Pipeline JSON Model

Updated on 22 Apr 2021
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Pipelines are stored as JSON-formatted files. You can edit pipelines in the web interface using the visual or text mode.

Pipeline

A pipeline consists of a sequence of stages, variables, and several other properties and options. The following are the contents of a pipeline's JSON file.

Property	Description
`Color`	a string in the format `#RRGGBB` used to represent the color used in the UI
`Description`	a string to document the pipelines intended usage
`EnforceStageSequence`	a boolean to indicate whether the stage sequence should be enforced (requiring a Force to override), or if any stage can be deployed to at any time
`PostDeploymentOptions`	an object with the following property/value pairs. Each value is a boolean. `CancelReleases`: cancel earlier (lower-sequenced) releases that are still active and have not yet been deployed. `CreateRelease`: creates a new release by incrementing the final part after a release has been deployed. `DeployRelease`: mark the release and build as deployed once it reaches the final stage.
`Variables`	an object with property/values representing variable names and values a variable name is a string of no more than fifty characters: numbers (0-9), upper- and lower-case letters (a-Z), dashes (-), spaces ( ), and underscores (_) and must start with a letter, and may not start or end with a dash, underscore, or space; a variable a variable value is a string of any number of characters
`Stages`	an array of Stage objects

Stage

A stage consists of a gate, variables, pre-deployment steps, targets, post-deployment steps, and several properties and options.

This object is used to describe the Stage property of a Pipeline object.

Property	Description
`Name`	a string representing the name of the stage
`Description`	a string to document the stage's intended usage
`AutoPromote`	a boolean indicating whether a deployment to the next stage will automatically occur if the target is next stage's gate is met
`TargetExecutionMode`	a string with either `Parallel` or `Sequential`
`Gate`	a Gate object
`Variables`	an object with property/values representing variable names and values a variable name is a string of no more than fifty characters: numbers (0-9), upper- and lower-case letters (a-Z), dashes (-), spaces ( ), and underscores (_) and must start with a letter, and may not start or end with a dash, underscore, or space; a variable a variable value is a string of any number of characters
`Targets`	an array of Target objects
`PreDeploymentSteps`	an array of strings containing OtterScript strings that are run prior to target evaluation
`PostDeploymentSteps`	an array of objects or strings, representing steps that are run after target execution Each object has two properties: `Script`: a string containing an OtterScript string `RunOnFail`: a boolean indicating if the step should run even if one of the targets failed Using strings directly in this array is equivalent to an object whose `Script` is the string itself and `RunOnFail: false`

Gate

A gate is a mix of manual and automated approval requirements that a build must have before being deployed to a stage, and are used to ensure the quality and acceptability of a build as it passes through the pipeline.

This object is used to describe the Gate property of a Stage object.

Property	Description
`UserApprovals`	an array of objects representing people that must approve deployment into the stage; each object has two properties: `Name`: a string of the username of the approver `Description`: a string of what will be displayed on the approvals required and received
`GroupApprovals`	an array of objects representing people in groups that must approve deployment into the stage; each object has 3 properties: `Name`: a string of the group name that an approver belongs to `Description`: a string of what will be displayed on the approvals required and received `Count`: an integer of how many approvers in that group must approve the build before it's met
`AutomatedChecks`	an AutomatedCheck object
`DeploymentWindows`	an array of objects representing times in which a deployment may occur `Days`: an array of strings representing the names of the days of the week (in the current culture) that a deployment StartTime occurs `StartTime`: a string in a ISO 8601 24-hour time format with an optional time zone offset: `hh:mm[:ss.sss`±`hh:mm]` `EndTime`: a string in a ISO 8601 24-hour time format with an optional time zone offset: `hh:mm[:ss.sss`±`hh:mm]`

Target

A target is comprised of a deployment plan, an environment name and a list of servers or roles to be deployed.

This object is expected in the Targets array property on the Stage object.

Property	Description
`PlanName`	a string of the plan name that will be executed at the target
`EnvironmentName`	a string of the name of the environment that is targeted
`RoleNames`	an array of strings representing the roles that are targeted
`ServerNames`	an array of strings representing the names of the servers targeted

Automated Check

An automated check object describes the automated checks that occur in a pipeline stage gate.

This object is expected in the AutomatedChecks property of the Gate object.

Property	Description
`Issues`	an object that represents issue statuses required to allow promotion to this stage; each object has two properties: `Closed`: a boolean that indicates "all issues must be closed" prior to promotion, default is `false` `Statuses`: an array of issue statuses (e.g. "Ready for QA") an issue must be in prior to promotion, omit the property to represent "any status"
`Tests`	a string of the name of the environment that is targeted
`Variables`	an array of strings representing the roles that are targeted

OtterScript Strings

OtterScript strings are JSON-encoded strings with optional additional header directives that are used by the UI to determine which pre- or post-deployment step types are displayed.

Here are some examples of valid OtterScript strings in JSON:

Send an email...

"##AH:Email\\r\\n\\r\\nSend-Email\\r\\n(\\r\\n    To: user@example.com,\\r\\n    Subject: Hello,\\r\\n    Body: Body text\\r\\n);\\r\\n",

Set stage variable...

"##AH:SetVariable\\r\\n\\r\\nset $TestVariable = TestValue;\\r\\n",

Execute PowerShell...

"##AH:PowerShell\\r\\n\\r\\nPsExec\\r\\n(\\r\\n    Text: write-host \\"Hello from PowerShell\\";\\r\\n);\\r\\n",

Execute custom OtterScript...

"Exec D:\\\\Tools\\\\tool.exe;"

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Deployment Plans

Table of contents

Pipeline
Stage
Gate
Target
Automated Check
OtterScript Strings

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