Rules

Make jobs conditional

Rules define whether to execute a job

At least one successful rule for the job to be executed

job_name:
  rules:
  - if: $VAR == "value"
  - if: $VAR2 = "value2"
  #...

Formerly only/except which are “not actively developed”

Official documentation of job control

Make pipelines conditional

Workflow rules define whether to execute a whole pipeline

workflow:
  rules:
  - if: $VAR == "value"
  - if: $VAR2 = "value2"

job_name:
  #...

Conditions are also used in workflow rules

Workflow rules

Disable execution for some trigger types

workflow:
  rules:
  - if: $CI_PIPELINE_SOURCE == 'push'
  - if: $CI_PIPELINE_SOURCE == 'web'
  - if: $CI_PIPELINE_SOURCE == 'schedule'
  - if: $CI_PIPELINE_SOURCE == 'pipeline'
  - if: $CI_PIPELINE_SOURCE == 'api'
    when: never
  - if: $CI_PIPELINE_SOURCE == 'trigger'
    when: never

Mind the order

Rules are evaluated in-order

First match determines result

Adjust order from most specific…

…to most general

Hands-On

Use GitLab Pages to create a download page

• The job must be called pages
• The must create an artifact from the directory called public

See chapter Rules

Pro tip 1: Use CI_DEPLOY_FREEZE with rules

Disable pipeline:

workflow:
  rules:
  - if: $CI_DEPLOY_FREEZE
    when: never
  - when: on_success

Template to disable job:

.freeze-deployment:
  rules:
  - if: $CI_DEPLOY_FREEZE
    when: manual
    allow_failure: true
  - when: on_success

Pro tip 2: Fields for rules

Rules not only control execution of jobs but can also configure jobs through the use of the following fields:

• Add additional variables to customize the behaviour of the job
• Limit a rule to changes changes on specific files
• Execute a job only if a specific file exists
• Make a job dependent on other jobs using needs

Rules become especially powerful when combining the fields supported by rules - including if

–

Pro tip 3: Avoid pipeline on push

Pipelines can be skipped by adding [skip ci] to the commit message

But GitLab still shows a skipped pipelines

Use a rule to avoid pipelines entirely:

my_job:
  rules:
  - if: $CI_PIPELINE_SOURCE == "push" && $CI_COMMIT_TITLE =~ /skip ci/i
    when: never

Pro tip 4: Use quotes to help the YAML parser

Sometime the YAML parser gets confused

Use quotes to help the parser

workflow:
  rules:
  - if: '$VAR == "value"'

job_name:
  rules:
  - if: '$VAR2 == "value2"'
  #...

Pro tip 5: Tweaking GitLab Pages

The content directory can be configured using pages:publish

Premium/Ultimate: Deploy to a sub-directory pages:pages.path_prefix

Premium/Ultimate: Expire a pages deployment pages:pages.expire_in

Pro tip 6: GitLab Pages access control

GitLab Pages are public by default

Access control can be enabled

1. Per instance (prerequisite for per project)
2. Per project