What usually triggers a CI pipeline?

A CI pipeline is usually triggered by events in Git, that is, by changes in the repository that could potentially affect the code.

Put simply: CI runs every time new code appears or existing code changes.

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#The main triggers of a CI pipeline

#1. Push (commits)

The most common trigger:

• git push to any branch
• or only to specific branches (main, develop)

Every new commit is checked.

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#2. Pull Request / Merge Request

A very common scenario:

• opening a PR
• updating a PR with new commits
• changing the target branch

Lets you check the code before merging.

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#3. Tags

Often used for releases:

• creating a tag (v1.2.0)
• pushing the tag to the repository

Can trigger:

• building a release
• deployment
• publishing artifacts

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#4. Merging into the main branch

In some teams, CI is configured so that:

• a merge into main
• automatically triggers the pipeline

The already-integrated code is checked.

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#5. Manual run

CI can be run manually:

• with a button in the interface
• via the API

Used for:

• re-running the pipeline
• debugging
• non-standard tasks

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#6. On a schedule (less often)

Sometimes CI runs:

• on a cron schedule
• at night or once a day

For example:

• nightly tests
• dependency checks

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#What is important to highlight in an interview

• CI is almost always tied to Git events
• the most important triggers are push and PR
• tags are often used for release pipelines

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#Short answer for an interview

A CI pipeline is usually triggered by events in Git: pushing commits, opening or updating a Pull Request, merging into the main branch, and creating tags.