Setup GitLab Repository:

• Create a GitLab repository for your Node.js application.

• Add a .gitlab-ci.yml file to define your CI/CD pipeline.

Configure GitLab CI/CD Pipeline:

• Set up stages for your pipeline, including build, test, and deploy.

• Use a Docker image for Node.js in your CI runner.

• Install necessary dependencies and run tests in the build stage.

Create Helm Charts:

• Organize your Node.js application into a Helm chart structure. This typically involves creating a Chart.yaml, values.yaml, and templates directory with Kubernetes manifest files.

• Include a Deployment YAML for your Node.js app, specifying container details, environment variables, etc.

Integrate Helm into CI/CD:

• Install Helm in your CI runner.

• Add steps in your CI/CD pipeline to package your Helm chart and push it to your Helm repository.

Configure GKE Cluster:

• Set up a GKE cluster in Google Cloud Console.

• Authenticate GitLab CI with your GKE cluster using a service account and kubeconfig.

Deploy to GKE:

• Add deployment steps in your CI/CD pipeline to deploy your Helm chart to the GKE cluster.

Secrets Management:

• Use GitLab CI/CD variables or another secure method for managing sensitive information like API keys or secrets.

Monitoring and Logging:

• Integrate monitoring tools and logging solutions to track the health and performance of your deployed application.