How to run a gitlab-ci.yml job only on a tagged branch?

Question

How do I run a .gitlab-ci.yml job only on a tagged Master branch?

job:
  script:
  - echo "Do something"
  only:
  - master
  - tags

The above code will run if either condition exists: a Master branch or a tagged commit.

My goal is to have this run for a production deploy, but it would require that it be on the Master branch and that it be tagged (with a version). Otherwise, I'll have another job that will push to staging if its missing a tag.

How about running it for tags and checking if tag belongs to master branch in a script? — Jakub Kania, Mar 15 '17 at 00:12
I thought it should also work with Variables and tried it with `rules: - if: $CI_COMMIT_TAG != null' && $CI_COMMIT_BRANCH == "master"` and also with `only: refs: - test variables: - $CI_COMMIT_TAG != null`, but without success... — Wolfson, Sep 02 '20 at 10:45
@Wolfson The problem with that is that if the pipeline is triggered by a tag, `CI_COMMIT_BRANCH` is not defined, and viceversa with a commit trigger and `CI_COMMIT_TAG` — Anakhand, Mar 11 '21 at 22:13

Sergio Tomasello · Answer 1 · 2020-09-02T21:10:02.110

22

This behavior will be introduced in version 12.

Open issue was recently update:

Jason Lenny @jlenny changed title from {-Update .gitlab-ci.yml to support conjunction logic for build conditions-} to Conjunction logic for build conditions MVC · 2 days ago

Jason Lenny @jlenny changed milestone to 12.0 · 2 days ago

(fingers crossed)

A solution is to use the except keyword to exclude all the branches, in conjunction with only to run on tags, in this way you run your pipeline only on tag in master branch:

  only:
    - tags
  except:
    - branches

I'm using version 11.3.4

edited Sep 02 '20 at 21:10

answered Oct 14 '18 at 23:17

Sergio Tomasello

339
2
7

The issue seems to have been migrated to [another issue](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab-ce/issues/60085) - and it missed 12.0, but development of feature is ongoing so it could be available in 12.1. – Kristoffer Bakkejord Jul 01 '19 at 18:23
2

How does this run only on tags on master branch? Can't we tag any branch? – Charlie Schliesser Aug 11 '20 at 20:07
1

The example will also run on other branches then protected branches. – Kound Oct 15 '20 at 10:23

Eric D. Johnson · Answer 2 · 2019-01-25T22:52:05.857

16

Thanks to others like Matt Alioto who posted about the open issue (which is labeled Product Vision 2019 so hopefully they knock it out this year).

Specific to Carlson Cole's question, this would work:

job_for_master_no_tags:
  stage: deploy
  script:
  - echo "Release to Staging"
  only:
  - master

job_for_master_tags_only:
  stage: deploy
  script:
  - echo "Release to Production"
  only:
  - tags
  except:
  - /^(?!master).+@/    # Ruby RegEx for anything not starting with 'master'

To see how this RegEx works check out https://rubular.com/r/1en2eblDzRP5Ha
I tested this on GitLab version 11.7.0 and it works
- Note: If you try to use - /^(?!master).+/ (without the @) it doesn't work - learned that the hard way

edited Jan 25 '19 at 22:52

answered Jan 25 '19 at 21:15

Eric D. Johnson

7,181
6
30
41

3

Since 11.9.4 "dangerous" regex, like negative lookaheads (?!), are no longer working. See https://docs.gitlab.com/ee/ci/yaml/#supported-onlyexcept-regexp-syntax You can enable them manually though. – Sebastian Sebald Apr 17 '19 at 07:40
1

Thanks for heads up @SebastianSebald – Eric D. Johnson Apr 17 '19 at 18:25
I use the version of 11.2. In my test , it should be end with $. The final resutl is `/^(?!master).+$/`. – yunnysunny Mar 16 '21 at 04:11
So far I tested it the `job_for_master_tags_only` will also run on other tagged branches – Kound Apr 11 '21 at 09:10
@kound what version of GitLab were you using? – Eric D. Johnson Apr 16 '21 at 14:06
13.7.4 @EricD.Johnson – Kound Apr 19 '21 at 13:48

score 9 · Answer 3 · answered Nov 01 '18 at 11:16

9

I made it work and this is my working code snippet, all others were not working for me

only:
 - tags  # please mention the 's' compared to Sergio Tomasello's solution
except:
 - branches

I use 11.4.3

answered Nov 01 '18 at 11:16

hannes ach

8,318
3
39
50

score 6 · Answer 4 · edited Jun 02 '20 at 15:51

6

This behavior is not yet supported by gitlab-ci, although there is an open issue to add it.

In the meantime I've also heard anecdotal reports that

only:
  - master
only:
  - tags

will get the job done (as well as anecdotal reports that it won't).

edited Jun 02 '20 at 15:51

bPratik

6,428
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answered Mar 18 '17 at 01:22

Matt Alioto

349
1
10

I've tried that and it didn't seem to seem to make any difference. Thanks for the note on the open issue. – Carson Cole Mar 18 '17 at 17:48
The only other thing I can suggest is hacking something together with regular expressions like the users [here](https://github.com/gitlabhq/gitlab-ci/issues/639) are experimenting with. – Matt Alioto Mar 18 '17 at 17:54
I just tried the proposed solution and it is indeed working! – Ali Jun 30 '17 at 19:59
2

@MattAlioto too bad that link doesn't exist anymore, always try to include a brief example in case the original source goes away ;) – Jonas D. Jul 25 '17 at 07:51
@JonasD. This seems to be the link you're looking for: https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab-ce/issues/27818 – Riga Aug 16 '17 at 20:53
4

Per https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab-ce/issues/27818#note_38463332 second only just overrides the first. – bbodenmiller Jul 20 '18 at 04:18

score 0 · Answer 5 · answered Nov 30 '20 at 17:37

0

My solutions was

job:
  script:
  - echo "Do something"
  only: 
    refs:
      - master
      - tags
    variables:
      - $CI_COMMIT_BRANCH == "master"

answered Nov 30 '20 at 17:37

Julio Ramos

61
1
3

Welcome to StackOverflow. While this code may solve the question, [including an explanation](https://meta.stackexchange.com/q/114762) of how and why this solves the problem would really help to improve the quality of your post, and probably result in more up-votes. Remember that you are answering the question for readers in the future, not just the person asking now, please edit your answer to add explanations and give an indication of what limitations and assumptions apply. – Ruli Nov 30 '20 at 22:03

score 0 · Answer 6 · answered Apr 11 '21 at 09:10

There is no proper build in solution in gitlab so far for this problem. To keep track of the development of a proper solution and to keep a working workaround updated I created: Gitlab CI: Run Pipeline job only for tagged commits that exist on protected branches

How to run a gitlab-ci.yml job only on a tagged branch?

6 Answers6

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