---
stage: Verify
group: Pipeline Authoring
info: To determine the technical writer assigned to the Stage/Group associated with this page, see https://about.gitlab.com/handbook/product/ux/technical-writing/#assignments
type: reference
---
# Tutorial: Create and run your first GitLab CI/CD pipeline **(FREE)**
This tutorial shows you how to configure and run your first CI/CD pipeline in GitLab.
If you are already familiar with basic CI/CD concepts, you can learn about
common keywords in [Tutorial: Create a complex pipeline](tutorial.md).
## Prerequisites
Before you start, make sure you have:
- A project in GitLab that you would like to use CI/CD for.
- The Maintainer or Owner role for the project.
If you don't have a project, you can create a public project for free on <https://gitlab.com>.
## Steps
To create and run your first pipeline:
1. [Ensure you have runners available](#ensure-you-have-runners-available) to run your jobs.
If you're using GitLab.com, you can skip this step. GitLab.com provides shared runners for you.
1. [Create a `.gitlab-ci.yml` file](#create-a-gitlab-ciyml-file)
at the root of your repository. This file is where you define the CI/CD jobs.
When you commit the file to your repository, the runner runs your jobs.
The job results [are displayed in a pipeline](#view-the-status-of-your-pipeline-and-jobs).
## Ensure you have runners available
In GitLab, runners are agents that run your CI/CD jobs.
To view available runners:
- Go to **Settings > CI/CD** and expand **Runners**.
As long as you have at least one runner that's active, with a green circle next to it,
you have a runner available to process your jobs.
### If you don't have a runner
If you don't have a runner:
1. [Install GitLab Runner](https://docs.gitlab.com/runner/install/) on your local machine.
1. [Register the runner](https://docs.gitlab.com/runner/register/) for your project.
Choose the `shell` executor.
When your CI/CD jobs run, in a later step, they will run on your local machine.
## Create a `.gitlab-ci.yml` file
Now create a `.gitlab-ci.yml` file. It is a [YAML](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/YAML) file where
you specify instructions for GitLab CI/CD.
In this file, you define:
- The structure and order of jobs that the runner should execute.
- The decisions the runner should make when specific conditions are encountered.
To create a `.gitlab-ci.yml` file:
1. On the left sidebar, select **Repository > Files**.
1. Above the file list, select the branch you want to commit to.
If you're not sure, leave `master` or `main`.
Then select the plus icon (**{plus}**) and **New file**:
1. For the **Filename**, type `.gitlab-ci.yml` and in the larger window,
paste this sample code:
```yaml
build-job:
stage: build
script:
- echo "Hello, $GITLAB_USER_LOGIN!"
test-job1:
stage: test
script:
- echo "This job tests something"
test-job2:
stage: test
script:
- echo "This job tests something, but takes more time than test-job1."
- echo "After the echo commands complete, it runs the sleep command for 20 seconds"
- echo "which simulates a test that runs 20 seconds longer than test-job1"
- sleep 20
deploy-prod:
stage: deploy
script:
- echo "This job deploys something from the $CI_COMMIT_BRANCH branch."
environment: production
```
This example shows four jobs: `build-job`, `test-job1`, `test-job2`, and `deploy-prod`.
The comments listed in the `echo` commands are displayed in the UI when you view the jobs.
The values for the [predefined variables](../variables/predefined_variables.md)
`$GITLAB_USER_LOGIN` and `$CI_COMMIT_BRANCH` are populated when the jobs run.
1. Select **Commit changes**.
The pipeline starts and runs the jobs you defined in the `.gitlab-ci.yml` file.
## View the status of your pipeline and jobs
Now take a look at your pipeline and the jobs within.
1. Go to **CI/CD > Pipelines**. A pipeline with three stages should be displayed:
1. View a visual representation of your pipeline by selecting the pipeline ID:
1. View details of a job by selecting the job name. For example, `deploy-prod`:
You have successfully created your first CI/CD pipeline in GitLab. Congratulations!
Now you can get started customizing your `.gitlab-ci.yml` and defining more advanced jobs.
## `.gitlab-ci.yml` tips
Here are some tips to get started working with the `.gitlab-ci.yml` file.
For the complete `.gitlab-ci.yml` syntax, see [the full `.gitlab-ci.yml` keyword reference](../yaml/index.md).
- Use the [pipeline editor](../pipeline_editor/index.md) to edit your `.gitlab-ci.yml` file.
- Each job contains a script section and belongs to a stage:
- [`stage`](../yaml/index.md#stage) describes the sequential execution of jobs.
If there are runners available, jobs in a single stage run in parallel.
- Use the [`needs` keyword](../yaml/index.md#needs) to run jobs out of stage order.
This creates a [Directed Acyclic Graph (DAG)](../directed_acyclic_graph/index.md).
- You can set additional configuration to customize how your jobs and stages perform:
- Use the [`rules`](../yaml/index.md#rules) keyword to specify when to run or skip jobs.
The `only` and `except` legacy keywords are still supported, but can't be used
with `rules` in the same job.
- Keep information across jobs and stages persistent in a pipeline with [`cache`](../yaml/index.md#cache)
and [`artifacts`](../yaml/index.md#artifacts). These keywords are ways to store
dependencies and job output, even when using ephemeral runners for each job.
- Use the [`default`](../yaml/index.md#default) keyword to specify additional
configurations that are applied to all jobs. This keyword is often used to define
[`before_script`](../yaml/index.md#before_script) and [`after_script`](../yaml/index.md#after_script)
sections that should run on every job.
## Related topics
- [Migrate from CircleCI](../migration/circleci.md)
- [Migrate from Jenkins](../migration/jenkins.md)
- <i class="fa fa-youtube-play youtube" aria-hidden="true"></i> Watch [First time GitLab & CI/CD](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kTNfi5z6Uvk&t=553s). This includes a quick introduction to GitLab, the first steps with CI/CD, building a Go project, running tests, using the CI/CD pipeline editor, detecting secrets and security vulnerabilities and offers more exercises for asynchronous practice.
- <i class="fa fa-youtube-play youtube" aria-hidden="true"></i> Watch [Intro to GitLab CI](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l5705U8s_nQ&t=358s). This workshop uses the Web IDE to quickly get going with building source code using CI/CD, and run unit tests.