--- stage: Verify group: Pipeline Authoring info: To determine the technical writer assigned to the Stage/Group associated with this page, see https://about.gitlab.com/handbook/product/ux/technical-writing/#assignments --- # CI Lint API **(FREE)** ## Validate a CI YAML configuration with a namespace > [Introduced](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab/-/issues/231352) in GitLab 13.6. Checks if CI/CD YAML configuration is valid. This endpoint has namespace specific context. ```plaintext POST /projects/:id/ci/lint ``` | Attribute | Type | Required | Description | | ---------- | ------- | -------- | -------- | | `content` | string | yes | The CI/CD configuration content. | | `dry_run` | boolean | no | Run [pipeline creation simulation](../ci/lint.md#simulate-a-pipeline), or only do static check. This is false by default. | | `include_jobs` | boolean | no | If the list of jobs that would exist in a static check or pipeline simulation should be included in the response. This is false by default. | | `ref` | string | no | When `dry_run` is `true`, sets the branch or tag to use. Defaults to the project's default branch when not set. | Example request: ```shell curl --header "Content-Type: application/json" "https://gitlab.example.com/api/v4/projects/:id/ci/lint" --data '{"content": "{ \"image\": \"ruby:2.6\", \"services\": [\"postgres\"], \"before_script\": [\"bundle install\", \"bundle exec rake db:create\"], \"variables\": {\"DB_NAME\": \"postgres\"}, \"types\": [\"test\", \"deploy\", \"notify\"], \"rspec\": { \"script\": \"rake spec\", \"tags\": [\"ruby\", \"postgres\"], \"only\": [\"branches\"]}}"}' ``` Example responses: - Valid configuration: ```json { "valid": true, "merged_yaml": "---\n:test_job:\n :script: echo 1\n", "errors": [], "warnings": [] } ``` - Invalid configuration: ```json { "valid": false, "merged_yaml": "---\n:test_job:\n :script: echo 1\n", "errors": [ "jobs config should contain at least one visible job" ], "warnings": [] } ``` ## Validate a project's CI configuration > [Introduced](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab/-/issues/231352) in GitLab 13.5. Checks if a project's latest (`HEAD` of the project's default branch) `.gitlab-ci.yml` configuration is valid. This endpoint uses all namespace specific data available, including variables and local includes. ```plaintext GET /projects/:id/ci/lint ``` | Attribute | Type | Required | Description | | ---------- | ------- | -------- | -------- | | `dry_run` | boolean | no | Run pipeline creation simulation, or only do static check. | | `include_jobs` | boolean | no | If the list of jobs that would exist in a static check or pipeline simulation should be included in the response. This is false by default. | | `ref` | string | no | When `dry_run` is `true`, sets the branch or tag to use. Defaults to the project's default branch when not set. | Example request: ```shell curl "https://gitlab.example.com/api/v4/projects/:id/ci/lint" ``` Example responses: - Valid configuration: ```json { "valid": true, "merged_yaml": "---\n:test_job:\n :script: echo 1\n", "errors": [], "warnings": [] } ``` - Invalid configuration: ```json { "valid": false, "merged_yaml": "---\n:test_job:\n :script: echo 1\n", "errors": [ "jobs config should contain at least one visible job" ], "warnings": [] } ``` ## Validate the CI YAML configuration (deprecated) WARNING: This endpoint was [deprecated](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab/-/issues/381669) in GitLab 15.7 and is planned for removal in 16.0. Use [`POST /projects/:id/ci/lint`](#validate-a-ci-yaml-configuration-with-a-namespace) instead. Checks if CI/CD YAML configuration is valid. This endpoint validates basic CI/CD configuration syntax. It doesn't have any namespace-specific context. Access to this endpoint does not require authentication when the instance [allows new sign ups](../user/admin_area/settings/sign_up_restrictions.md#disable-new-sign-ups) and: - Does not have an [allowlist or denylist](../user/admin_area/settings/sign_up_restrictions.md#allow-or-deny-sign-ups-using-specific-email-domains). - Does not [require administrator approval for new sign ups](../user/admin_area/settings/sign_up_restrictions.md#require-administrator-approval-for-new-sign-ups). - Does not have additional [sign up restrictions](../user/admin_area/settings/sign_up_restrictions.md). Otherwise, authentication is required. ```plaintext POST /ci/lint ``` | Attribute | Type | Required | Description | | ---------- | ------- | -------- | -------- | | `content` | string | yes | The CI/CD configuration content. | | `include_merged_yaml` | boolean | no | If the [expanded CI/CD configuration](#yaml-expansion) should be included in the response. | | `include_jobs` | boolean | no | If the list of jobs should be included in the response. This is false by default. | ```shell curl --header "Content-Type: application/json" --header "PRIVATE-TOKEN: " "https://gitlab.example.com/api/v4/ci/lint" --data '{"content": "{ \"image\": \"ruby:2.6\", \"services\": [\"postgres\"], \"before_script\": [\"bundle install\", \"bundle exec rake db:create\"], \"variables\": {\"DB_NAME\": \"postgres\"}, \"types\": [\"test\", \"deploy\", \"notify\"], \"rspec\": { \"script\": \"rake spec\", \"tags\": [\"ruby\", \"postgres\"], \"only\": [\"branches\"]}}"}' ``` Be sure to paste the exact contents of your GitLab CI/CD YAML configuration because YAML is very sensitive about indentation and spacing. Example responses: - Valid content: ```json { "status": "valid", "errors": [], "warnings": [] } ``` - Valid content with warnings: ```json { "status": "valid", "errors": [], "warnings": ["jobs:job may allow multiple pipelines to run for a single action due to `rules:when` clause with no `workflow:rules` - read more: https://docs.gitlab.com/ee/ci/troubleshooting.html#pipeline-warnings"] } ``` - Invalid content: ```json { "status": "invalid", "errors": [ "variables config should be a hash of key value pairs" ], "warnings": [] } ``` - Without the content attribute: ```json { "error": "content is missing" } ``` ### YAML expansion > [Introduced](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab/-/issues/29568) in GitLab 13.5. The CI lint returns an expanded version of the configuration. The expansion does not work for CI configuration added with [`include: local`](../ci/yaml/index.md#includelocal), and the [`extends:`](../ci/yaml/index.md#extends) keyword is [not fully supported](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab/-/issues/258843). Example contents of a `.gitlab-ci.yml` passed to the CI Lint API with `include_merged_yaml` and `include_jobs` set as true: ```yaml include: remote: 'https://example.com/remote.yaml' test: stage: test script: - echo 1 ``` Example contents of `https://example.com/remote.yaml`: ```yaml another_test: stage: test script: - echo 2 ``` Example response: ```json { "status": "valid", "errors": [], "merged_yaml": "---\n:another_test:\n :stage: test\n :script: echo 2\n:test:\n :stage: test\n :script: echo 1\n", "jobs": [ { "name":"test", "stage":"test", "before_script":[], "script":["echo 1"], "after_script":[], "tag_list":[], "environment":null, "when":"on_success", "allow_failure":false, "only":{ "refs":["branches","tags"] }, "except":null }, { "name":"another_test", "stage":"test", "before_script":[], "script":["echo 2"], "after_script":[], "tag_list":[], "environment":null, "when":"on_success", "allow_failure":false, "only":{ "refs":["branches","tags"] }, "except":null } ] } ``` ## Use jq to create and process YAML & JSON payloads To `POST` a YAML configuration to the CI Lint endpoint, it must be properly escaped and JSON encoded. You can use `jq` and `curl` to escape and upload YAML to the GitLab API. ### Escape YAML for JSON encoding To escape quotes and encode your YAML in a format suitable for embedding within a JSON payload, you can use `jq`. For example, create a file named `example-gitlab-ci.yml`: ```yaml .api_test: rules: - if: $CI_PIPELINE_SOURCE=="merge_request_event" changes: - src/api/* deploy: extends: - .api_test rules: - when: manual allow_failure: true script: - echo "hello world" ``` Next, use `jq` to escape and encode the YAML file into JSON: ```shell jq --raw-input --slurp < example-gitlab-ci.yml ``` To escape and encode an input YAML file (`example-gitlab-ci.yml`), and `POST` it to the GitLab API using `curl` and `jq` in a one-line command: ```shell jq --null-input --arg yaml "$( ``` Example input: ```json {"status":"valid","errors":[],"merged_yaml":"---\n:.api_test:\n :rules:\n - :if: $CI_PIPELINE_SOURCE==\"merge_request_event\"\n :changes:\n - src/api/*\n:deploy:\n :rules:\n - :when: manual\n :allow_failure: true\n :extends:\n - \".api_test\"\n :script:\n - echo \"hello world\"\n"} ``` Becomes: ```yaml :.api_test: :rules: - :if: $CI_PIPELINE_SOURCE=="merge_request_event" :changes: - src/api/* :deploy: :rules: - :when: manual :allow_failure: true :extends: - ".api_test" :script: - echo "hello world" ``` With a one-line command, you can: 1. Escape the YAML 1. Encode it in JSON 1. POST it to the API with curl 1. Format the response ```shell jq --null-input --arg yaml "$(