Archiving and Retrieving Build Artifacts - CircleCI Tutorial

Introduction

Archiving and retrieving build artifacts is an essential aspect of CI/CD workflows. CircleCI provides features that allow you to store and access important files and data generated during your build process. Archiving build artifacts ensures their persistence and availability for future reference or deployment. This tutorial will guide you through the process of archiving and retrieving build artifacts using CircleCI.

Example

Let's consider an example where we archive a compiled binary as a build artifact in CircleCI:


    version: 2.1

    jobs:

      build:

        docker:

          - image: circleci/node:12

        steps:

          - checkout

          - run:

            name: Build Binary

            command: make build

          - store_artifacts:

            path: ./bin/myapp

Archiving and Retrieving Build Artifacts in CircleCI

To archive and retrieve build artifacts using CircleCI, follow these steps:

1. Identify the files to be archived

Determine which files or directories you want to archive as build artifacts. This can include compiled binaries, generated documentation, configuration files, or any other files that are important for your build process.

2. Archive the build artifacts

In your CircleCI configuration file (e.g., .circleci/config.yml), use the store_artifacts key to specify the files or directories you want to archive as build artifacts. Provide the path to the files or directories relative to the project root directory.

For example, to archive a compiled binary located in the ./bin/myapp directory, you can add the following step to your configuration:


    - store_artifacts:

      path: ./bin/myapp

3. Retrieve the build artifacts

To retrieve the archived build artifacts, you can use the CircleCI API or the CircleCI CLI. The artifacts can be retrieved based on the build number, job name, and the path specified during archiving. Refer to the CircleCI documentation for more information on retrieving artifacts.

Common Mistakes

Not specifying the correct path to the files or directories to be archived
Archiving unnecessary or irrelevant files as build artifacts
Forgetting to retrieve or access the archived build artifacts when needed

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Can I archive multiple files or directories as build artifacts?

Yes, you can archive multiple files or directories as build artifacts. Simply specify each path within the store_artifacts key in your CircleCI configuration file.
How long are the build artifacts retained in CircleCI?

By default, CircleCI retains build artifacts for 30 days. However, you can customize the retention period to meet your specific needs.
Can I specify a different location for storing the build artifacts?

Yes, you can specify a different location for storing the build artifacts by providing a different path within the store_artifacts key in your CircleCI configuration file.

Summary

In this tutorial, you learned how to archive and retrieve build artifacts in CircleCI. By identifying the files or directories to be archived, using the store_artifacts key to specify them in your CircleCI configuration file, and retrieving the artifacts when needed, you can effectively manage and access important files generated during your CI/CD pipelines. Avoid common mistakes, archive only relevant files, and ensure you retrieve the artifacts when required. Refer to the CircleCI documentation for further details and advanced configuration options.