Last Updated: November 21, 2025
CircleCI
Cloud-based CI/CD platform
Core Concepts
| Item | Description |
|---|---|
Workflow
|
Orchestrates jobs |
Job
|
Collection of steps |
Step
|
Individual command or action |
Executor
|
Environment where job runs |
Orb
|
Reusable configuration package |
Context
|
Secured environment variables |
Config Example
version: 2.1
jobs:
build:
docker:
- image: cimg/node:18.0
steps:
- checkout
- run: npm install
- run: npm test
- run: npm run build
workflows:
build-and-test:
jobs:
- build
Common Executors
| Item | Description |
|---|---|
docker
|
Docker container |
machine
|
Linux VM |
macos
|
macOS VM |
windows
|
Windows VM |
Best Practices
- Use orbs for common tasks
- Cache dependencies to speed up builds
- Use workflows to orchestrate complex pipelines
- Store secrets in contexts
💡 Pro Tips
Quick Reference
Use CircleCI orbs to simplify configuration