fewer native cloud‑native integrations than newer SaaS tools

Managed products teams compare with

When teams consider GoCD, these hosted platforms usually appear on the same shortlist.

Buddy logo

Buddy

CI/CD automation platform focused on easy pipeline design and fast deployments for developers

Buildkite logo

Buildkite

Scalable CI/CD platform that runs pipelines on your own infrastructure with a centralized web UI for build management

CircleCI logo

CircleCI

CI/CD platform to build, test, and deploy code automatically

Looking for a hosted option? These are the services engineering teams benchmark against before choosing open source.

Fit guide

Great for

  • Teams needing comprehensive pipeline visibility
  • Enterprises requiring on‑premise CI/CD control
  • Organizations with Java‑centric technology stacks
  • Teams adopting value‑stream mapping for process improvement

Not ideal when

  • Small hobby projects with minimal CI needs
  • Teams preferring fully managed SaaS CI/CD solutions
  • Projects focused on deep Kubernetes‑native workflows
  • Users needing extensive out‑of‑the‑box cloud provider integrations

How teams use it

Automated Release Pipeline for Microservices

Ensures consistent, repeatable deployments across staging and production environments.

Value Stream Mapping for Legacy Monolith Migration

Identifies bottlenecks and optimizes flow before refactoring the monolith.

Plugin‑Driven Integration with Custom SCM

Seamlessly connects a proprietary source‑control system to the delivery pipeline.

On‑Premise CI/CD for Regulated Industries

Provides full data control and compliance reporting within a secure environment.

Tech snapshot

Java70%
TypeScript15%
Groovy7%
JavaScript3%
SCSS2%
Ruby1%

Tags

continuous-deploymentcontinuous-testingci-cdcontinuous-delivery-serverinfrastructure-as-codecontinuous-integrationcicontinuous-deliverycdgocd

Frequently asked questions

What programming languages can I build with GoCD?

GoCD is language‑agnostic; pipelines can orchestrate builds for any language or technology stack.

How do I install GoCD?

Download the binary or Docker image from the official website and follow the installation guide.

Can pipelines be defined as code?

Yes, GoCD supports configuration‑as‑code using YAML or JSON files.

Does GoCD support plugins?

Yes, it has an extensible plugin system for SCM, notifications, analytics, and more.

What license is GoCD released under?

GoCD is released under the Apache‑2.0 license.

Project at a glance

Active
Visit siteView repo
Stars
7,359
Watchers
7,359
Forks
981
LicenseApache-2.0
Repo age12 years old
Last commit13 hours ago
Primary languageJava

Last synced 12 hours ago