Acceptance of CI/CD Tools in Education: A Comparison of GitHub Actions and GitLab

Rodriguez A.; Pando B. · Proceedings - 2025 13th International Conference in Software Engineering Research and Innovation, CONISOFT 2025 (2025) · DOI: 10.1109/conisoft66928.2025.00034

Resumen

Over time, software has undergone significant evolution. In the past, it was designed for specific and controlled situations, such as programs intended for particular tasks within a company. Nowadays, software adapts to diverse environments and requirements without major modifications. This evolution has been driven, in part, by significant changes in roles and the adoption of new methodologies such as DevOps, agile development, and continuous integration/continuous deployment (CI/CD). However, this evolution has also introduced complex challenges due to the implementation of numerous tools and automated environments in software engineering. Although these tools facilitate the automation process, many are underutilized due to their complexity, perceived lack of usefulness, or users' lack of intention to use them. As a result, these tools are not widely accepted technologically. Additionally, companies face the challenge of selecting the right tool among the many options available in the job market. This study assessed and compared the technological acceptance of two of the most commonly used CI/CD tools: GitLab CI/CD and GitHub Actions. The study involved 21 undergraduate students with basic knowledge of software process automation. These participants used both tools and were evaluated through a structured 16-item questionnaire. This questionnaire measured three dimensions: six items assessed Perceived Usefulness, five items assessed Ease of Use, and five items assessed Intention to Use. Responses were recorded on a scale from 0 to 10. The results of this experiment indicate that both tools exhibit similar levels of technological acceptance.

Instituciones: Universidad Nacional Agraria de la Selva