Tech Stack Finalized

1. GitHub → Source Code Management

• Stores your website's code, including Jenkinsfile, Dockerfile, and source files.

• Triggers Jenkins pipelines on code push (e.g., to main branch).

2. Jenkins → Automation

• Automates the CI/CD process.

• Pulls code from GitHub, builds Docker image, deploys to EC2, and runs tests.

3. Docker → Packaging & Deployment

• Creates a container image for your app.

• Ensures the app runs the same in any environment (local, EC2, etc.).

4. AWS EC2 → Hosting

• Provides a virtual server to run Jenkins and Docker containers.

• Hosts the live application accessible via a public IP.

5. Nginx → Web Server

• Serves the built front-end app from the Docker container.

• Handles incoming HTTP traffic on port 80.

GitHub Actions vs Jenkins

• Jenkins offers high customization but is resource-heavy and requires a dedicated server.

• GitHub Actions is built-in and simpler for smaller projects but needs YAML workflow knowledge.
  We used a basic git pull approach from EC2 to keep things simple and manageable.

Docker vs Manual Flask Deployment

• Docker provides containerization and easy replication but had repeated setup issues on EC2.

• Manual Flask setup with gunicorn and nginx was more stable and faster to implement.

Route 53 vs DuckDNS

• Route 53 is professional but paid.

• DuckDNS is free and perfect for students dealing with EC2’s changing IP.

CI Tools vs Git Pull

• Full CI tools automate everything but require setup time and learning.

• Manual/triggered git pull offered enough control with minimal complexity.