# Pipelines (Templates & Runs)

**Streamlining Software Delivery with Tekton Pipelines**

In today's fast-paced software development landscape, delivering high-quality software quickly and reliably is more critical than ever. Tekton Pipelines, an open-source framework for building CI/CD systems, empowers organizations to automate and streamline their software delivery pipelines. Let's delve into the world of Tekton Pipelines and explore how they revolutionize the CI/CD process.

**Introduction to Tekton Pipelines**

At its core, Tekton Pipelines provides a flexible and extensible platform for defining and executing continuous integration and continuous delivery workflows. Leveraging Kubernetes-native resources, Tekton Pipelines enables developers to build, test, and deploy applications with ease.

**Key Components of Tekton Pipelines**

Tekton Pipelines are composed of several key components:

1. **Pipeline**: A series of tasks arranged in a sequential or parallel manner to define the CI/CD workflow.
2. **Task**: An individual unit of work within a pipeline, encapsulating specific actions or steps.
3. **TaskRun**: An instance of a task that is executed within a pipeline run.
4. **PipelineResource**: Inputs and outputs consumed and produced by pipelines and tasks, such as source code repositories and container images.
5. **PipelineRun**: An instance of a pipeline that is triggered to execute the defined workflow.

**Creating and Configuring Pipelines**

Defining a pipeline involves composing a series of tasks that collectively represent the steps required to build, test, and deploy an application. Below is an example of a simple pipeline definition:

```
apiVersion: tekton.dev/v1beta1
kind: Pipeline
metadata:
  name: sample-pipeline
spec:
  tasks:
  - name: build
    taskRef:
      name: build-task
  - name: test
    taskRef:
      name: test-task
  - name: deploy
    taskRef:
      name: deploy-task

```

In this example, the pipeline consists of three tasks: `build`, `test`, and `deploy`, each referencing a corresponding task definition.\
\
**Executing Pipelines**

Once a pipeline is defined, it can be executed by creating a `PipelineRun`. Below is an example of a `PipelineRun` that triggers the execution of the `sample-pipeline` we defined earlier:

```
apiVersion: tekton.dev/v1beta1
kind: PipelineRun
metadata:
  name: sample-pipeline-run
spec:
  pipelineRef:
    name: sample-pipeline

```

This `PipelineRun` triggers the execution of the `sample-pipeline`, orchestrating the sequential execution of the tasks defined within it.

**Benefits of Tekton Pipelines**

* **Portability**: Tekton Pipelines leverage Kubernetes-native resources, making them highly portable across different Kubernetes distributions and cloud environments.
* **Scalability**: With Tekton Pipelines, organizations can effortlessly scale their CI/CD workflows to accommodate growing development and deployment needs.
* **Flexibility**: Tekton Pipelines offer unparalleled flexibility, allowing developers to define custom workflows tailored to their specific requirements.

**Real-World Use Cases**

From automating testing and deployment to implementing progressive delivery strategies, organizations across various industries are leveraging Tekton Pipelines to accelerate software delivery and enhance collaboration across development and operations teams.