Components of a Pipeline

The pipeline can include any combination of the following components, each of which defines the sequence of execution of the pipeline. You can learn more about configuring the execution flow of the pipeline from this help section.

• Pipeline : A tool for automating the build, test, and deployment processes of software applications.

• Runner : A virtual machine or container that provides the underlying infrastructure to execute the pipeline.

• Image : An external resource that a pipeline relies on, such as libraries, packages, or services, to complete its execution successfully.

• Variable : The placeholders for values that can be reused at multiple instances within the scope of the pipeline.

• Artifact : The zip file produced during the application build process and stored in the Catalyst Stratus service, which can be deployed to specified environments.

• When Condition : The conditional logic that can be defined to instruct the execution flow of the pipeline.

• Step : A step is a lowest building block in a pipeline. It contains a set of commands to perform specific operations such as compiling code, running tests, or deploying an application.

• Job : A job is a series of sequential or parallel steps that execute within the pipeline.

• Stage : The highest level of organization in the Catalyst Pipeline, representing distinct phases of the software delivery process. Each stage encompasses multiple jobs.

You can code the execution flow of the pipeline by defining any of the above mentioned components in the catalyst-pipelines.yaml file based on your specific requirements.

Within the Catalyst pipeline, stages, and jobs, you have the flexibility to configure the other components such as images, runners, variables, and conditions, each playing a distinct role in the pipeline execution.

The following illustration provides a comprehensive overview of the components that can be defined at each level:

We will be discussing in detail about each component in their respective help pages. Refer to this help page to get started.

The below diagram demonstrates the hierarchical sequence of the various pipeline components.

Key considerations

1. A pipeline can contain up to five stages, with each stage accommodating a maximum of five jobs, including parallel jobs.

2. It is mandatory to include at least one stage and job in the pipeline.

3. You can define variables, images, and runners at the pipeline level, stage level, or job level. In case of multiple definitions, the one specified at the lowest level (i.e., job) takes precedence.