GitHub Actions vs Jenkins: Which One for Small Teams?
Introduction
I've worked on projects using both Jenkins and GitHub Actions - from teams of 4-5 people to over 100 contributors. Here's what I've learned: GitHub Actions is great for getting started, but as your project grows, you might need Jenkins's advanced capabilities.
The Starting Point: GitHub Actions
In the beginning, GitHub Actions provides everything you need. It's simple to set up and comes with enough features to get your CI/CD pipeline running. When your team is small and the project is just starting, this simplicity is exactly what you want.
What I especially love about GitHub Actions is the zero overhead when setting up the environment - GitHub handles all the infrastructure for you. The YAML format is also more intuitive and readable compared to Jenkinsfile, making pipeline creation much more straightforward.
Key Features of GitHub Actions:
Built directly into GitHub - seamless integration with your repositories
Flexible trigger system - run workflows manually, on PR events, merges, or schedules
Easy YAML configuration with extensive documentation
Great for automating workflows and GitHub-specific tasks
Free for public repositories (generous limits)
Simple to set up and maintain - no DevOps expertise required
Perfect for small to medium projects
No additional infrastructure needed - runs in GitHub's cloud
Built-in artifact storage and sharing between jobs
Matrix builds for testing across multiple versions/configurations
Scaling Up: When Jenkins Makes Sense
As your project grows, you'll likely need more pipelines, custom configurations, and better scalability. This is where Jenkins starts to shine. While it requires more setup initially, it gives you the control and flexibility needed for larger projects.
Key Features of Jenkins:
Highly customizable - can adapt to any workflow
Extensive plugin ecosystem with enterprise integrations:
JIRA for ticket tracking
Git for version control
AWS EC2 for dynamic scaling
Allure for test reporting
Custom security scanning tools
Better handling of complex pipelines with visual pipeline steps
Complete control over infrastructure and resources
Advanced scheduling capabilities with fine-grained control
Better suited for large teams with complex workflows
Powerful security features and role-based access control
Self-hosted means no usage limits
Comparison Table
When to Consider Switching
Your team is growing beyond 20-30 people
You need custom plugins or enterprise integrations (JIRA, custom security tools)
Pipeline complexity is increasing (multiple parallel builds, complex dependencies)
Security requirements demand more control
Infrastructure needs are becoming specific (custom runners, resource allocation)
Real World Example
On one project, we started with GitHub Actions - it was perfect for our team of 5. But when I worked on another project with 100+ contributors, we needed:
Multiple parallel pipelines running different test suites
Custom security scanning integrated with internal tools
Integration with JIRA and other enterprise systems
Specific resource allocation for different build types
Custom plugins for deployment validation
That's when we switched to Jenkins, and despite the initial setup overhead, it gave us the control we needed. The visual pipeline view also made it easier for team members to understand and troubleshoot the build process.
Conclusion
Start with GitHub Actions - it's simple and effective. As your project grows and you need more control, consider moving to Jenkins. There's no shame in starting small and scaling up when needed.
Remember
The best CI/CD solution is the one that matches your current needs, not what you might need in the future. Both tools are excellent - it's just about choosing the right one for your stage of growth.