# Pipeline syntax

The pipeline section defines a list of steps to build, test and deploy your code. Pipeline steps are executed serially, in the order in which they are defined. If a step returns a non-zero exit code, the pipeline immediately aborts and returns a failure status.

Example pipeline:

```yaml
pipeline:
  backend:
    image: golang
    commands:
      - go build
      - go test
  frontend:
    image: node
    commands:
      - npm install
      - npm run test
      - npm run build
```

In the above example we define two pipeline steps, `frontend` and `backend`. The names of these steps are completely arbitrary.

Another way to name a step is by using the name keyword:

```yaml
pipeline:
  - name: backend
    image: golang
    commands:
      - go build
      - go test
  - name: frontend
    image: node
    commands:
      - npm install
      - npm run test
      - npm run build
```

Keep in mind the name is optional, if not added the steps will be numerated.

### Skip Commits

Woodpecker gives the ability to skip individual commits by adding `[CI SKIP]` to the commit message. Note this is case-insensitive.

```sh
git commit -m "updated README [CI SKIP]"
```

## Steps

Every step of your pipeline executes arbitrary commands inside a specified container. The defined commands are executed serially.
The associated commit of a current pipeline run is checked out with git to a workspace which is mounted to every step of the pipeline as the working directory.

```diff
 pipeline:
   backend:
     image: golang
     commands:
+      - go build
+      - go test
```

### File changes are incremental

- Woodpecker clones the source code in the beginning pipeline
- Changes to files are persisted through steps as the same volume is mounted to all steps

```yaml
# .woodpecker.yml
pipeline:
  build:
    image: debian
    commands:
      - echo "test content" > myfile
  a-test-step:
    image: debian
    commands:
      - cat myfile
```

### `image`

Woodpecker pulls the defined image and uses it as environment to execute the pipeline step commands, for plugins and for service containers.

When using the `local` backend, the `image` entry is used to specify the shell, such as Bash or Fish, that is used to run the commands.

```diff
 pipeline:
   build:
+    image: golang:1.6
     commands:
       - go build
       - go test

   publish:
+    image: plugins/docker
     repo: foo/bar

 services:
   database:
+    image: mysql
```

Woodpecker supports any valid Docker image from any Docker registry:

```text
image: golang
image: golang:1.7
image: library/golang:1.7
image: index.docker.io/library/golang
image: index.docker.io/library/golang:1.7
```

Woodpecker does not automatically upgrade container images. Example configuration to always pull the latest image when updates are available:

```diff
 pipeline:
   build:
     image: golang:latest
+    pull: true
```

##### Images from private registries

You must provide registry credentials on the UI in order to pull private pipeline images defined in your YAML configuration file.

These credentials are never exposed to your pipeline, which means they cannot be used to push, and are safe to use with pull requests, for example. Pushing to a registry still require setting credentials for the appropriate plugin.

Example configuration using a private image:

```diff
 pipeline:
   build:
+    image: gcr.io/custom/golang
     commands:
       - go build
       - go test
```

Woodpecker matches the registry hostname to each image in your YAML. If the hostnames match, the registry credentials are used to authenticate to your registry and pull the image. Note that registry credentials are used by the Woodpecker agent and are never exposed to your build containers.

Example registry hostnames:

- Image `gcr.io/foo/bar` has hostname `gcr.io`
- Image `foo/bar` has hostname `docker.io`
- Image `qux.com:8000/foo/bar` has hostname `qux.com:8000`

Example registry hostname matching logic:

- Hostname `gcr.io` matches image `gcr.io/foo/bar`
- Hostname `docker.io` matches `golang`
- Hostname `docker.io` matches `library/golang`
- Hostname `docker.io` matches `bradyrydzewski/golang`
- Hostname `docker.io` matches `bradyrydzewski/golang:latest`

##### Global registry support

To make a private registry globally available check the [server configuration docs](../30-administration/10-server-config.md#global-registry-setting).

##### GCR registry support

For specific details on configuring access to Google Container Registry, please view the docs [here](https://cloud.google.com/container-registry/docs/advanced-authentication#using_a_json_key_file).

### `commands`

Commands of every pipeline step are executed serially as if you would enter them into your local shell.

```diff
 pipeline:
   backend:
     image: golang
     commands:
+      - go build
+      - go test
```

There is no magic here. The above commands are converted to a simple shell script. The commands in the above example are roughly converted to the below script:

```sh
#!/bin/sh
set -e

go build
go test
```

The above shell script is then executed as the container entrypoint. The below docker command is an (incomplete) example of how the script is executed:

```sh
docker run --entrypoint=build.sh golang
```

> Please note that only build steps can define commands. You cannot use commands with plugins or services.

### `environment`

Woodpecker provides the ability to pass environment variables to individual pipeline steps.

For more details check the [environment docs](./50-environment.md).

### `secrets`

Woodpecker provides the ability to store named parameters external to the YAML configuration file, in a central secret store. These secrets can be passed to individual steps of the pipeline at runtime.

For more details check the [secrets docs](./40-secrets.md).

### `when` - Conditional Execution

Woodpecker supports defining a list of conditions for a pipeline step by using a `when` block. If at least one of the conditions in the `when` block evaluate to true the step is executed, otherwise it is skipped. A condition can be a check like:

```diff
 pipeline:
   slack:
     image: plugins/slack
     settings:
       channel: dev
+    when:
+      - event: pull_request
+        repo: test/test
+      - event: push
+        branch: main
```

#### `repo`

Example conditional execution by repository:

```diff
 pipeline:
   slack:
     image: plugins/slack
     settings:
       channel: dev
+    when:
+      - repo: test/test
```

#### `branch`

:::note
Branch conditions are not applied to tags.
:::

Example conditional execution by branch:

```diff
pipeline:
  slack:
    image: plugins/slack
    settings:
      channel: dev
+   when:
+     - branch: master
```

> The step now triggers on master, but also if the target branch of a pull request is `master`. Add an event condition to limit it further to pushes on master only.

Execute a step if the branch is `master` or `develop`:

```yaml
when:
  - branch: [master, develop]
```

Execute a step if the branch starts with `prefix/*`:

```yaml
when:
  - branch: prefix/*
```

The branch matching is done using [doublestar](https://github.com/bmatcuk/doublestar/#usage), note that a pattern starting with `*` should be put between quotes and a literal `/` needs to be escaped. A few examples:

- `*\\/*` to match patterns with exactly 1 `/`
- `*\\/**` to match patters with at least 1 `/`
- `*` to match patterns without `/`
- `**` to match everything

Execute a step using custom include and exclude logic:

```yaml
when:
  - branch:
      include: [ master, release/* ]
      exclude: [ release/1.0.0, release/1.1.* ]
```

#### `event`

:::info
**By default steps are filtered by following event types:**

`push`, `pull_request`, `tag`, `deployment`, `manual`.
:::

Available events: `push`, `pull_request`, `tag`, `deployment`, `cron`, `manual`

Execute a step if the build event is a `tag`:

```yaml
when:
  - event: tag
```

Execute a step if the pipeline event is a `push` to a specified branch:

```diff
when:
  - event: push
+   branch: main
```

Execute a step for multiple events:

```yaml
when:
  - event: [push, tag, deployment]
```

#### `cron`

This filter **only** applies to cron events and filters based on the name of a cron job.

Make sure to have a `event: cron` condition in the `when`-filters as well.

```yaml
when:
  - event: cron
    cron: sync_* # name of your cron job
```

[Read more about cron](./45-cron.md)

#### `tag`

This filter only applies to tag events.
Use glob expression to execute a step if the tag name starts with `v`:

```yaml
when:
  - event: tag
    tag: v*
```

#### `status`

There are use cases for executing pipeline steps on failure, such as sending notifications for failed pipelines. Use the status constraint to execute steps even when the pipeline fails:

```diff
pipeline:
  slack:
    image: plugins/slack
    settings:
      channel: dev
+   when:
+     - status: [ success, failure ]
```

#### `platform`

:::note
This condition should be used in conjunction with a [matrix](./30-matrix-pipelines.md#example-matrix-pipeline-using-multiple-platforms) pipeline as a regular pipeline will only executed by a single agent which only has one arch.
:::

Execute a step for a specific platform:

```yaml
when:
  - platform: linux/amd64
```

Execute a step for a specific platform using wildcards:

```yaml
when:
  - platform:  [ linux/*, windows/amd64 ]
```

#### `environment`

Execute a step for deployment events matching the target deployment environment:

```yaml
when:
  - environment: production
  - event: deployment
```

#### `matrix`

Execute a step for a single matrix permutation:

```yaml
when:
  - matrix:
      GO_VERSION: 1.5
      REDIS_VERSION: 2.8
```

#### `instance`

Execute a step only on a certain Woodpecker instance matching the specified hostname:

```yaml
when:
  - instance: stage.woodpecker.company.com
```

#### `path`

:::info
Path conditions are applied only to **push** and **pull_request** events.
It is currently **only available** for GitHub, GitLab and Gitea (version 1.18.0 and newer)
:::

Execute a step only on a pipeline with certain files being changed:

```yaml
when:
  - path: "src/*"
```

You can use [glob patterns](https://github.com/bmatcuk/doublestar#patterns) to match the changed files and specify if the step should run if a file matching that pattern has been changed `include` or if some files have **not** been changed `exclude`.

```yaml
when:
  - path:
      include: [ '.woodpecker/*.yml', '*.ini' ]
      exclude: [ '*.md', 'docs/**' ]
      ignore_message: "[ALL]"
```

**Hint:** Passing a defined ignore-message like `[ALL]` inside the commit message will ignore all path conditions.

#### `evaluate`

Execute a step only if the provided evaluate expression is equal to true. Each [`CI_` variable](./50-environment.md#built-in-environment-variables) can be used inside the expression.

The expression syntax can be found in [the docs](https://github.com/antonmedv/expr/blob/master/docs/Language-Definition.md) of the underlying library.

Run on pushes to the default branch for the repository `owner/repo`:

```yaml
when:
  - evaluate: 'CI_BUILD_EVENT == "push" && CI_REPO == "owner/repo" && CI_COMMIT_BRANCH == CI_REPO_DEFAULT_BRANCH'
```

Run on commits created by user `woodpecker-ci`:

```yaml
when:
  - evaluate: 'CI_COMMIT_AUTHOR == "woodpecker-ci"'
```

Skip all commits containing `please ignore me` in the commit message:

```yaml
when:
  - evaluate: 'not (CI_COMMIT_MESSAGE contains "please ignore me")'
```

### `group` - Parallel execution

Woodpecker supports parallel step execution for same-machine fan-in and fan-out. Parallel steps are configured using the `group` attribute. This instructs the pipeline runner to execute the named group in parallel.

Example parallel configuration:

```diff
 pipeline:
   backend:
+    group: build
     image: golang
     commands:
       - go build
       - go test
   frontend:
+    group: build
     image: node
     commands:
       - npm install
       - npm run test
       - npm run build
   publish:
     image: plugins/docker
     repo: octocat/hello-world
```

In the above example, the `frontend` and `backend` steps are executed in parallel. The pipeline runner will not execute the `publish` step until the group completes.

### `volumes`

Woodpecker gives the ability to define Docker volumes in the YAML. You can use this parameter to mount files or folders on the host machine into your containers.

For more details check the [volumes docs](./70-volumes.md).

### `detach`

Woodpecker gives the ability to detach steps to run them in background until the pipeline finishes.

For more details check the [service docs](./60-services.md#detachment).

### `directory`

Using `directory`, you can set a subdirectory of your repository or an absolute path inside the Docker container in which your commands will run.

## `services`

Woodpecker can provide service containers. They can for example be used to run databases or cache containers during the execution of pipeline.

For more details check the [services docs](./60-services.md).

## `workspace`

The workspace defines the shared volume and working directory shared by all pipeline steps. The default workspace matches the below pattern, based on your repository URL.

```txt
/woodpecker/src/github.com/octocat/hello-world
```

The workspace can be customized using the workspace block in the YAML file:

```diff
+workspace:
+  base: /go
+  path: src/github.com/octocat/hello-world

 pipeline:
   build:
     image: golang:latest
     commands:
       - go get
       - go test
```

The base attribute defines a shared base volume available to all pipeline steps. This ensures your source code, dependencies and compiled binaries are persisted and shared between steps.

```diff
 workspace:
+  base: /go
   path: src/github.com/octocat/hello-world

 pipeline:
   deps:
     image: golang:latest
     commands:
       - go get
       - go test
   build:
     image: node:latest
     commands:
       - go build
```

This would be equivalent to the following docker commands:

```sh
docker volume create my-named-volume

docker run --volume=my-named-volume:/go golang:latest
docker run --volume=my-named-volume:/go node:latest
```

The path attribute defines the working directory of your build. This is where your code is cloned and will be the default working directory of every step in your build process. The path must be relative and is combined with your base path.

```diff
 workspace:
   base: /go
+  path: src/github.com/octocat/hello-world
```

```text
git clone https://github.com/octocat/hello-world \
  /go/src/github.com/octocat/hello-world
```

## `matrix`

Woodpecker has integrated support for matrix builds. Woodpecker executes a separate build task for each combination in the matrix, allowing you to build and test a single commit against multiple configurations.

For more details check the [matrix build docs](./30-matrix-pipelines.md).

## `platform`

To configure your pipeline to only be executed on an agent with a specific platform, you can use the `platform` key.
Have a look at the official [go docs](https://go.dev/doc/install/source) for the available platforms. The syntax of the platform is `GOOS/GOARCH` like `linux/arm64` or `linux/amd64`.

Example:

Assuming we have two agents, one `arm` and one `amd64`. Previously this pipeline would have executed on **either agent**, as Woodpecker is not fussy about where it runs the pipelines. By setting the following option it will only be executed on an agent with the platform `linux/arm64`.

```diff
+platform: linux/arm64

pipeline:
  build:
    image: golang
    commands:
      - go build
      - go test
```

## `labels`

You can set labels for your pipeline to select an agent to execute the pipeline on. An agent will pick up and run a pipeline when **every** label assigned to a pipeline matches the agents labels.

To set additional agent labels check the [agent configuration options](../30-administration/15-agent-config.md#woodpecker_filter_labels). Agents will have at least three default labels: `platform=agent-os/agent-arch`, `hostname=my-agent` and `repo=*`. Agents can use a `*` as a wildcard for a label. For example `repo=*` will match every repo.

Pipeline labels with an empty value will be ignored.
By default each pipeline has at least the `repo=your-user/your-repo-name` label. If you have set the [platform attribute](#platform) for your pipeline it will have a label like `platform=your-os/your-arch` as well.

You can add additional labels as a key value map:

```diff
+labels:
+  location: europe # only agents with `location=europe` or `location=*` will be used
+  weather: sun
+  hostname: "" # this label will be ignored as it is empty

pipeline:
  build:
    image: golang
    commands:
      - go build
      - go test
```

## `variables`

Woodpecker supports [YAML anchors & aliases](https://yaml.org/spec/1.2.2/#3222-anchors-and-aliases) in the pipeline configuration. These can be used as variables to not repeat yourself.

For more details and examples check the [Advanced YAML syntax docs](./35-advanced-yaml-syntax.md)

## `clone`

Woodpecker automatically configures a default clone step if not explicitly defined. When using the `local` backend, the [plugin-git](https://github.com/woodpecker-ci/plugin-git) binary must be on your `$PATH` for the default clone step to work. If not, you can still write a manual clone step.

You can manually configure the clone step in your pipeline for customization:

```diff
+clone:
+  git:
+    image: woodpeckerci/plugin-git

 pipeline:
   build:
     image: golang
     commands:
       - go build
       - go test
```

Example configuration to override depth:

```diff
 clone:
   git:
     image: woodpeckerci/plugin-git
+    settings:
+      depth: 50
```

Example configuration to use a custom clone plugin:

```diff
clone:
  git:
+   image: octocat/custom-git-plugin
```

Example configuration to clone Mercurial repository:

```diff
 clone:
   hg:
+    image: plugins/hg
+    settings:
+      path: bitbucket.org/foo/bar
```

### Git Submodules

To use the credentials that cloned the repository to clone it's submodules, update `.gitmodules` to use `https` instead of `git`:

```diff
 [submodule "my-module"]
 path = my-module
-url = git@github.com:octocat/my-module.git
+url = https://github.com/octocat/my-module.git
```

To use the ssh git url in `.gitmodules` for users cloning with ssh, and also use the https url in Woodpecker, add `submodule_override`:

```diff
 clone:
   git:
     image: woodpeckerci/plugin-git
     settings:
       recursive: true
+      submodule_override:
+        my-module: https://github.com/octocat/my-module.git

pipeline:
  ...
```

## `when` - Global pipeline conditions

Woodpecker gives the ability to skip whole pipelines (not just steps #when---conditional-execution-1) based on certain conditions by a `when` block. If all conditions in the `when` block evaluate to true the pipeline is executed, otherwise it is skipped, but treated as successful and other pipelines depending on it will still continue.

### `repo`

Example conditional execution by repository:

```diff
 pipeline:
   slack:
     image: plugins/slack
     settings:
       channel: dev
+    when:
+      repo: test/test
```

### `branch`

:::note
Branch conditions are not applied to tags.
:::

Example conditional execution by branch:

```diff
pipeline:
  slack:
    image: plugins/slack
    settings:
      channel: dev
+   when:
+     branch: master
```

> The step now triggers on master, but also if the target branch of a pull request is `master`. Add an event condition to limit it further to pushes on master only.

Execute a step if the branch is `master` or `develop`:

```diff
when:
  branch: [master, develop]
```

Execute a step if the branch starts with `prefix/*`:

```diff
when:
  branch: prefix/*
```

Execute a step using custom include and exclude logic:

```diff
when:
  branch:
    include: [ master, release/* ]
    exclude: [ release/1.0.0, release/1.1.* ]
```

### `event`

Execute a step if the build event is a `tag`:

```diff
when:
  event: tag
```

Execute a step if the pipeline event is a `push` to a specified branch:

```diff
when:
  event: push
+ branch: main
```

Execute a step for all non-pull request events:

```diff
when:
  event: [push, tag, deployment]
```

Execute a step for all build events:

```diff
when:
  event: [push, pull_request, tag, deployment]
```

### `tag`

This filter only applies to tag events.
Use glob expression to execute a step if the tag name starts with `v`:

```diff
when:
  event: tag
  tag: v*
```

### `environment`

Execute a step for deployment events matching the target deployment environment:

```diff
when:
  environment: production
  event: deployment
```

### `instance`

Execute a step only on a certain Woodpecker instance matching the specified hostname:

```diff
when:
  instance: stage.woodpecker.company.com
```

### `path`

:::info
Path conditions are applied only to **push** and **pull_request** events.
It is currently **only available** for GitHub, GitLab.
Gitea only supports **push** at the moment ([go-gitea/gitea#18228](https://github.com/go-gitea/gitea/pull/18228)).
:::

Execute a step only on a pipeline with certain files being changed:

```diff
when:
  path: "src/*"
```

You can use [glob patterns](https://github.com/bmatcuk/doublestar#patterns) to match the changed files and specify if the step should run if a file matching that pattern has been changed `include` or if some files have **not** been changed `exclude`.

```diff
when:
  path:
    include: [ '.woodpecker/*.yml', '*.ini' ]
    exclude: [ '*.md', 'docs/**' ]
    ignore_message: "[ALL]"
```

**Hint:** Passing a defined ignore-message like `[ALL]` inside the commit message will ignore all path conditions.

## `depends_on`

Woodpecker supports to define multiple pipelines for a repository. Those pipelines will run independent from each other. To depend them on each other you can use the [`depends_on`](https://woodpecker-ci.org/docs/usage/multi-pipeline#flow-control) keyword.

## Privileged mode

Woodpecker gives the ability to configure privileged mode in the YAML. You can use this parameter to launch containers with escalated capabilities.

> Privileged mode is only available to trusted repositories and for security reasons should only be used in private environments. See [project settings](./71-project-settings.md#trusted) to enable trusted mode.

```diff
 pipeline:
   build:
     image: docker
     environment:
       - DOCKER_HOST=tcp://docker:2375
     commands:
       - docker --tls=false ps

 services:
   docker:
     image: docker:dind
     command: [ "--storage-driver=vfs", "--tls=false" ]
+    privileged: true
```