# CI/CD pipelines with the Mule Maven plugin

*MuleSoft Platform Integration Architect Study Guide · Applying DevOps practices and operating integration solutions · Last updated November 13, 2026 · https://www.certifyforce.com/study-guide/mulesoft-platform-integration-architect/applying-devops-practices-and-operating-integration-solutions/ci-cd-pipelines-with-the-mule-maven-plugin*

Design a CI/CD pipeline for Mule applications: what the CI server owns, which MuleSoft Maven plugin tests, packages, publishes and deploys, and how the cloudhub2Deployment parameters control credentials, business group, runtime channel, capacity, update strategy and URLs on CloudHub 2.0.

- Certification: Salesforce MuleSoft Platform Integration Architect
- Exam section: Applying DevOps practices and operating integration solutions
- Study guide: https://www.certifyforce.com/study-guide/mulesoft-platform-integration-architect

**Official exam objective:**

> Create the high-level design of continuous integration (CI) and continuous delivery (CD) pipelines for Mule applications using MuleSoft-provided Maven plugins.

## What the exam expects

- Assign pipeline responsibilities to the CI server rather than to individual developers, and keep one tested artifact moving through every environment.
- Name the MuleSoft-provided Maven plugin for each pipeline stage: testing, packaging, publishing to Exchange and deployment.
- Configure a CloudHub 2.0 deployment strategy: credentials, business group, release channel and Java version, capacity, timeout, update strategy and generated URLs.
- Translate a CloudHub 1.0 deployment configuration into its CloudHub 2.0 equivalent.

**Continuous integration (CI)**: a build triggered on every project change that runs the tests automatically. **Mule Maven plugin**: packages and deploys Mule applications within the Maven lifecycle. **MUnit Maven plugin**: runs MUnit tests inside the Maven build. **Deployment strategy**: the target-specific element, such as `cloudhub2Deployment`, that tells the plugin where and how to deploy. **Release channel**: Edge or Long-Term Support (LTS), the two Mule runtime release tracks from Mule 4.5 ([Continuous Integration](https://docs.mulesoft.com/mule-runtime/latest/continuous-integration), [Mule Maven Plugin](https://docs.mulesoft.com/mule-runtime/latest/mmp-concept), [Edge and LTS Releases](https://docs.mulesoft.com/release-notes/mule-runtime/lts-edge-release-cadence)).

## Key facts

| Fact | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| CloudHub 2.0 prerequisite | App already published to Exchange; Maven Facade API v3 in `distributionManagement`. | [CloudHub 2.0 with Maven](https://docs.mulesoft.com/mule-runtime/latest/deploy-to-cloudhub-2) |
| `deploymentTimeout` default | `600000` ms. | [CloudHub 2.0 with Maven](https://docs.mulesoft.com/mule-runtime/latest/deploy-to-cloudhub-2) |
| `releaseChannel` / `javaVersion` defaults | `EDGE` and `8`; need plugin 4.1.1 or later for LTS. | [CloudHub 2.0 with Maven](https://docs.mulesoft.com/mule-runtime/latest/deploy-to-cloudhub-2) |
| `businessGroupId` | Mandatory with access to a business group but not its parent organization. | [CloudHub 2.0 with Maven](https://docs.mulesoft.com/mule-runtime/latest/deploy-to-cloudhub-2) |
| Rolling plus node enforcement | At most one replica fewer than the node count. | [CloudHub 2.0 with Maven](https://docs.mulesoft.com/mule-runtime/latest/deploy-to-cloudhub-2) |
| `generateDefaultPublicUrl` | Private space only; shared space always generates a URL. | [CloudHub 2.0 with Maven](https://docs.mulesoft.com/mule-runtime/latest/deploy-to-cloudhub-2) |

## Check yourself

- When are MUnit coverage reports produced, and do they appear for tests run in Anypoint Studio?
- What happens when `releaseChannel` names a channel that does not exist?
- When can `vCores` not be used to size CloudHub 2.0 replicas?
- When is an Edge app moved to a new minor version without the team acting?
- Why does MuleSoft say CI improves merges into the main branch?

## Sources

- [Deploy Applications to CloudHub 2.0 Using the Mule Maven Plugin](https://docs.mulesoft.com/mule-runtime/latest/deploy-to-cloudhub-2)
- [Continuous Integration](https://docs.mulesoft.com/mule-runtime/latest/continuous-integration)
- [Mule Maven Plugin](https://docs.mulesoft.com/mule-runtime/latest/mmp-concept)
- [MUnit Maven Plugin](https://docs.mulesoft.com/munit/latest/munit-maven-plugin)
- [Publishing Assets Using Maven](https://docs.mulesoft.com/exchange/to-publish-assets-maven)
- [Deploy Applications to CloudHub Using the Mule Maven Plugin](https://docs.mulesoft.com/mule-runtime/latest/deploy-to-cloudhub)
- [Edge and LTS Releases for Mule](https://docs.mulesoft.com/release-notes/mule-runtime/lts-edge-release-cadence)

## About the full unit

The "Core concepts", "Exam traps" and "Worked scenario" sections of this unit, its 10 linked practice questions, and unlimited timed mock exams are included with the MuleSoft Platform Integration Architect pack (USD $19): https://www.certifyforce.com/practice-exams