GitHub Actions vs GitLab CI vs Jenkins: picking a CI/CD engine.
CI/CD is in 67% of DevOps job posts for a reason. The three big engines trade convenience against control. Here's how to choose for an AWS shop.
The short answer
GitHub Actions if your code is on GitHub and you want the least setup. GitLab CI if you want an integrated DevOps platform (SCM + CI + registry) in one. Jenkins if you need maximum flexibility, self-hosting control, or have legacy pipelines to maintain.
Side by side
| Dimension | GitHub Actions | GitLab CI | Jenkins |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hosting | SaaS (or self-hosted runners) | SaaS or self-managed | Self-hosted |
| Maintenance | Low | Low–medium | High (plugins, upgrades) |
| Config | YAML + Marketplace actions | YAML | Groovy / declarative |
| Best for | GitHub teams | All-in-one platform | Custom/complex, on-prem |
| AWS integration | OIDC to IAM (no keys) | OIDC to IAM | Plugins + OIDC |
Security that actually matters
- Use OIDC federation to assume AWS IAM roles — stop storing long-lived access keys in CI secrets.
- Add security gates: SAST, Trivy image scanning, and OPA/Conftest on Terraform plans, blocking merges not deploys.
- Pin third-party actions/images to digests; a supply-chain compromise in CI is a compromise of prod.
My take after 16 years
For greenfield AWS work I default to GitHub Actions with OIDC — least setup, no static keys. GitLab CI is excellent when a team wants one platform end to end. I keep Jenkins where there's heavy existing investment or unusual self-hosting needs — but I'd rarely start new there. Whatever the engine, the value is in the gates and OIDC, not the logo.
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